Mark Linnhoefer – Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said Sunday that Muslims cannot be American presidents as their faith is incongruent with the values and principles of the Constitution.
The former neurosurgeon said during NBC’s “Meet The Press” that he “would not advocate” a Muslim president and that Islam is not “consistent with the Constitution.” But it might be ok for a member of congress, he added when pressed.
Carson is third place in the polls. A spokesperson for his campaign said that while the candidate firmly believes in the constitutional right of religious freedom, he is unsure if the American people would accept a Muslim as president given the “Judeo-Christian society” inherent to the US. The spokesperson went on to say that there are “very real” differences between “the practice of Muslim faith and our constitution” that are “very much in conflict with one another.”
Muslim civil right groups are in an uproar, saying that Carson should be disqualified as the US Constitution does not allow religious tests for public offices.
Keith Ellison, Democratic Representative for Minnesota and first practicing Muslim in Congress, calls Carson’s statement “fear mongering” and says that “every American should be disturbed” that politicians with national reach are “engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.”
Even in the Republican camp, Carson is not making too many friends with his utterance, drawing angry comments from Senator Lindsey Graham, who says that Carson’s statement is especially offensive to US soldiers that are Muslim and thinks that he should apologize.
The comment from Carson is yet another example of the devolvement of the Republican Party to a bunch of bigoted, racist, xenophobic, intolerant, hate-spewing and fear-mongering idiots having lost touch with real life completely. Which is sad, because amongst that amassed amalgam of stupidity, there are some good concepts and ideas that are simply drowning in midst of idiocy. Selah.
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