Islamophobia no longer questioned - even by our elected representatives - updated 1/29/15

Sheila Musaji

Posted Jan 29, 2015      •Permalink      • Printer-Friendly Version
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Islamophobia no longer questioned - even by our elected representatives

by Sheila Musaji


Updates at bottom of page

An article in a Brooklyn, NY local paper is typical of the sort of blind hatred that is now totally acceptable in the U.S.

It opens with:  “There’s no denying the elephant in the room. Neither is there any rejoicing over the mosques proposed for Sheepshead Bay, Staten Island and Ground Zero because where there are mosques, there are Muslims, and where there are Muslims, there are problems.”

And, closes with:  “There is a lot the United States can learn from Great Britain’s rotten experience with a community which refuses to assume responsibility for its evil subculture — and one that only it can successfully eradicate.  New Yorkistan?  It’s happening before our eyes.”

I’ll start with the last “point”, and the short answer is that there is no community that is able to eradicate or even to identify the criminal element before it acts.  If that were the case, then we would be free of serial killers, criminal organizations like the mafia, pedophiles, rapists, and every other sort of criminal.  Doctors who perform abortions wouldn’t be murdered in churches, there would be no sex-slavery, we would all be safe on the streets at any time of the day or night.  The supposed ability of the Muslim community to magically foresee criminal behavior and eradicate it is ludicrous.

The first “point” is simply anti-Muslim racism or Islamophobia.  If “where there are Muslims there are problems”, then exactly what remedy would the author recommend.

The rabid Islamophobia displayed by individuals like Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer,  and many individuals who have made alarming statements about Islam and Muslims is filtering down through American society, and the results are seen, for example, in the objections made against the construction of the Cordoba House in NYC.  Many of the statements made have not been an example of a reasonable concern about who these particular Muslims are, but a display of hatred towards all Muslims and the entire religion of Islam.  They are also seen in blog posts with titles such as Islam is a disease pretending to be a religion. This is an outcome of the vicious what everyone “knows” demonization of Islam industry. 

This process of making hatred towards Islam and Muslims acceptable has been aided, sadly, by the fact that such statements have even been made by Jewish and Christian clergy people.  Islamophobic statements are also becoming the norm in the political arena, in political campaigns, and even among our elected government representatives, and military leaders.  The 2008 Presidential campaign was rife with Islamophobia.

It is becoming more and more difficult as an American Muslim not to be afraid of where this increasingly divisive and hateful rhetoric might lead. Polls, Surveys, and Statistics relating to Islam and Muslims show that negative attitudes are widespread.  Our civil rights are being restricted, and there are some Americans who are ready to undermine the Constitution in order to deny American Muslims full citizenship.  And, we see regular examples of prejudiced or violent incidents directed at mosques, cemetaries, and Islamic Centers as well as directed at individuals.  The vicious rhetoric is leading to violence not only against American Muslims, but also against politicians and political rivals.  American Muslims, and Muslims worldwide have spoken out loudly and clearly against extremism and terrorism, but this voice seems to be ignored.

When individuals are elected to public office, they take an oath: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

It would seem that some of these elected representatives had their fingers crossed when taking this oath.


DEFINITION OF ISLAMOPHOBIA

The Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at the Center for Race and Gender has the best working definition I have seen:

The term “Islamophobia” was first introduced as a concept in a 1991 Runnymede Trust Report and defined as “unfounded hostility towards Muslims, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims.” The term was coined in the context of Muslims in the UK in particular and Europe in general, and formulated based on the more common “xenophobia” framework.

The report pointed to prevailing attitudes that incorporate the following beliefs:

•Islam is monolithic and cannot adapt to new realities
•Islam does not share common values with other major faiths
•Islam as a religion is inferior to the West.  It is archaic, barbaric, and irrational.
•Islam is a religion of violence and supports terrorism.
•Islam is a violent political ideology.
For the purposes of anchoring the current research and documentation project, we provide the following working definition:

Islamophobia is a contrived fear or prejudice fomented by the existing Eurocentric and Orientalist global power structure.  It is directed at a perceived or real Muslim threat through the maintenance and extension of existing disparities in economic, political, social and cultural relations, while rationalizing the necessity to deploy violence as a tool to achieve “civilizational rehab” of the target communities (Muslim or otherwise).  Islamophobia reintroduces and reaffirms a global racial structure through which resource distribution disparities are maintained and extended.


