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.''
Go Mitt!
No need to separate this out, they are one and the same.
There is one ray of hope coming out of Massivetwoschitzs politics. Ataboy Mitt. Don't back down.
Nope, all terrorists as Muslims, big difference - and I don't care what the towel headed pajama clad @ssholes think - Mitt, keep talking and you'll get my vote for President
Oh boy. Now he stepped in it. I guess he wasn't planning to run for reelection.
Truth hurts though...
Countdown until Romney flip-flops on this one too, start the clock ...... now!
I just like him more and more. First as a fixer of failed economies, now as a speaker of plain truth in the WOT. Glad to see he's not backing down.
Wonder what scuttlebutt he picked up to come out this openly?
This goes against the whole Bush domestic doctrine re islamis with Karen Hughes at the ISNA et al.
What will Grover Norquist think?
I really like this guy. It takes guts to stand up to the whiners and dimlibs, and that's the kind of politician this country badly needs.
That's how Trent Lott should've reacted: "That's not what I meant; just shut up."
If Mitt keeps this up, and comes around on guns and abortion, I might take another look at him.
i second that.......they are what they are......
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.''
Keep watching Mitt... He is going to be a contender.
The more I hear Mitt talk, the more I like him. He doesn't mind being un-PC.
There is not a church in this country that is a law-and-order-free zone. If the Baptists were using churches to plot mayhem, they'd get surveillance too.
ARE WE ??
Romney/Tancredo
Hmmm??
Mitt was on WRKO this morning and his comments were played back and then he was asked if he wanted to ammend them. Mitt said he said exactly what he meant and stood by those words.
Since the ACLU and CAIR are on the same side, the destruction of the US Constitution and the people under it, then Mitt is my guy should he decide to run.
Good grief! Don't these guys know how they sound!!! Never mind, that is how the Democratic leadeship sounds.
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