Professor Aziz Sancar said in an interview for a Turkish newspaper that he cannot say he is a Muslim in many regions of the U.S. due to recent incidents, despite being a proud member of the faith.
In response to the question of whether he was exposed to any discrimination as a Muslim, he said: “I was not exposed to such discrimination, because the region that I live in is known for its respect for different cultures and its libertarian manner. After I won the Nobel Prize, the mayor of Chapel Hill gave me the key to the city… I said in my speech at the award ceremony that I am proud of being a Muslim, but I cannot say it in many regions of United States because of current debates.”
He also criticized that all Muslims in the world are implicated and alienated because of Daesh and other terrorist groups identified themselves with Islam and said, “I feel uncomfortable with this situation as a Turkish Muslim who has been living in the United States since 1982.”
He also touched on Donald Trump's anti-Islamic comments: “Fifty percent of U.S. citizens share Trump's sentiments. His opinion did not remain a marginal idea. Islamophobic ideas are still approved in U.S. This is really dangerous.”
Professor Sancar won the Nobel Prize for his contribution to mapping the ways cells safeguard genetic information.
He has been researching DNA repair and the regulation of the circadian clock for years.