A FEW EXAMPLES OF ISLAMOPHOBIA & OTHER BIGOTRY FROM POLITICIANS

It is important to remember that there are also Elected Representatives & Government Officials Who HAVE Questioned Islamophobia

42 members of Congress protest recognition of Ramadan.

Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville, is pushing an anti-Sharia bill for Michigan.  When he was challenged about this by other politicians in his state he said “If anybody has a problem with this that means they don’t agree with U.S. laws,” he said. “If they don’t want it passed then they have an ulterior agenda. It shows the people accusing me of that (bigotry) are guilty of it themselves.”   - Rep. Dave Agema invited Kamal Saleem, a man who claims to be a former terrorist to speak at a rally against illegal immigration at the Capitol building in Lansing.
—Agema posted this on his Facebook page Obama wants Israel to go back to 1967 boundaries ( bad mistake) Obama won’t acknowledge the National Day of Prayer but allows Muslims to pary (sic) on the step of the capitol (very enlightening), now on Egyptian TV he says he’s a Muslim according to some sources. Here he says he’s a Christian. We’re in trouble folks if this is true.  5/11

State Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) Congressman Todd Akin, a Republican from Town and Country, was one of the strongest local voices against the Islamic center in Manhattan. He called it “an incendiary idea.”  **

Sen. Gerald Allen can’t cite any examples of Muslims trying to have Islamic law recognized in Alabama courts, but he has introduced a bill to ban Sharia in Alabama saying that the bill is designed to protect future generations from erosion of the Constitution.

Todd Akin GOP candidate for Missouri Senate after being criticized for his remarks about “legitimate rape” compared criticism to decapitation by Islamic extremists: “We see that all the time with [what] the Islamists pull out on us: we’re offended so we’re going to cut your head off.”

Rae Hart Anderson, Minnesota Senate candidate said “Muslims are used to hate” and said that the U.S. is a “Christian nation”.

Rep. Richard Anderson (R-Clarinda IA) sponsored a bill under which “It would be legal for an Iowa business owner who cites religious beliefs to refuse to provide jobs, housing, goods or services to people involved in a marriage that violates his or her religious convictions.”  This bill seems to be aimed at the gay community but may have many ramifications for other minority groups.

Former GOP State Senate President John Andrews raised the Islamophobic “Can a good Muslim be a good American?” non-issue at a Colorado Christian University event featuring William Boykin and Sarah Palin.  6/11

Sharron Angle a Nevada Senate Candidate ran an anti-Muslim campaign and said that Muslims had already taken over a city in Michigan.  “My thoughts are these, first of all, Dearborn, Michigan, and Frankford, Texas, are on American soil, and under constitutional law. Not Sharia law. And I don’t know how that happened in the United States,” she said. “It seems to me there is something fundamentally wrong with allowing a foreign system of law to even take hold in any municipality or government situation in our United States.”  Alternet reports that Angle is a former member of Nevada’s Independent American Party, which Ingersoll revealed as the Nevada affiliate of the Constitution Party, the far-right party founded by Howard Phillips. The Constitution Party, according to the preamble to its platform, seeks to “restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations.” 

Rep. Richard Armey promoted expelling the Palestinians somewhere else, and said “I’m content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank.”  This is much worse than any comments Helen Thomas made.

Former Atty. General Bob Ashcroft said that America has “no King but Jesus”. 

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) - one of the most prolific of the Congressional Islamophobes now has her own page Michele Bachmann Ups the Ante in the GOP War on American Muslims in the Who’s Who of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab elected representatives.

State Senator Greg Ball (R-NY), chairman of the Veterans, Homeland Security & Military Affairs Committee held a hearing titled “Reviewing our Preparedness: An Examination of New York’s Public Protection Ten Years After September 11”  on April 8th.  Among the “experts” he has called to testify are Rep. Peter King, Frank Gaffney, and Nonie Darwish.  Eleven democratic senators have sent a letter to Senator Ball objecting to the inclusion of such individuals.

