Posted on 09/16/2005 1:14:48 PM PDT by Pikamax
Romney, criticized by Muslims, refuses to back down from comments By Associated Press Friday, September 16, 2005 - Updated: 03:13 PM EST
BOSTON - Muslim groups and civil libertarians demanded an apology from Gov. Mitt Romney on Friday for his comments about wiretapping mosques and monitoring foreign students, but the governor stood by his words, saying he was only advocating for improved homeland security.
The groups, which included the American Civil Liberties Union and various mosques and Islamic organizations, delivered a letter to Romney around noon which said ``your desire to wiretap mosques is an affront to the values and principles that make America a great country.''
``As religious, community, and student leaders, we expect far more from our elected officials. Your remarks have failed us,'' said Caline Jarudi, director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, reading from the letter.
After the letter was delivered, spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the governor would not apologize or retract the comments.
Romney made the comments Wednesday during a speech in Washington at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank he consults on policy issues.
During the speech, Romney discussed homeland security and the need to devote resources to anti-terrorism intelligence. He referred to the state's 120 colleges and universities, and speculated about students who are from countries that sponsor terrorism, asking ``Do we know where they are, are we tracking them?''
He also spoke about gathering intelligence at mosques ``that may be teaching doctrines of hate and terror.''
``Are we monitoring that? Are we wiretapping?'' he asked. ``Are we following what's going on? Are we seeing who's coming in, who's coming out? Are we eavesdropping, carrying out surveillance on those individuals from places that sponsor domestic terror?''
Romney said Friday morning he wasn't advocating for anything that wasn't already being done.
``I don't have any suggestions that are beyond the scope of what's done by the FBI today,'' he said after a speech at an unrelated event. ``It's just the level of resources is something I think we should substantially enhance.''
But some Muslims said that Romney is stereotyping all Muslims as terrorists and promoting dangerous policies that erode civil liberties.
Imam Abdullah Faaruuq of the Mosque for the Praising of Allah in Boston urged Romney, who is considering a run for president in 2008, to ``stop pandering to conservatives.''
``I pray ... that this man will never reach the office of being in control of this country as a whole, and may he be limited to this term that he's in presently, because he doesn't understand what true leadership is about here in America,'' he said.
One of the activists, Hamza Pelletier, spokesman for the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, said his group planned to attend all of Romney's public appearance until he retracts the statements.
Fehrnstrom, who retreated to the governor's office after facing angry questions from people who held the press conference, said Romney was ``not advocating throwing the constitution out the window.''
``What he's saying is that if there are mosques that preaching doctrines of hate and violence, they warrant more attention than the local 4H Club,'' he said. ``And if there are students in our country, from Syria or Iraq, and they are engaging in suspicious behavior, then they warrant more attention than a student from Newton or Middleborough.''
He said, FBI is doing what? Mitt backed down from what? Or was Mitt informed that the FBI already has plants and agents in the Mosques and he just acknowledged that fact? However, if you have read an author lately (I forgot his name) he writes that the FBI and CIA is wholly inadequate in their Muslim intelligence activities and are forbidden to enter a Mosque for the purposes of spying.
Someone is right, and someone wrong. Do you feel safe knowing the FBI says they are doing what is needed presently?
I was only half listening - I'll get the details next news break.... Lead went like "Gov Mitt Romney is backing down from his statements... He said the FBI is already monitoring them"
I think he won't say that we needn't spy on and monitor the activities of Muslims but he may say that he has confidence that the FBI is already making those sort of activities a priority. If that is indeed the case, then what will the ACLU do then?
All terrorists are not Muslims, friend. The Tamil Tigers for example are terrorists and even use suicide bombers in their campaigns. They aren't Muslims.
It's just that the most pesky terrorist that's bugging the western world right now are Muslim terrorists.
Read too much news it'll drive ya crazy.
Woo-hoo!
I can't wait to support Mitt when he gets through with his focus groups and decides what he believes!
How do they do it ACLU is all Jewish, the common
cause must transcend the hatred !
The Arabs don't actually go to ACLU board meetings !
Romney on OReilly now - not backing off at all.
Skip the wiretapping, I say we go straight to leveling all of them to the ground.
OK -- tap all of them.
I mean, the 4square Church is a hotbed of anti-American activity.
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