Posted on 11/14/2002 5:36:24 AM PST by Damocles
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Bush Takes on Christian Right Over Anti-Islam Words — By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday took on the Christian right core of his political base, denouncing anti-Islamic remarks made by religious leaders including evangelist Pat Robertson. Bush said such anti-Islamic comments were at odds with the views of most Americans. "Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans," Bush told reporters as he began a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "By far, the vast majority of American citizens respect the Islamic people and the Muslim faith. After all, there are millions of peaceful-loving Muslim Americans," Bush said. "Ours is a country based upon tolerance ... And we're not going to let the war on terror or terrorists cause us to change our values." Bush did not identify conservative Christian leaders as his target, (but we'll say he did in our title) but White House officials said he was prompted by the anti-Islamic remarks of some of them, particularly religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, who reportedly said this week Muslims were "worse than the Nazis." "He (Bush) wanted a clear statement," a senior White House official said. Spokeswoman Angell Watts of Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network said she had no immediate comment. A representative of a Muslim-American civil rights group, which had stepped up calls for Bush to repudiate such remarks, welcomed Bush's words. "Obviously, we'd like to hear him repudiate these people by name, but we appreciate that he's moving in that direction," said Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). "It's encouraging to see that the president is finally addressing the issue of Islamophobia in America by addressing a specific attacks on Islam. This is a new stance, and it's one that we would encourage and support," Hooper said. BID TO DISCOURAGE BACKLASH Bush's efforts to discourage a backlash over the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which were blamed on Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, have come increasingly into conflict with antipathy to Islam shown by some conservative Christians, a core of his support. Robertson, a popular conservative commentator who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, was criticized by CAIR and the American Jewish Committee for reportedly saying on his network Monday, "Adolf Hitler was bad, but what the Muslims want to do to the Jews is worse." Jerry Falwell, a Baptist minister and leading voice of the Christian right, in an October television interview described the prophet Mohammad as a "terrorist." Evangelist Franklin Graham, who gave the sermon at Bush's inaugural service in 2001, has also been criticized for comments on Islam. Asked about Bush's comments on Wednesday, Graham spokesman Mark DeMoss said Graham was traveling abroad. "He has not added to any comment he's made on the subject in months, because he's getting tired of getting asked about it, and any time he answers about it he gives the impression he's crusading on this issue and he's not," DeMoss said. |
If Isaiah were alive today, he'd be sued.
Well, this American (not in the so-called vast majority) respects all people - but none for being Islamic; has no respect for the Muslim faith; and thinks that most Islamic people worldwide sympathyze with the terrorists and the ones with money finance the terrorists. You have to know who your enemies are to love them. Pluralism is even more dangerous than Islam.
ISLAM is a religion of peace!
ISLAM is a religion of peace!
ISLAM is a religion of peace!
While I agree with many Christian leaders that Islam is a gutter religion bent on violence and world dominance, I do not believe that should be the official policy of the United States...a nation founded on religious freedom.
This is a difficult position to sustain, especially in the face of so much Muslim-authored death and destruction -- but it's the right one. Thanks for this concise articulation. I should remind myself of it from time to time.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com
Islam is evil. Its followers are wicked murderers, and they are the enemy of our country.
Oh, what religion was the Beltway sniper?
If I had only believed the mainstream media that told me he was a gun nut and ex-military.
Timothy McVeigh was a Muslim too wasn't he?
That turned out to be the case did it not? Ex-military. Liked to play with guns, lots of target shooting...
You could say the same thing about liberals, but rounding them up and jailing them isn't what America is about.
I don't care. It doesn't matter. Where are the voices of these alleged "millions of Muslims"? The silence is overpowering.
All we hear from those "Muslims who don't condone violence" is talk about anti-Muslim bigotry.
Which religion is at war with the rest of the world right now? Which religion is the source of the vast majority of violence and mayhem in the world? Answer the question.
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