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American Muslims fear a new wave of Islamophobia

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"The comments also come after a 14-year-old Muslim boy from Texas was taken away in handcuffs last week for bringing to his Dallas-area school a homemade clock that staff mistook for a bomb."

This story is really strange. Right around the 9/11 anniversary, this genius-kid brings a re-assembled clock, not a homemade clock, to school in a case complete with wires dangling out of if which looks just like a bomb (google the photos of it if you don't believe me). He shows it to one teacher in a previous class before the s*it hits the fan who tells him it looks like a bomb, to put it away and to not show it to anybody else. So what does this bright kid do? He shows it to another teacher until he gets the reaction he wants who does mistake it for a bomb and calls the police. Now this genius-kid's been rewarded with an invitation to the White House to meet with the POTUS as a though he's a national hero. Weird!*

8 ( +17 / -9 )

Surprise, surprise. GOP candidates who supposedly love and cherish the constitution, have little idea of what's in it.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

The 14 year old Muslim kid is a semi-tard that just took parts of different devices, slapped them into one and called it "my invention". He would then parade his little device across the school class after class, even after teachers told him to stop. Until one mistakes it for a potentially dangerous device. And what is the ending to this little story? well the semi-tard gets a free ticket around facebook by Zuckerberg, an invitation from Obama and statements from NASA about how they want children like him. Whats worse is that so many suckers fell for this.

5 ( +15 / -10 )

So Republicans encourage people to ignore the Constitution if the bible says it's OK, then turn around and say Muslims shouldn't be President. Obviously they feel their religion puts them on a pedestal while others are second-class citizens.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

Ben Carson. And I admire the guy for openly saying such without fear. I have more respect for a guy who tells me what he thinks (even though he could be wrong) than a guy who lies right to ur face.

The peace loving muslims living in the US are okay. The radical one's need to get out of the country. None of them have absolutely no business running for US Presidency.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

Yes, and the teachers, administrators, school officials and police, when warned about a possible bomb threat, didn't evacuate any part of the school, so obviously nobody was very worried it was an actual bomb. Why treat the kid like they did?

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

@Maria M

"Why treat the kid like they did?"

For the same reason you don't bring toy guns to school anymore.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

The fact that the kid's father is a islamophoia activist makes me think it was one giant hoax to scare people but there is no way we can know the truth anymore.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Islam is not a race or ethnicity. It is belief system, akin to an ideology.

So sure, it's ok to say the US should NOT have a Muslim president, just as it shouldnt have a fascist or Marxist president.

Let's remember, many of Sharia's precepts are in direct conflict with the basic values in the US constitution. Having a Sharia believer in the White House is unimaginable.

10 ( +18 / -8 )

If the US has muslim president, it is entirely reasonable to ask him what his stance on political islam and Shariah is. Because Shariah law and the US (and other modern) constitution are not compatible. So I don´t know what the issue is; maybe Carson`s phrasing was clumsy, but to call any criticism political islam "islamophobia" is asinine.

About Mohammed and his clock, have not thousands of kids been hauled out of US classrooms for "crimes" such as drawing a gun with pen, or wearing some kind of t-shirt? And that without any invitation to the White House. The ONLY reason this kid is suddenly a celebrity is that is name is Mohammed.

9 ( +17 / -8 )

Oh dear, who to believe?

The posters here who talk as if they were there, who cite no sources and who have already established themselves as suspect sources of any sort of information concerning any Muslims.

Or do we believe the mainstream media who cannot even be bothered to demonstrate in any way, shape or form that the thing is an actual working homemade or home assembled clock that any teen would be showing his engineering teacher? Do we believe the president?

Its a dilemma.

@AiserX

He would then parade his little device across the school class after class, even after teachers told him to stop.

No. There is a wiki page entitled "Ahmed Mohamed (student)". It says his engineering teacher was shown the device, and that teacher advised him to keep it hidden in his backpack for the rest of the day, which he attempted to do. But during his English class the device beeped and the English teacher demanded to see it. From there he was reported to the principal. Then the police were called. Then they young man was brought to the principal and police and questioned for an hour and a half before being led out in handcuffs and taken to juvenile detention.

But hey, I think you solved my dilemma! I am not trusting you or the others make your unsourced claims about what happened.

