GOP talking points: slavery, extermination, deportation, execution

by Sheila Musaji

In the article The GOP has declared war on American Muslims I discussed the 2011 GOP debates and statements made by the candidates, and also some of the positions taken and statements made by members of the GOP previously. 

Since that article was written, we need to add the anti-Muslim witch hunt set off by Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann, Trent Franks, Louie Gohmert, Thomas Rooney and Lynn Westmoreland who sent letters to the inspectors general of five government agencies responsible for national security to demand they investigate infiltration by the Muslim Brotherhood into the highest reaches of the federal government. In particular, Bachmann singled out Huma Abedin, the wife of former congressman Anthony Weiner and a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

And, the August statement of Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) who said at a Town Hall meeting that Muslims are “trying to kill Americans every week.  Islam is a threat in America, It’s a real threat…and it’s a threat that is much more at home now than it was right after 9/11.  It’s here, in the suburbs of Chicago.“It’s in Elk Grove, it’s in Addison, it’s in Elgin. It’s here.”   Is it completely coincidental that within days after this statement was made publicly, two mosques were attacked in his own state (one of them in his own district)?

And, now we have a whole series of strange statements by elected representatives and candidates for office in the State of Arkansas that are not only anti-Muslim, but also anti-immigrant and anti-African-American. 

Rep. Jon Hubbard of Jonesboro in a self published book titled “Letters To The Editor: Confessions Of A Frustrated Conservative” made some shocking statements:

“… the institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise. The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth.” (Pages 183-89)

African Americans must “understand that even while in the throes of slavery, their lives as Americans are likely much better than they ever would have enjoyed living in sub-Saharan Africa.  Knowing what we know today about life on the African continent, would an existence spent in slavery have been any crueler than a life spent in sub-Saharan Africa?” (Pages 93 and 189)

“… one of the stated purposes of school integration was to bring black students up to a level close to that of white students. But, to the great disappointment of everyone, the results of this theory worked exactly in reverse of its intended purpose, and instead of black students rising to the educational levels previously attained by white students, the white students dropped to the level of black students. To make matters worse the lack of discipline and ambition of black students soon became shared by their white classmates, and our educational system has been in a steady decline ever since.” (Page 27)

..the immigration issue, both legal and illegal… will lead to planned wars or extermination. Although now this seems to be barbaric and uncivilized, it will at some point become as necessary as eating and breathing.” (Page 9)

The last quote is absolutely beyond anything that should be acceptable for an elected representative of the people of the United States.  He is not only racist, but thinks that immigration might have to be “corrected” by extermination of both legal and illegal immigrants.

Republican legislative candidate, Charles Fuqua on his personal website 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.

Not content to say that our system of government is “in violation of God’s law”, Fuqua also wrote a book titled, “God’s Law: The Only Political Solution”, and the Arkansas Times has some quotes from the book:

We cannot continue to sustain the percentage of our population that is in prison. No prison term should be longer than two years. Prison should be unpleasant and rehabilitative. Anyone that cannot be rehabilitated in two years should be executed.

I see no solution to the Muslim problem short of expelling all followers of the religion from the United States.

Republican Rep. Loy Mauch of Arkansas called the Confederate flag a “symbol of Jesus Christ.” He demanded, unsuccessfully that Hot Springs remove a statute of Abraham Lincoln from its convention center, and he defended slavery.

As Omid Safi said in the article Republican Representatives: Slavery a “blessing” for African-Americans, kill the prisoners, and kick out the Muslim Americans:

... This ugliness, this hatred, this racism, this Islamophobia, has been a part of our history, and it still festers in the soul of America.

Yet, this is not all we are, and not all we are capable of being. There is a struggle for the very soul of America, and how we respond to these hateful voices will go a long way to determine the health and fate of our soul.

Dr. King once committed his mission to “save the soul of America.”  This was the mission of the SCLC, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

The human body suffers from diseases and ailments. So does the human soul, individually and collectively.  A worldview that leads one to close one’s eyes to the humanity of one’s fellow human beings is indeed a disease of the soul.

Something is rotten in the soul of America when hateful racists like these are elected to public office.  What is needed is not just kicking them out of office (though that is a necessary first step), it is also redeeming the soul.

The soul of America needs redeeming. It is up to us whether to rise to that challenge.  WE have to insist on a better America.

Regardless of your choice of political party, we have to insist that these types of voices and perspectives have but one place: in the dustbin of history.

As Brother Cornel West says: “Somethin’ Somethin’ just ain’t right”....in the soul of America.

