Muslim lawmaker: Mosque opponents are birthers, 'proponents of bigotry'

The Hill ^ | 09/07/10 11:37 AM ET | Jordan Fabian

[BradtotheBone]

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), one of two Muslims serving in Congress, recently claimed that opposition to the planned Lower Manhattan mosque is not led by 9/11 families, but by birthers and religious bigots.

In an interview with BBC Radio that aired Monday, Ellison sought to undermine opponents of the proposed Islamic center to be built two blocks from the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"The fact is that the real driver of this thing is not 9/11 families," he said. "The people who are leading the anti-mosque effort ... are people who openly proclaim that Barack Obama is not a citizen. The real organizers of this thing are people who are just proponents of religious bigotry. Nothing more, nothing less."

Ellison's comments are an indication of the escalating tensions over the Islamic center just days before the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The Minnesota lawmaker referenced a controversy over a similar proposed facility in Tennessee and a planned Quran burning to be held by a radical church group in Florida this weekend, saying they are "emblematic of the larger issue" of anti-Muslim attitudes in the U.S.

Ellison also trained his fire on Fox News, saying the station "is 24/7 trying to excite and divide Americans along religious lines. Scapegoating the Muslim community. This is sort of a well-worn right-wing tactic."

[Blue Turtle]

Good to see Muslims reaching out to Americans and apologizing for 911...and be sensitive to our feelings. Thanks!

[muawiyah]

Ellison is a Moslem. How would he know anything about Christians and Jews?

Best he keep to his own and out of our business.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Yeah. In their warped minds, we are at fault for not trusting the people who jumped for joy when they flew occupied planes into occupied buildings.

[rhombus]

In Democrat-World there are only 2 explanations for any resistance...1)Greed and/or 2)Bigotry.

[Broker]

Know your enemy. If that is bigotry, so be it.

[240B]

If anyone knows about religious bigotry, it would be a Muslim.

Muslims are the all time champions of religious bigotry.

[Pecos]

Another version of the race card. Don’t talk about real issues; they just get in the way of the agenda.

[SERKIT]

Ellison is obviously a Freedomphobe. I am a proud Shariaphobe for good reason.

[Artemis Webb]

Hey I’m not a birther!

[refermech]

Agreed, I reserve the right to hate my enemies.

[Genoa]

Count me in. I’m against the GZM, against Islam, and against Soebarkah and his pile of hidden records. Guilty as charged.

[Rummyfan]

He says this to the BBC, doesn’t have the guts to say it to American media. And if 70% of the nation is islamophobic, what the heck is he going to do about it?

[wintertime]

...”are people who openly proclaim that Barack Obama is not a citizen”
...”Fox News, saying the station “is 24/7 trying to excite and divide Americans along religious lines.”
... “This is sort of a well-worn right-wing tactic.”

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you Mr. Ellison for mentioning the birther issue!

Every time Obama’s eligibility is mentioned the birther issue grows. It is not 6 out 10 Americans have serious questions about Obama’s eligibility. I am reminded of the Peter Pan play where Tinker Bell asks the audience to clap. Well...The clapping over Obama’s eligibility is getting louder and louder. I am certain it's being heard in the Oval Office.

As for the charges of right wing bigotry, that well worn tactic by the Marxists is...well...worn out. The race and bigotry charge card has been maxed out.

[ilovesarah2012]

Dems could run a serial killer and dems would elect him. How the hell did an open muslim get elected? This is just part of the plan muslims have to infiltrate America and turn us into a cesspool. Islam has nothing to offer America. On the contrary, it will destroy America. Burn the korans and kiss my a**.

[VRWCer]

Hmmmm...so 70-80% of our country are birthers, right wingers, and bigots. Got it. Isn’t it great that we have this jackass to inform us all about what we are! How lucky we are to have someone so openminded and wise to judge us all so condescendingly like that! :-)

[Tex-Con-Man]

Proud anti-birther, anti-GZMer.

Shove it, Keith.

[butterdezillion]

Somebody should ask Ellison why anybody with a brain should believe those who say it’s good to lie and deceive for the sake of their religion.

If the Muslims have already said they plan to lie in order to trick us, then why should Muslims be surprised if we think they’re lying to us - either about the real reason they want to put up a mosque, or about where they were really born? The common denominator is the lying. It’s stinking up the place and both Ellison and Obama are morons if they think America doesn’t smell the stench.

[Godwin1]

This is great: a member of Congress slandering his fellow Americans to a foreign broadcaster that produces news for foreign audiences. These people haven’t an ounce of patriotism or national feeling.
A mosque at Ground Zero is clearly inappropriate. Those who died on 911 were murdered by Muslims killing in the name of Islam. All the claptrap in the world about “ moderate Muslims” cannot change that reality. The vicious and mendacious tone of Ellison's remarks only raises further questions about the real intentions of the scheme's Muslim backers. I suspect the disloyal, BBC-loving Ellison wants his Victory Monument. We should not let him have it!

[Let's Roll]

Ellison and who’s the other one?