That said, I am not even going to deny the possibility that it was a political stunt. Hardly matters. The way the young man was treated still proves a point. If any of those teachers or cops had any brains the whole thing would have been resolved by examining the clock and speaking to the engineering teacher for confirmation. Instead they took a 14 year old out of school in handcuffs on the basis of mind-reading that he had intentionally sparked a bomb hoax. My finger points at the adult idiots on this one who let and made it all get out of hand.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

@Peace Out

Fair enough. I'll agree with you that none of us here are experts about everything. However, there is one thing which doesn't make any sense to me. Why would a seemingly bright HS student bring a re-assembled clock (not a homemade one which the media continues to wrongly portray it as) which admittedly looks a lot like a bomb to school in the first place (not to mention doing so around the time of the 9/11 anniversary)? Furthermore, hypothetically, let's say that what sounded like a gun click or a gun being cocked in class was heard by a teacher and that teacher discovered what looked like a pistol. Then the school called the police, however, upon closer inspection it was discovered to be a toy gun and not a real one. Would you accuse the teacher or the authorities of being overly alarmed? True story: One HS boy was shot and killed by police officers in southern Texas (the city of Brownsville I believe) inside of a high school there a few years ago for brandishing and pointing a toy gun at them. Only later did they discover that it was actually a toy gun and that the teenager just wanted to freak everybody out and probably had a death wish as well. I'm not sure how familiar you are with school safety in Texas, but they take it very seriously. As they say, Don't mess with Texas.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

They fear correctly.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

JeffLee: Let's remember, many of Sharia's precepts are in direct conflict with the basic values in the US constitution. Having a Sharia believer in the White House is unimaginable.

But Carson didn't make any distinction, he simply said that being Muslim should disqualify you for being president. "I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that." He didn't say radical, or someone who would put their faith above the Constitution.

If anything, he should be going after Cruz and Huckabee. They are saying that their faith allows Kim Davis to ignore the law. Obviously they feel that Christianity trumps the Constitution and as such people should consider them unfit to be president because of that.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Why would a seemingly bright HS student bring a re-assembled clock (not a homemade one which the media continues to wrongly portray it as) which admittedly looks a lot like a bomb to school in the first place (not to mention doing so around the time of the 9/11 anniversary)?

@stormcrow Maybe it was part of a school assignment? And you know, young people seeking approval can go overboard.

As for it looking like a bomb, um, how many have you seen in your life? Tell you what, go get something electronic, take it apart, toss the case, put the parts back together and chuck it into a something like a bag or a coffee can or what have you. What does it look like?

I have seen lots of dismantled electronics. So my first question would be, what is the explosive element and where is it? I looked at the pics. I saw nothing that looked like a TNT, wrapped up gunpowder, nitro-glycerin or anything like that. In other words, its looks about as much like a bomb to me as a broken TV set. I would have raised an eyebrow if he had stuck some wires into some play-doh though.

Anyway no, some electronics beeping like an alarm clock is not remotely akin to the click of a pistol combined with a realistic toy gun.

And no, this is in no way comparable to a boy pointing a gun at police, because that is a threatening gesture and there was no threatening gesture or even words in this story.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The so-called semi-tard is going to need his sports car waxed and the lawn mowed at his mansion. No takers among the JT regulars?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I wonder if STDS (semi tard derangement syndrome) is catching? Few things are as sad as adults jealously carping about the attention given to America's most famous 14 year old.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

And what is the ending to this little story? well the semi-tard gets a free ticket around facebook by Zuckerberg, an invitation from Obama and statements from NASA about how they want children like him.

Was a great opportunity to get cheap advertisement and PR for everybody... We've seen pics of him and Microsoft's product range everywhere, it cost them nothing ...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

First being "A muslim"… Second being "A US citizen" ! This motto is also true for being the president of U.S.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

It needs to be said now: These candidates are encouraging the kind of hatred against one group that can easily lead to inflicting violence on that group.

And they all, most certainly, will have blood on their hands if that occurs.

An utter disgrace to our country and one of our "major" political parties, which is now in so many ways completely beyond the pale.

Facts First.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

@Peace Out

We're all entitled to our own opinions. To me, anyway, what the teen put together looked a lot like a bomb (just google it) the way it was assembled. No, I'm not an explosives expert as I'm sure the teacher and probably all of the police department as well as most people aren't. If it was a science project, why did he take a clock apart and then re-assemble it in another form and place it in a case with wires sticking out and an alarm that happened to go off in class. The timing of the incident was right around the anniversary of 9/11. But, who knows, maybe you're right and these were all just a series of strange coincidences which just happened in the order they did.