Democrat Roy Barnes said in a statement that the site in lower Manhattan “is hallowed ground and it is too painful and divisive to build a mosque there.” 

Rep. Gresham Barret of SC introduced the discriminatory STEP immigration Act into Congress.

Dem. Rep. John Barrow opposes NYC mosque

Texas Rep. Leo Berman Revives Fear Of Sharia With anti-Sharia Bill That Would Ban ‘Religious Or Cultural Law’.  He falsely stated that judges are using Shariah law in Dearborn, Mich. 

GOP Senate candidate Roy Blunt‘s campaign has pulled down a Web video displaying the smoldering remains of the 9/11 attacks alongside audio of his Democratic opponent saying the location of the Islamic center should be up to New Yorkers to decide.

John Boehner (R-OH) said about Cordoba project: ”The decision to build this mosque so close to the site of ground zero is deeply troubling, as is the president’s decision to endorse it.”

Gary Boisclair (D-MI) vs Keith Ellison, another Congressional Campaign based on hatred of Muslims.  He even made an anti-Muslim campaign ad which was pulled by Youtube because of its content. At the end of this “ad” Boisclair sayd “Do you really want someone representing you, who swears an oath on a Quran — a book that undermines our Constitution and says you should be killed? I’m Gary Boisclair, and I approve this message.” 11/11

Ambassador John Bolton endorsed and wrote the foreword for Spencer and Geller’s 2010 book “The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration’s War on America”  and endorse Geller’s newest book “Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance” about which Bolton said “The First Amendment’s free-speech guarantee is central to America’s character and our fundamental liberties.  Equally important, and stemming from the same philosophical roots, is the Amendment’s twinned protection of religious freedom and its prohibition of establishing religion.  These pillars of liberty are under attack around the world, and even here in America.  If you want to preserve the Constitution, read this book.”  Geller and Spencer are co-founders of the hate group SIOA.

State Rep. Bruce Borders  (R-IN) proposes introducing anti-Sharia legislation in Indiana.

Ret. Gen. William Boykin said in an interview “Boykin: What we are not seeing first and foremost is the fact that Islam is not religion. It is a totalitarian way of life. There is a religious component. But we still treat it as a first amendment issue when in fact it is a totalitarian way of life.  And when you think Islam you need to think Sharia law. Sharia law is the law that subjugates women, that cuts off the hand of the thief, that beheads the adulteress, that’s sharia law, and that’s what Islam is. It is a legal system more than anything else, with a religious component. And people simply do not understand that. And consequently, Skip, we still treat it as a first amendment issue.  ...  And we continue to categorize them as extremists or radicals or people who are not following the dictates of Islam, well the reality is they are following the dictates of Islam and all we’re doing is playing their game of propaganda when we refuse to acknowledge that they are terrorists, they are Jihadists, they’re Muslims, they’re Islamists, and they want to destroy our constitution and replace it with Sharia law.” 
— Boykin questions  “whether or how the First Amendment should properly be applied to Islam” and asserts that “the ultimate outcome of blanket protection for Islam in all its manifestations on the grounds of ‘religious freedom’ would be the establishment of Islamic law and government, or Sharia, alongside or in place of civil law and government in this country.”
— Speaking on the dangers of Islam at The Oak Initiative Summit in 2011, Boykin attacked religious leaders who seek interfaith dialogue and understanding with Muslims, claiming that when Muslims pray, they curse Jesus and asserting that Islam is not an Abrahamic faith and therefore Christianity and Islam have absolutely nothing in common.

Sen. Bill Brady of Illinois called the location of the planned NYC Islamic center “insensitive.”