The Huffington Post reports that Republicans are distancing themselves from Rep. Hubbard’s offensive slavery statement.  That’s nice, but it is not enough.  Is the “extermination of both legal and illegal immigrants” statement not offensive?

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 our elected representatives had their fingers crossed when taking this oath.

All of these folks really need to study the Constitution of the United States to remember that the Congress represents “we the people”, all of us, not just some particular segments of the population. 

African-Americans are part of “we the people”.  Legal immigrants are part of “we the people”.  American Muslims are a part of “we the people”.  We are Americans.  We are not going anywhere.  And, I believe that it is well past time that other Americans begin standing up against the demonization of Islam and Muslims, and of any minority group. 

It would be nice to know that this sort of bigotry is not shared by most of our fellow Americans.  And, it will require more than one or two statements by local GOP party representatives that they find some particular statement “offensive”.  A seated elected representative can be censured.  The party can publicly withdraw its’ support for a candidate who wants to “execute” prisoners who can’t be rehabilitated in two years, and expel all Muslims from this country.

[In every case, emphasis supplied]

SEE ALSO:

A Who’s Who of the Anti-Muslim/Anti-Arab/Islamophobia Industry http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/a_whos_who_of_the_anti-muslimanti-arabislamophobia_industry

Anti-Muslim Sentiments Are Strongest Amongst Republicans and People Who Trust Fox News http://www.goddiscussion.com/41001/anti-muslim-sentiments-are-strongest-with-republicans-and-people-who-trust-fox-news/

Anti-Sharia article collection http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/islamic_sharia_and_jewish_halakha_arbitration_courts

Are Muslims the enemy within?, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/are_muslims_the_enemy_within1/

Are the Republican Presidential Wannabes the new Imperial Wizards?, Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/are_the_republican_presidential_wannabes_the_new_imperial_wizards

At Allen West-Sponsored Event, Group Paints Thousands Of Muslims As Terrorists, Ryan J. Reilly http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/at_allen_west-sponsored_event_group_paints_thousands_of_muslims_as_terrorists.php

Michele Bachmann Ups the Ante in the GOP War on American Muslims, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/michelle-bachmanns-muslim-problem  (with a lengthy article collection on this witch hunt)

Bankrupt in Ideas, US Republican Contenders Demonize Islam for Political Gain http://www.aljazeerah.info/Opinion%20Editorials/2011/April/4%20o/Bankrupt%20in%20Ideas,%20US%20Republican%20Contenders%20Demonize%20Islam%20for%20Political%20Gain.htm

Paul Broun and Dr. Strangelove, Cynthia Tucker http://blogs.ajc.com/cynthia-tucker/2009/10/15/paul-broun-and-dr-strangelove/?cxntfid=blogs_cynthia_tucker

Herman Cain Needs to Read the Constitution of the U.S., Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/herman_cain

Chevy Chase GOP to Host Anti-Muslim Speaker, “Gopher” from Love Boat tv series?  http://www.marylandjuice.com/2011/08/chevy-chase-gop-to-host-anti-muslim.html

Citizens for National Security and Rep. Allen West Bring Islamophobia to Congress, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/cfns

Congressman Criticizes Election of Muslim (New York Times)  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/us/21koran.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

CT GOP Asked to Repudiate Candidate Rick Torres’ Anti-Muslim Comments http://blog.ctnews.com/kantrowitz/2010/05/15/ct-gop-asked-to-repudiate-candidates-anti-muslim-comments/

Conservative Republicans and Islam: A New Crusade for Votes and Funds, John L. Esposito and Sheila B. Lalwani http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/conservative-republicans-_1_b_836750.html

Clue to Republicans: This is Why Most Minorities Don’t Vote For You, Stephen Kral http://www.manolith.com/2009/10/15/clue-to-republicans-this-is-why-minorities-dont-vote-for-you/

Conyers blasts GOP lawmakers’ accusations of Muslim ‘spies’,  Michael O’Brien http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/63325-conyers-blasts-gop-lawmakers-accusations-of-muslim-spies

Crowd in GOP big tent doesn’t include many Muslims http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/aug/20/tamara-holder/crowd-gop-big-tent-doesnt-include-many-muslims/

Elected Representatives & Government Officials Who HAVE Questioned Islamophobia, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/elected_representatives_government_officials_who_have_questioned_islam

Fear of a Republican Muslim: An attempt to create a new GOP group causes widespread backlash, Justin Elliott http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/09/08/florida_muslim_gop

Florida. House GOP Leader Adam Hasner Hosts Event Denying Religious Freedom http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/fla_house_gop_leader_adam_hasner_hosts_event_denying_religious_freedom

