Arsalan Iftikhar: ‘Muslim Has Become a Slur in America’

RUSH TRANSCRIPT: 

COOPER: "I think, though, there’s also responsibility in the news media to make sure we’re covering these events, we’re covering this stuff the way it is happened. For instance, there’s still no link between Syrian refugees and the attack in Paris okay? These guys are Belgian and French nationals, they’re not Syrian refugees, we don’t a lunge yet all of this rhetoric, yet I would love to see the press —"
TODD: "A passport, there’s a rumor of a passport."
COOPER: "But that’s it. That’s it."
BROKAW: "When Donald Trump talks about security or Ben Carson, we’re talking about three-year-old orphans who are orphans and refugees because of American policy."
FOURNIER: "Excuse me, but this week is a reflection of how our leaders are going to respond to the next 9/11 I really think we’re one major hit away from a national unraveling and I think of bill Clinton who talked about at times of insecurity people would rather have a leader who is wrong and strong than right and weak. Well, we have a lot of leaders right now, especially on the right side of the paradigm, who are very — trying to pretend they’re strong and they’re very, very wrong." 
TODD: "I want to give you the last word."
IFTIKHAR: "It’s important to keep in mind, there was a recent poll that happened in Iowa amongst Republican registered voters that showed that 33 percent of Republican voters said Islam should be illegal. Against the law."
TODD: "How do we change that? That’s public opinion. 56% of Americans say it doesn’t match American values. Is it education campaigns?"
COOPER: "Re-education camps for adults."
IFTIKHAR: "59 percent of Americans today believe that Barack Obama is still a Muslim. I feel like Jerry Seinfeld needs to pop on and say “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” 
TODD: "Thanks for coming." 
IFTIKHAR: "My pleasure."