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) invited David Yerushalmi of SANE to testify at a hearing on Capitol Hill. “Yerushalmi belongs to an organization that once called for adherence to Islam to be punishable by 20 years in prison.”  Broun called Obama a Marxist, compared Obama to Adolf Hitler and Karl Marx, and warned of a dictatorship **.  He was also one of the Congresspeople who thought Muslim interns on Capital Hill were “infiltrators” and “spies” **.  Broun wanted to pass a Bible Bill To declare 2010 the “Year of the Bible.” **

Broward County Republican Committee met to consider the application of Nezar Hamze to become a voting member. His quest to join a local GOP committee prompted accusations that he is un-American and that Islam is incompatible with the Constitution.  The meeting ended with him being called a “terrorist’ by hecklers and an unprecedented 158-11 vote to deny him membership. The usually perfunctory approval process for BREC membership was changed at the meeting in order to publicly vet Hamze and to then vote on his application using a secret ballot. He was the only one of 11 candidates rejected.  9/11

Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite said that “not every Muslim is a terrorist, but except for Timothy McVeigh, every terrorist was a Muslim.”  She needs to look at our TAM article Claim that all terrorists are Muslims ignores history which shows this to be a vicious lie that can only be defended by refusing to look at the facts. 

Sen. Conrad Burns, Republican Senator from Montana referred to Arabs as “ragheads”.  Said  “the United States is up against a faceless enemy of terrorists who drive taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night.”

GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain - one of the most prolific of the Congressional Islamophobes now has his own page Herman Cain Needs to Read the Constitution of the U.S. in the Who’s Who of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab elected representatives.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA)— Cantor not only was a co-sponsor of a Capitol Hill screening of the Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West in 2006 but recently also promoted another propaganda film by the Clarion Fund entitled Iranium which advocates a first strike against Iran before it is able to obtain nuclear capability.  **
— He defended Peter King’s hearings **
— Cantor said about Arab culture: “Sadly it is a culture infused with resentment and hatred. But it is this culture that underlies the Palestinians’ and the broader Arab world’s refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. And this, this [repeated for emphasis], is the root of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, it is NOT about the ‘67 lines.”

Rep. John Carter (R-TX)  Suggests That Identifying Muslims Would Ensure Safety Of Troops **

State Rep. John Cauthorn (R-MO) joined Rep. Don Wells in promoting an anti-Sharia bill for Missouri.

Rep. Saxby Chambliss R-GA said that to combat terrorism officials should “Arrest every Muslim that comes across the state line” into Georgia.

Rep. Cary Condotta, a Republican from East Wenatchee, WA left the house floor when a prayer was led by a Muslim.

Texas State Republican Executive Committee member John Cook sent out an email in attempt to to replace Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who is Jewish, with a true “Christian conservative.”  He said “I want to make sure that a person I’m supporting is going to have my values. It’s not anything about Jews and whether I think their religion is right or Muslims and whether I think their religion is right. ... I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office. They’re the people that do the best jobs over all.”  Cook said his opposition was not about Straus’ religion, although he prefers Christian candidates.  “They’re some of my best friends,” he said of Jews, naming two friends of his. “I’m not bigoted at all; I’m not racist”  Cook was absolute that his position was not bigoted.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) says the issue of building a mosque near Ground Zero in New York is “not about freedom of religion.”  “I do think it is unwise to build a mosque on the site of where 3,000 Americans lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attack.”

Sen. Mike Crappo , ID called the Cordoba project “improper”. 

Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN) called CAIR “a terrorist organization” and said “You are aware that this is a Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood entity?”  He actually pronounced Muslim as “moo-slim.”  He also called CAIR “a Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas entity.”  Cravaack keeps “Sharia: The Threat to America,” a report published by anti-Muslim hate activist Frank Gaffney, on his office desk.  Cravaack also continued on the theme that Reps. Peter King (R-NY) Frank Wolf (R-VA) started on at King’s hearings on the “Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community’s Response” by attacking the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). But Cravaack upped the rhetorical ante a bit, referring to CAIR as “basically… a terrorist organization” and asking Los Angeles County Sheriff Leroy Baca — hypothetically — if he would continue to work with CAIR if he “knew that CAIR was a terrorist organization sponsored by Hamas.” “Let me answer this way,” Baca said in response to the accusations, “if the FBI has something to charge CAIR with, bring those charges forward and try them in court and deal with it that way.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) advocated against a law that prohibits tax-exempt churches from endorsing candidates from the pulpit. When an attendee asked him whether he viewed “Sharia law” as a problem within the United States, Cruz followed in the footsteps of fellow Republicans Herman Cain and Rick Santorum and declared that “Sharia law is an enormous problem.”  Cruz attacked President Obama for allegedly being “utterly unable to utter the words radical Islamic terrorist.” Cruz especially stoked anti-Muslim attitudes during the confirmation hearing of defense secretary Chuck Hagel, maintaining that the former Republican senator may be a pawn of Saudi Arabia and Iran. **

Major General Jerry Curry (Ret.) has raised questions about President Obama secretly being a Muslim, demanded that Obama release his long-form birth certificate or resign, and derided Muslims as inherently violent.