Fox Trumpets CAIR Conspiracy Theory Charges Made by Author with Anti-Islam History http://mediamatters.org/research/200910150015

GOP congressman teams up with anti-Muslim group, Justin Elliott http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/07/07/allen_west_terrorism/index.html

GOP House members call for investigation of Muslim political activity, Glenn Greenwald http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

GOP Anti-Muslim Limbo:  They’ve Lowered the Bar Again!, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/gop_lowers_the_anti-muslim_limbo_bar

GOP Anti-Muslim Limbo: How Low Can They Go?, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/the_gop_anti-muslim_limbo_how_low_can_they_go

GOP Debate: Newt Gingrich’s Comparison of Muslims and Nazis Sparks Outrage http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/gop-debate-newt-gingrichs-comparison-muslims-nazis-sparks/story?id=13838355

GOP dirty tricks in the swing states, Richard Silverstein http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2008/sep/22/uselections2008.republicans

GOP Grand Old Islamophobes? Polls Show Widespread Republican Concerns Over Muslims—And Obama, Evan McMorris http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/grand-old-islamophobes-polls-show-widespread-republican-concern-over-muslims.php

GOP Muslims Fear Failure Of Bush Outreach Efforts After Anti-Mosque Furor http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/08/republican-muslims-to-gop-youre-on-thin-ice.php

GOPer can’t define, but wants to ban, sharia law, Justin Elliott http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/03/07/alabama_sharia_ban/index.html

The GOP’s clever anti-mosque strategy, Mark Silk http://blog.beliefnet.com/religionandpubliclife/2010/08/the-republicans-intolerance-gene.html

The GOP Swaps Gay Bashing for Islamaphobia, Sarah Jones http://www.politicususa.com/en/gop-islampaphobia

The GOP’s new McCarthyism against Muslims, Cynthia Tucker http://blogs.ajc.com/cynthia-tucker/2010/08/17/the-gops-new-mccarthyism-against-muslims/

The GOP’s Problem with Islam, Aaron Saari http://tpcmagazine.org/article/gop%E2%80%99s-problem-islam

Growing anti-Islam rhetoric in the Republican Party http://www.amperspective.com/?page_id=1709

Has Sue Myrick ever worked on Capitol Hill? http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2009/10/15/has-sue-myrick-ever-worked-on-capitol-hill/

Heard on the Hill: Congressional Cool Points http://www.rollcall.com/issues/55_41/hoh/39519-1.html

Rep. Honda: Slander of Muslims Is ‘Slander Against Democracy and Religious Freedom’, Spencer Ackerman http://washingtonindependent.com/64117/rep-honda-slander-of-muslims-is-slander-against-democracy-and-religious-freedom

House GOPers Accuse Muslim Advocacy Group of Espionage http://nyulocal.com/national/2009/10/16/house-gopers-accuse-muslim-advocacy-group-of-espionage/

House Republicans Continue Muslim ‘Intern Spy’ Crusade, David Sessions http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/16/republicans-continue-muslim-intern-spy-crusade/

House Republicans Pal Around with anti-Muslim, anti-Black racist David Yerushalmi, Alex Kane http://alexbkane.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/house-republicans-pal-around-with-anti-muslim-anti-black-racist-david-yerushalmi/

How to lose friends and alienate Muslims, GOP edition, Tim Murphy http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=USA&article=4257

Mike Huckabee: Another Republican Anti-Muslim Bigot http://marcovilla.instablogs.com/entry/mike-huckabee-another-republican-anti-muslim-bigot/

I Have… In My Pocket… A List of Members of the Muslim Brotherhood…, Spencer Ackerman http://spencerackerman.typepad.com/attackerman/2011/07/i-have-in-my-pocket-a-list-of-members-of-the-muslim-brotherhood.html

Idaho GOP Hosts Anti-Muslim Activist http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/idaho-gop-hosts-anti-muslim-activist

Is Congressional Christian Brotherhood Group Behind GOP Islamophobia?, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/congressional-christian-bible-study-group

Is Republican rhetoric alienating Muslims?  http://www.pri.org/stories/politics-society/is-republican-rhetoric-alienating-muslims4418.html

Is The GOP Anti-Islamic ? No, But They Are Playing With Fire, Doug Mataconis http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/is-the-gop-anti-islamic-no-but-they-are-playing-with-fire/

Islamophobia Inc. Targets GOP Muslims Too http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2011/09/islamophobia_in/ 

Islamophobia no longer questioned - even by our elected representatives, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/islamophobia_no_longer_even_questioned

