Trump scorned for urging US ban on Muslims

By Esra Kaymak Avci

WASHINGTON

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has become a figure of ridicule on social media after he called for the U.S. to ban the entry of all Muslims.

Almost immediately after the real estate mogul made the policy statement, he was mocked on social media and not only by other Republican candidates.

A tweet by Firas Alkhateeb garnered a lot of attention.

"Does anyone know if the concentration camps Trump is planning for us Muslims will have WiFi?," he said.

Users of the micro-blogging site quickly showed support for Alkhateeb by retweeting his message nearly 700 times, liking it north of 600 times and responding in like fashion.

"If they do, I'm converting," Alaskan journalist Brian O'Connor said in response.

"So it's like 1960s Ohio, but with wifi?," O'Connor added, referring to discrimination faced by blacks during the decade.

A Methodist pastor and retired Navy chaplain from Boston also responded to Alkhateeb.

"Can I go? I'm not a Muslim but my Wi-Fi is crap,” said Pastor Williams.

Sandra Milena said she would join the camp if she would be able to get the W-Fi connection, adding a smile at the end of her tweet.

Frank McConnell suggested that the real estate mogul and Republican presidential front-runner will not be so kind, but instead is "going to turn the Internet off for Muslims".

Some feared they may become Trump’s next target for espousing liberal ideas.

"I hope so because as a liberal, I am probably not far behind you," said one user named mfsnyder.

Trump may prevent Muslim entry to the US but one user, Old Darkness, believes online access will be available.

"Behave, under King Trump you'll get dialup and be forced to thank him every morning!," the user tweeted.

Alkhateeb is a student and teacher at the Dural Qasuim school in Illinois. He also runs the Lost Islamic History website that "aims to educate all people, regardless of religious affiliation about the story of Muslims of the past," according to the site.

The U.S. announced it would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees during the current fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

Since announcing the policy, a large chorus of opponents, including some Republican presidential hopefuls, have suggested what amounts to a religious test to prevent Syrian Muslims from entering the country.

But Trump’s recent call goes one step further as it seeks to bar all Muslims, regardless of nationality, from entry.

Trump's statement came after 14 victims were killed last week by a married Muslim couple in San Bernardino, California.

Federal authorities said the attack is being investigated as terrorism.

Trump, with the hashtag #Trump's Muslim, is currently trending on Twitter.