Rep. Paul Curtman (R-MO) proposes anti-Sharia bill for Missouri, although he couldn’t cite any examples of why and said “I don’t have the specifics with me right now but if you go to—the web address kind of escapes my mind right now. Any Google search on international law used in the state courts in the U.S. is going to turn up some cases for you.”

OC County GOP official Marilyn Davenport sent out a racist image of President Obama.  Her apology was not believable.  She had previously expressed anti-Muslim sentiments. 

Rep. Don Davis of NC forwarded a message to all of his colleagues in the legislature that read in part ”Two things made this country great: White men & Christianity. Every problem that has arrisen (sic) can be traced back to our departure from God’s Law and the disenfranchisement of White men.”

Nathan Deal a Georgia gubernatorial candidate “But as an American, I am absolutely opposed,” Deal said. He called construction of the mosque two blocks from where The World Trade Center once stood “an insult.”

Howard Dean called the Cordoba House proposal “a real affront”

Woody Degan, a GOP primate candidate in Tennessee said about Gov. Haslam hiring a Muslim for a job in government:  “They’re making our Economic Development department Sharia compliant. They hired Samar Ali, who came directly from the Obama administration, who specializes in Sharia compliance. That’s what her job is.”  He said this was “in order to go after Sharia money.”

Sen. Rev. Ruben Diaz (R-NY) participated in an anti-gay rally in NYC during which just before Diaz came to the microphone, Rev. Ariel Torres Ortega of Radio Visión Cristiana said that the gay people are “worthy of death”  Diaz said he himself respects gay people, and has a gay grandaughter, but that did not stop him from particiating in this rally.

Robert Dornan California congressional candidate, at a rally in March of 2003 at the Lincoln Memorial,  “denounced the Koran as ‘a book of war and terrorism’ and said that the Koran ‘must be rewritten’ and that passages seen as endorsing violence ‘must be expunged.’”

Jon Dumitru Orange County Councilman posted an anti-Muslim comment on his official Councilmember Facebook page.  “It was 10 years ago today,” Dumitru wrote in a Facebook status update on 9/12, “the [sic] most Americans learned first hand [sic] of the teaching [sic] of Islam and the Koran being filled with messages of peace….as they killed thousands of our fellow Americans! Today I remember those lost, left behind, and those across the world searching for these [sic] pure evil and dispatching them from this world! WE WILL NEVER FORGET, WE WILL NEVER FORGIVE!”  After being questioned he scrubbed the post but the screenshot is still available.

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) warned of “the threat of Sharia law to the U.S. constitution.”  He also said that that “nobody on his side of the aisle” was intent on attacking Islam in general.  Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Pompeo (R-KS), and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). The key attraction for the crowd, though, was the House’s two most notable nativists: Reps. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Steve King (R-IA) all spoke at Brigitte Gabriel’s 2013 ACT for America conference in D.C.  Rep. Duncan received a “Patriot Award” from ACT, and at the conference’s awards luncheon an ACT! member in attendance proclaimed a need for “mutually assured destruction” should the United States be subject to a nuclear attack, citing Egypt’s Al-Azhar University and the city of Mecca as targets for nuclear retaliation. Duncan began his response emphatically saying, “I agree with you,” and then attempted to change the conversation’s direction by discussing the importance of the U.S. Constitution. **

Rep. Rex Duncan, [R-OK] raises Muslim bashing anti-Sharia issue in campaign. 

Renee Ellmers, a Republican candidate for Congress from North Carolina is drawing criticism for her incendiary campaign ad equating Muslims with terrorists.  Renee Ellmers won a seat in the House with a campaign that focused on distant New York City, calling the proposed Park51 community center “a victory mosque”.

