Being a racist and Islamophobic is not exclusive to democrats babe, it is a widespread issue across Western culture that has been exacerbated by 9/11. Just like Americans are inherently racist towards black people, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat. It's a culture thing that will probably never be changed entirely, just because it is so engrained in popular culture and without a proper system change this issue will always be addressed superficially. Heck, your close friend who is super progressive might even say something Islamophobic or racist. Framing it on Democrats only, is just exactly how they want you to feel. I think it's about being realistic and understanding how deeply rooted it is and how hard it is to combat something that is ingrained in the public's consciousness. It's going to take more than a few social democrats in power for even that to change, if it is to change at all. Racism and Islamophobia are likely to always exist and be reflected in some capacity in our systems and our societies. Heck, we can't even ******* vote for a white woman in power. That tells you all you need to know because people generally agree that woman are too emotional and not meant to lead men, because that is not their role in the society and that is not exclusive to white men… it is a widespread cultural belief. If a white woman cannot be voted in, there is no chance in hell a Muslim man will without resistance be vote within his role and his capacity as a political figure in the States….