Had it been me at my old high school, and I don't have an Arabic sounding name or looks, I probably would have been arrested, suspended from school or maybe even expelled, and my father would have been making the rounds profusely apologizing to everybody at the school and the police department for his son's poor taste in humor and lack of common sense. Why should this teenager (a young man, really) receive special treatement while I receive none just because he has an Arabic name and looks and I don't? That's a double-standard, isn't it?

Personally, I think it was a tasteless prank which had the teen's desired effect, but that's only an opinion. It's also possible that the teenager's father put him up to it or strongly encouraged it and, dare I say it, for racial reasons in order to get a rise out of the system at the system's own expense while playing the victim of racism card? I'm sure you won't agree with most of that, but it's just an opinion.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

@stormcrow

If it was a science project, why did he take a clock apart and then re-assemble it in another form

I am not convinced that is all there was too it. How do we know he just took one clock apart and put the same clock back together with different case? What is the source for that? Regardless, if you want to show the inner workings of a device, this is what you do, as we don't have a magic wand to make things see-through yet. And, isn't taking something apart and putting it back together a method of learning? And how do you prove you did it if you just hand the teacher the clock in the same case? You get an A based on scout's honor?

place it in a case with wires sticking out

What does that even mean? I don't see any wires "sticking out". I see wires that are exposed. So what? Was he supposed to also make his own plastic mold at home and create a case that "looked like" a clock case to anybody?

an alarm that happened to go off in class.

I cannot tell you how many times I have accidentally set alarms in my life, but its been a lot. I still struggle with my new watch. Its psycho. Sometimes it beeps on the hour even though I turned that function off about a dozen times.

And ZING! You have no reason to be so sure that beep was an alarm!

The timing of the incident was right around the anniversary of 9/11.

It was September 15. Just how many days around September 11 are so sacred you can't even fart?

I probably would have been arrested, suspended from school or maybe even expelled

So you went to a school run by idiots as well? Well, so did I to tell the truth. It hardly excuses the idiocy.

Why should this teenager (a young man, really) receive special treatement while I receive none just because he has an Arabic name and looks and I don't? That's a double-standard, isn't it?

Up to that point yes. But look what people are saying about the news BECAUSE of his name and religion. The response to the news has proven a degree of national bigotry I am afraid.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Surprise, surprise. GOP candidates who supposedly love and cherish the constitution, have little idea of what's in it.

But Obama NOT knowing it gets a pass, right?

So Republicans encourage people to ignore the Constitution if the bible says it's OK, then turn around and say Muslims shouldn't be President.

Then why is Obama still president? Also, with over everything that happened over the last 14 years, you can't blame the vast majority of Americans to feel the way they do, right or wrong. The people have EVERY right to believe as Carson does. Carson just said somethning that many Americans want to say, but don't dare because of political correctness.

Obviously they feel their religion puts them on a pedestal while others are second-class citizens.

Reverse the rolls..question: could a Christian become president in a Muslim country? How would the majority of Muslims react?

I totally agree with Carson, unless that individual can swear to uphold the constitution and denounce ALL Sharia laws, wouldn't mention or invoke them in any capacity in the US, then I might have hint about it.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

@Peace Out

That was an interesting read. Yes, my school was pretty bad in terms of the extemes teachers would go. However, with all of the violence being committed these days in U.S. schools and the panic it has caused, I still question the intentions of the teen and his so-called clock making experiment. I wouldn't have made something like that to take to school and then been surprised by the reaction of it being mistaken for a bomb, but that's just me speaking. Maybe it's also because there was a kid in my HS who actually did make a bomb and nearly blew his hand off, so I know that teens quite capable of making such devices. I have no idea how to or any desire to, but there are some people who do on both counts.

I guess we'll just have to agree that we disagree as to what is appropriate and what isn't. You clearly don't see any harm in what the teen did, and I respect that point of view. As for myself, however, I don't see what the teen did so much as a crime as a lack of proper judgment. TPO

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Personally, I would prefer a muslim president like Al Sisi, who rid Egypt of the Muslim Brotherhood regime, to a non-muslim president like Obama who did everything in his power to help the Muslim Brotherhood.

And incidentally, I would prefer a muslim president like Al Sisi, who addressed the problem of islamic fundamentalism in is January speech at Cairo University, to a non-muslim one who insists that the problem does not exist.

Just my 2 yen worth.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

So Republicans encourage people to ignore the Constitution if the bible says it's OK, then turn around and say Muslims shouldn't be President.

I think you need to reread the constitution yourself. There is nothing in that says you are not allowed to say "a Muslim shouldn't be president." To the contrary, the constitution specifically a person's your right to say that. And I think you will find that most Republicans don't support ignoring the constitution, though I would guess you prefer to focus on the few who do.