Sen. Mike Fair (R-SC) proposes anti-Sharia legislation for South Carolina.  He made the false claim that that “ninety nine percent probably, of the acts of terrorism around the world” have “occurred at the hands of Middle Eastern men who happen to be advocates of the Islam religion.”

Florida GOP Candidate, Dan Fanelli ran racist, anti-Muslim ads as part of his campaign.  In one ad, Republican candidate for Congress Dan Fanelli points to a white man and asks, “Does this look like a terrorist?” He then turns to a “Middle Eastern” man and asks, “or this?”  Another ad has Fanelli saying, “This is a terrorist,” as he presents a “Middle Eastern” man strapped with a “bomb” and wearing what appears to be a dish towel “turban.”  Yet another ad shows two Arabic-speaking “terrorists” constructing a bomb while discussing “martyrdom” and “killing infidels.” The ad also mocks long-standing due process rights such as Miranda warnings and access to lawyer

Sen. Diane Feinstein said when asked about meeting with Muslim constituents “I don’t have time to meet with people who don’t vote.” 

State Reps. Carl Ford [R-NC] Harry Warren [R-NC] attempted to introduce a bill to make Christianity the State religion of North Carolina.  *** and ***

Trent Franks (R-AZ) along with Reps. John Shadegg (Ariz.), Paul Broun (Ga.), and Sue Myrick (N.C.) all objected to  Muslim interns on Capitol Hill as infiltrators.  Franks also signed on to Michele Bachman’s letters asking for investigation of unsubstantiated claims of Muslim Brotherhood infiltration in the U.S. government.

Charlie Fuqua, Republican candidate in AR said “Q. Do I believe that the law of the U.S. is inconsistent with the principles stated in the Ten commandments? A. Abortion, failing to use the death penalty, Socialism, graduated income tax, and our entire economic system is in violation of God’s law.”  He also said “I see no solution to the Muslim problem short of expelling all followers of the religion from the United States.” ***


State Rep. Gerald Gay (R-WY) proposes anti-Sharia bill for Wyoming.  Gay wants to replicate an Oklahoma law that was recently found to be unconstitutional, fearing that Wyoming’s judiciary may become an outpost of Islamic law. Gay says he makes “governmental decisions based on certain tenants [sic] of the Christian faith,” and his desire to maintain his Christian-outlook towards governing “motivated his proposal” to ban Sharia.

Newt Gingrich (R-GA) - one of the most prolific of the Congressional Islamophobes now has his own page Newt Gingrich’s Muslim Problem in the Who’s Who of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab elected representatives.

In a speech at the RNC Rudy Giuliani said“For four days in Denver, the Democrats were afraid to use the term “Islamic terrorism.” I imagine they believe it is politically incorrect to say it. I think they believe they will insult someone. Please tell me, who they are insulting if they say, “Islamic terrorism.” They are insulting terrorists!”  He called the Cordoba project a “desecration” and said that “Nobody would allow something like that at Pearl Harbor ... Let’s have some respect for who died there and why they died there.”

Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) - one of the most prolific of the Congressional Islamophobes now has his own page Louie Gohmert’s Muslim Problem in the Who’s Who of anti-Muslim, anti-Arab elected representatives.

A Republican candidate for Congress in Illinois Isaac Hayes used his campaign for an anti-Palestinian rant.

Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, sponsor of SB 1360, distributed an anti-Muslim booklet called “Shari’ah Law: Radical Islam’s threat to the U.S. Constitution” to fellow senators.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/03/anti-sharia-flyers-circulate-senate-hallways.html#storylink=cpy

State Rep. Carl Gatto (R-Palmer, AK) said  “As a kid, we had Italian neighborhoods, Irish neighborhoods. . .but they didn’t impose their own laws,” Gatto said. “When these neighborhoods are occupied by people from the Middle East, they do establish their own laws.”  3/11
- When the State of Alaska held a hearing about Sharia law, Alaska, Gatto brought Pamela Geller of the hate group SIOA as a reputable witness?

State Rep. Gerald Gay (R-WY) [url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/26/wyoming-sharia-law-bill_n_814266.html]has propo

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