Religious bigotry by politicians

[YOhio]

Does this count?

I [Monsoor Ijaz] asked Mr. Romney whether he would consider including qualified Americans of the Islamic faith in his cabinet as advisers on national security matters, given his position that "jihadism" is the principal foreign policy threat facing America today. He answered, "…based on the numbers of American Muslims [as a percentage] in our population, I cannot see that a cabinet position would be justified. But of course, I would imagine that Muslims could serve at lower levels of my administration."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1127/p09s01-coop.htm

[ChinoCoug]

yes

[Tex]

Originally Posted by YOhio

Does this count?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1127/p09s01-coop.htm

Generally, I would reiterate: what does a man's faith have to do with his public service, except as it explicitly touches that service?

But I think given the radical Muslim problem we've had the last few years, I'm willing to make an exception in that category. No one would've expected FDR or Truman to take a German or a Japanese person into his cabinet. And yes, I know nationality is not the same thing as religion, but the Muslim extremists are the ones who made it about religion.

I think we have to be very careful about being PC for PC's sake.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by YOhio

Does this count?



http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1127/p09s01-coop.htm

He's not being a bigot, but I wouldn't have answered it quite that way. I think population mix is a valid consideration but he should also consider who's most qualified. Cabinet posts are appointed positions.

[ute4ever]

Strange that a man whose religion is shared by less than two percent of the nation would have that kind of a view. Good to know that he alone is worthy of such a high office.

[Tex]

All may not be as it seems.

Governor Romney: "… But I also think that suggesting that we have to fill spots based on checking off boxes of various ethnic groups is really a very inappropriate way to think about how we staff positions. I'm very pleased that, among my Cabinet members, for instance, I had several African-American individuals. I had people of different backgrounds. But I don't go in every circumstance I'm in and say, OK, how many African-Americans, how many Hispanic-Americans, how many Asian-Americans, and fill boxes that way. I fill responsibilities based upon people's merit and their skill. And, sometimes, it includes many ethnic minorities. And, other times, it includes different minorities. But I'm very pleased with my record." (CNN's "Situation Room," 11/27/07)

http://campaignspot.nationalreview.c...jhkMThmMGY2MzQ

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

He's not being a bigot, but I wouldn't have answered it quite that way. I think population mix is a valid consideration but he should also consider who's most qualified. Cabinet posts are appointed positions.

I agree on all accounts. "I fill according to who is most qualified." That should be your answer no matter what.

[Mindfulcoug]

Originally Posted by Tex

Generally, I would reiterate: what does a man's faith have to do with his public service, except as it explicitly touches that service?

But I think given the radical Muslim problem we've had the last few years, I'm willing to make an exception in that category. No one would've expected FDR or Truman to take a German or a Japanese person into his cabinet. And yes, I know nationality is not the same thing as religion, but the Muslim extremists are the ones who made it about religion.

I think we have to be very careful about being PC for PC's sake.

would you mind to provide a precise definiton of who a radical muslim might be, after taking a nice trip of mind and soul searching?? and what percent of this one and half billion people are actaully going to this category??

becuase it seems that the term "radical muslim" has been suggested to address any muslim who is opposite to american policies and the strategies have been adopted to keep american interest safe.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by mindfulcoug

would you mind to provide a precise definiton of who a radical muslim might be, after taking a nice trip of mind and soul searching?? and what percent of this one and half billion people are actaully going to this category??

becuase it seems that the term "radical muslim" has been suggested to address any muslim who is opposite to american policies and the strategies have been adopted to keep american interest safe.

Defining it would be difficult, but any Muslim who accepts a death fatwa as legitimate could be a defining aspect.

So if a Muslim believes and accepts fatwas of death, then in the empirical, modern world, that person is radically religious and irrational, a person to be concerned about.

[Tex]

Romney denies the claim.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n3544666.shtml