That Muslim US President Thing

Once again – Ben Carson’s statement that a Muslim cannot be President of the United States has no Constitutional basis. Indeed, there is no religious requirement in the Constitution.

There are two serving Muslims in Congress, Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Andre Carson (D-Ind.).

Their thoughts on Uncle Ben’s latest outrage…

Muslim Congressmen Condemn Ben Carson Over Anti-Muslim Comments

Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.)

Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Andre Carson (D-Ind.), the two Muslim members of Congress, on Sunday condemned GOP presidential candidates Ben Carson and Donald Trump for making offensive comments about Islam.

Carson told NBC’s Chuck Todd Sunday that he would not support a Muslim becoming president because Islam is “inconsistent with the values and principles of America” and is incompatible with the U.S. Constitution. At a town hall event on Thursday, Trump declined to correct a man who claimed President Barack Obama is Muslim.

“For Ben Carson, Donald Trump, or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people,” Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, said in a statement. “It’s unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.

Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) called the famed neurosurgeon’s comments “simply ridiculous.”

Rep Keith Ellison (D-Minn.)

“Saying that the U.S. shouldn’t elect a Muslim U.S. president is absurd as saying we shouldn’t elect a neurosurgeon as president,” he said in a radio interview with Roland Martin.

“The comments made by Dr. Carson show, I think, he isn’t ready to be commander-in-chief of this country,” he added.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, which calls itself the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., will on Monday call for Carson to withdraw from the race.

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Carson’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, also rebuked the neurosurgeon over his anti-Muslim comments.

And if it is any consolation, at least two Republican candidates, Ted Cruz, and Lindsay Graham “get it”

“You know, the Constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office and I am a constitutionalist,” Cruz said on Iowa public television. He also again declined to weigh in on President Barack Obama’s faith, saying it was a matter between him and God.

Earlier Sunday, Graham reacted to Carson’s remarks on Twitter by claiming the doctor “is not ready to be Commander-In-Chief. America is an idea, not owned by a particular religion.”

The presidential hopeful further called on Carson to apologize to American Muslims, arguing that although Carson was a “good doctor,” he was “clearly not prepared to lead a great nation.”

 

Republican Fumbles Pledge of Allegiance

If you are going to make a big deal about the Pledge in a speech, and especially the History of America – then it behooves you to get a few things right…

Unless you are addressing some really ignorant conservatives whose knowledge of the Constitution, and American History is tenuous at best.

This particular Republican clown, Representative Todd Akin of gets a number of things wrong – starting with the Pilgrims creating the Constitution. The Constitution was based on “The Virginia Plan” based around Virginia’s bicameral legislature and three branches of Government (Locke) and “The New Jersey Plan” which created the structure of the Senate providing each state an equal vote. And while the Pilgrims were supposed to start a colony in Virginia…

They missed Virginia by better than 400 miles. Rep. Adkin was trying to reference The Mayflower Compact, which is amusing – in that it enforced the same religious bigotry, the Pilgrims had fled Europe to escape. Which was roundly rejected in the Constitution. And while the Mayflower Compact was the first governing agreement by white people in what would eventually become the United States – it was hardly the first Constitution. That would have been the Iroquois Constitution predating the Mayflower Compact by 400-600 years. The US Constitution is believed to have absorbed at least three important principles from the Iroquois Constitution – The Iroquois constitution banned the forced entry of private homes by a tribal government, protected freedom of political and religious expression, and imposed the impeachment of corrupt leaders…

All while the Pilgrims were still burning “Witches” at the stake. The other feature of the Iroquois Constitution was protection and participation by women – something the US Constitution wouldn’t get around to for another 140 years.

Lastly, if one is to make a big deal about the Pledge – it’s a really good idea to have memorized the words, besides just the “Under God” added by the Knights of Columbus in 1954…

You know..like… Not choking on the word “Justice”.