Shah J. Choudhur
I once questioned Anisuzzaman Muhammad about why Senator Chuck Schumer hadn’t declared his candidacy for president yet.
Anisuzzaman Muhammad is a columnist. He primarily writes about politics. He only says a few words. He was usually firm in his reasoning. Even in a chat room, he maintains his silence. He enjoys listening and watching. Never convey his thoughts. He prefers to express himself through writing. He also contributes to our local newspaper on occasion. Anisuzzaman didn’t respond. He simply stared at me. That’s how he is. He was never too loud to be heard.
Two days later, I inquired again. I asked your opinion on something, but you ignored me.
“About what?” Anisuzzaman quired, “Chuck Schumer?”
yes.
“Well, I’m not familiar with Chuck Schumer. I’m unsure of his reasons for holding off on running for president.”
Strange! Why would you be acquainted with him? I simply want your feedback! I was surprised.
All newspapers, Anisuzzaman said, “employ a variety of experts to write on various topics. Writing about the Middle East precludes writing about South Asia, and writing about Europe precludes writing about American politics. You should speak with any author who covers American politics.”
He was completely correct. But I’m not going down without a fight. I explained that I had simply requested his opinion and had not required him to write. Of course, he has a point of view. And if so, why the hesitancy?
“Absolutely no hesitation. Because that is America’s political arena, I have no preference for Chuck Schumer. But I’m not sure why anyone would desire this job. I’m talking about wanting to be president. I am aware that everyone has different desires for power, though. And power has the ability to alter or influence society.”
“In my opinion, desiring to be president of the United States is, quite simply, a recipe for madness. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, never anticipated that after the 2020 election he would become the Senate Majority Leader. But he became a senator.”
I said, “Chuck Schumer described the US immigration reform planning announcement from the Obama era (2012) as a major achievement.”
“Yes”, Anisuzzaman said, “that’s why Schumer is the longest-serving senator. This time, he has surpassed Daniel Patrick and Jacob K. Javits (2023).”
Are you implying that Chuck Schumer’s politics are dependent on immigrants? I enquired.
“Aren’t you saying the same thing?” Anisuzzaman Muhammad countered.
Chuck Schumer stated at the beginning of this year, “With the way Bangladeshis are progressing in the United States, I believe that in the future, we will need Bangladeshis in various fields, including Congress, business, and education.” He termed Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant policies “shameful” on that day. Many people think that Chuck Schumer has some kind of bias towards Bangladeshi immigrants. Is this really a fact? Does Chuck Schumer genuinely support immigrants from Bangladesh? However, individuals from all over the world live in America. Therefore, neither Chuck Schumer nor any other senator can express their preference for a certain nation. However, immigrants from any nation have the option and propensity to select a specific candidate in the country’s mainstream political milieu. This trend is formed by the person’s hard work and honesty.
When I asked Anisuzzaman Muhammad for his thoughts, he perfectly assumed that I wanted Chuck Schumer to run for president. And, if he does run, I will undoubtedly vote for Chuck Schumer. However, I am not a politician. In this arena, I have no illusions. If one aspires to become president in a nation like America, he must keep a number of policies in his briefcase, such as decent jobs for people, good diplomatic ties with other countries, citizen security, eradicating terrorism, and, most importantly, immigration. Immigration policy is a very important issue in American politics.
I’m not sure if it’s true, but I heard Donald Trump was beaten because of his anti-immigrant views. But I doubt it. Victory or defeat is never determined by a single factor. However, immigration policy is a crucial topic in American politics. And, personally, I believe it is critical to stop the tide of racism.
We can advocate for Chuck Schumer to be president since he has been a senator for twenty-four years and is a representation of confidence and trust for both Americans and immigrants. Has Anisuzzaman Muhammad managed to grasp this truth? Power is a measure of one’s capacity to affect or change society. This time, I want Chuck Schumer to have this authority. He wields enough power in society; now let the reforms happen. The next time we meet, I’ll ask him, “Mr. Schumer, why aren’t you running for president?”
Translated from Bangla by Zahan Ara Dolon
