Posted on 08/23/2002 5:59:52 AM PDT by PJeffQ
Republicans distance selves from candidate
Clyburn's GOP opponent voices extremist views on Islam, AIDS and women
By LAUREN MARKOE
Washington Bureau
Gary McLeod calls Islam a murderous cult, says the government created AIDS to kill black people, and believes women don't need to be equal to men.
Some Republican leaders have moved to distance themselves from their party's nominee in the 6th Congressional District, which sprawls from Columbia to Marion to Charleston.
"His comments are a disgrace," said Steve Schmidt, communications director for the Congressional Republican Campaign Committee. "If ignorance and idiocy were Olympic sports, he would clearly be a gold medalist."
McLeod, a retired farmer from Manning who has run unsuccessfully three times against U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., made his remarks during interviews Aug. 15 and 19 with a reporter from The State.
McLeod said:
• Islam is not "a true religion; it's a cult." He said, "there's nothing peaceful about that religion. It says kill or be killed." He also called Islam's founder a "demon-possessed pedophile," and said Mohammed slept with a 9-year-old girl, one of his wives;
• The federal government created AIDS as part of a plan to kill black people. He said black voters should move away from the Democratic Party, which has tried to make them dependent on government;
• Women need to be protected by men. "They don't need to be equal." he said. "They don't need to come into a foxhole with me."
State GOP chairman Katon Dawson called McLeod's comments "bizarre." He said the state party does not share his views.
"His campaign is run strictly by him," Dawson said. "We wish him the best."
When asked about such reactions to his comments, McLeod stood by his remarks. He invited people who disagree with him to join him on his four-times-a-week Internet radio show.
"We are interested in people taking back control of their own government," said McLeod, who argues that much of the activities of the federal government are unconstitutional.
Though he is a perennial candidate, McLeod has typically drawn little attention in his four attempts to unseat Clyburn in 1994, 1996, 1998 and this year. He did not run in 2000. In 1998, Clyburn took 72 percent of the vote; McLeod's got 26 percent.
Clyburn could not be reached for comment.
While he has not gotten financial support from the party, McLeod has been included in party activities. On Aug. 14, he stood with GOP U.S. Senate candidate Lindsey Graham and gubernatorial candidate Mark Sanford for a photo opportunity at a State House rally.
Dawson noted that all Republican candidates were invited to the event "as a courtesy."
Spokesmen for both Graham and Sanford declined comment.
McLeod's comments were met with a mix of anger and disgust among Muslim leaders, AIDS experts, and women's advocates.
Imam Omar Shaheed, the leader of Columbia's Masjid As-Salaam mosque, said Muslims have endured more attacks on their religion since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. He said McLeod's views are more throwback than threat.
But Muhammad Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Committee on Islamic-American Relations, called McLeod's comments deeply troubling. He said McLeod's claim that Mohammed was a pedophile has been refuted by most Muslim scholars, who agree that the prophet's wife Aisha was not a child when they married.
Dr. Joseph Cantey, director of the infectious diseases division at the Medical University of South Carolina, called McLeod's explanation for the origin of AIDS "outrageous." He said the AIDS virus most likely came from primates in Africa.
Liz Clark, former S.C. state coordinator for the National Organization for Women, said McLeod has an outdated view of the role of women in today's society. "It's evident that this gentlemen has an 18th and 19th century mentality," she said.
He's right on this much, anyway.
I wish I could vote for him!
All true. But not one denial of what he states as fact.
Sounds like he is pissing off all the right people, so I would be voting for McLeod.
Ah ha. The bit about AIDS is explained. I certainly don't believe the govt created AIDS, but some people do.
Still, it's pretty odd.
Suuuure.
Apparently this Muslim spokesman thinks we are fools who cannot read and will believe any lie no matter how blatant.
Excuse me while I barf.
Actually, the 18th and especially 19th Centuries were the greatest cultural centuries in the history of mankind. There were problems--i.e. slavery--but otherwise you can't say all that much against that period of history.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.