Islamophobia on parade at GOP debate http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-06-15/news/bs-ed-gop-debate-islam-20110614_1_islamophobia-muslims-illegal-immigrants

Jewish Democrats blast Republicans for targeting Muslims http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/islamophobia-watch/2011/6/15/jewish-democrats-blast-republicans-for-targeting-muslims.html

Rep. King and the “Prislam” Hearing, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/rep._king_and_prislam

Rachel Maddow Exposes Anti-Islam Extremists in Congress http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E271Es21vaM

Meet The Man Behind The Intern Spy Wars: Muslim Mafia Author Dave Gaubatz, Justin Elliott http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/man_behind_intern_spy_wars_muslim_mafia_author_david_gaubatz.php?ref=mp

Members of Congress Blast Claims That Muslim Interns are ‘Spies’, CAIR http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS212218+15-Oct-2009+PRN20091015

Montgomery Democrats Issue Letter Condemning Local GOP Extremist Speaker http://www.libertarianrepublican.net/2011/09/maryland-democrat-leaders-issue-letter.html

More Than Half Of Republicans View Muslims Unfavorably http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/24/republicans-muslims-poll_n_693142.html

Muslim bashing doesn’t win elections, Sephan Salisbury http://mobile.salon.com/politics/war_room/2011/07/18/muslim_bashing_doesn_t_work/index.html

Muslim-bashing the GOP’s sell?, Barry Lynn http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/Barry_Lynn/2011/02/muslim-bashing_sure_to_be_gops_political_sell.html

Muslim Republicans And The GOP http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95821085

Muslim Students Challenge Allen West’s Anti-Islamic Speaker on Capitol Hill http://thinkprogress.org/security/2011/07/26/278407/muslim-students-challenge-anti-islamic-speaker/

The Muslims Are Coming! (with video), Dean Obeidallah http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dean-obeidallah/the-muslims-are-coming_b_321764.html

Muslims, Keep Out: The Republican campaign against a Ground Zero mosque, William Saletan http://www.slate.com/id/2262495/

Muzlem infiltrators in Congress!?, Jeff Siddiqui http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/muzlem_infiltrators_in_congress

Rep. Sue Myrick’s hearing on the Muslim Brotherhood, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/myrick_panel

Rep. Sue Myrick Backs Anti-Islam Hate Group http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/rep._sue_myrick_backs_anti-islam_hate_group

New York primaries: Which anti-Islam Republican will win?, Alex Pareene http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/09/13/new_york_primaries

Orange County 2011 or Germany 1933?, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/germany_or_orange_county

Republican Lawmakers Leading Witch Hunt Against Muslim Group http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200910150008

Republican Muslims Refuse To Enable GOP Hate Campaign http://simplifythepositive.blogspot.com/2010/08/republican-muslims-refuse-to-enable-gop.html

Republican’s anti-Muslim letter sparks outrage http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Republican-s—anti-Muslim-letter-sparks-outrage

Republicans Whip Anti-Muslim Hysteria While Gainesville Pastors Plan Readings From Quran in Response to Planned Burning, Jim White http://my.firedoglake.com/jimwhite/2010/08/21/republicans-whip-anti-muslim-hysteria-while-gainesville-pastors-plan-readings-from-quran-in-response-to-planned-burning/

Talking with Republican Muslims, Mona Eltahawy http://www.monaeltahawy.com/blog/?p=78

Unfounded Accusations Against Muslim Interns Both Offensive and Stupid http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/tapped_archive?month=10&year=2009&base_name=offensive_and_stupid

U.S. Right Wing and GOP Presidential Candidates Spreading Paranoid Anti-Muslim Hysteria as Part of Take-Over Strategy, Max Blumenthal http://www.alternet.org/story/152274/u.s_right_wing_and_gop_presidential_candidates_spreading_paranoid_anti-muslim_hysteria_as_part_of_take-over_strategy?page=entire

Virginia Lawmaker’s Remarks on Muslims Criticized (Washington Post) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001318.html

Where is the U.S. Government Getting It’s Information on Islam and Muslims?, Sheila Musaji http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/where_is_the_u.s._government_getting_its_information_on_islam_and_musl

Why Does the GOP Seek to Silence American Muslims?, Ahmed Rehab http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/why_does_the_gop_seek_to_silence_american_muslims

Why the GOP embraced Islamophobia, Joe Conason http://www.salon.com/news/politics/republican_party/?story=/opinion/conason/2010/09/12/islamo

Yet More Republican Racism: Iowa Republican Steve King insults blacks and Muslims http://culturekitchen.com/mole333/blog/yet_more_republican_racism_iowa_republican_insu