Most critics of Republicans have nothing against fascist government - they just want to be sure it's a leftist fascist government.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

The funny thing is people so easily believing any elected American politician is a true believer of any religion. The sensible default is to first believe its all for show. You will be right most of the time.

But no matter what religion a politician claims to be, he or she is supposed to represent the constituents, not themselves and not their religion. A pack of Christians could be very aptly represented by an atheist or Muslim, and everyone should be in secular appreciation of that fact, as well as the fact that man claiming to be something he isn't is likely the worst representative of all.

Carson’s campaign defended his comments on Monday, saying he was not suggesting a Muslim should be barred from running for president.

Yeah. Its not what he said. But I think we would all be fools to believe it could not possibly be what he actually meant. If not, then why label all Muslims so, as if they must all be the same? If this guy cannot even imagine one man in the world claiming to be Muslim who could not possibly be good for the country, then it stands to reason he thinks every single one of them should be barred from running.

Or are we to believe he thinks any Muslim would do great harm to the country, but he would be happy to just sit there and let it happen?

I say, pass up this bigot for the presidency.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

could a Christian become president in a Muslim country?

Albania's PM, for one. Nigeria and Tanzania both had Christians as their last presidents. Jakarta's governor is a Christian too. All majority Muslim territories. 94% Muslim Senegal had a Christian President from 1960 to 1980.

Why can't these countries' Muslims exhibit the desired behaviour, Bass?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

What about the Christian high ranking Iraqi official from the Saddam era. Was he Tariq Aziz? Can't wait to see the spin on this one.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

To me, anyway, what the teen put together looked a lot like a bomb

No personal offense, but that's what happens when people get their knowledge primarily through TV series and Hollywood films. Big red LED display + wires = bomb. I just wonder what will happen next. Will buyers of cheap LED clocks automatically be put on terrorist watch lists?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Poor Ahmed - he must grow up in a country where a budding scientist is arrested despite the fact that both the school and the police were certain that what he had made was, indeed, a clock - yet he will be eligible to buy any firearm of his choice in less than four years (provided he can find a gun seller willing to deal with Muslims). No doubt he'll be to busy pursuing his science dreams to go down that route, one that is mostly occupied by disaffected Caucasians.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

To me, anyway, what the teen put together looked a lot like a bomb

Wouldn't your first response be to evacuate the school or call in the bomb squad, though ?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Trump’s failure to challenge comments made on Friday by a supporter who labeled U.S. President Barack Obama a Muslim.

Pop Idol Madonna said Obama is a Muslim back in 2012. Even though she said she supported him because of his friendly policies she agreed with him. She does not care about which God Obama is praying. As long as Obama is protecting minorities, gay rights, worker rights and universal health care, Madonna will be a fan of Obama.

Some Americans are ready for embracing the non Christian, non White and non Male President in the White House. No matter what politicians will say, cash rich immigrants lobbyists will change the tone of elected politicians. Even out spoken Trump is softening his tone for attracting more votes.

Obama middle name is Hussein. It is highly likely that he is the first Muslim President of US.

While the U.S. Constitution forbids religious tests for those seeking public office, religion and presidential politics have long been a combustible mix.

USA is the land of free, proud and brave. USA is the land of equal opportunity. As Bush Jnr said that even C grade student could become the President of US, there is no law for discriminating Muslim becoming the high court judge or president or even defense secretary.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

'Reverse the rolls..question: could a Christian become president in a Muslim country? How would the majority of Muslims react?

I totally agree with Carson, unless that individual can swear to uphold the constitution and denounce ALL Sharia laws, wouldn't mention or invoke them in any capacity in the US, then I might have hint about it.'

The US is a secular democracy despite the best efforts of the GOP to blur the boundaries. Carson is pretty hardcore in his Christian beliefs. Would you expect Carson to make it crystal clear that he will not invoke biblical law in any capacity in the US if he were to elected? I agree that religious law has no place in a civilised secular democracy. It's just that Carson invokes the bible pretty frequently.

I just want to make sure you are being consistent.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

@gonemad

Are you referring to me or the school or the police who weren't sure what it was either?

Even though I probably would have responded differently as you would have, the same cannot be said of everybody else as a whole. Had I been the teacher, I would have thought that the teen had made something that looked like a bomb but wasn't bomb. However, I can't say that everybody else would have reacted the same way, can I?

The teen demonstrated a lack of concern and insensitivity for the feelings of others by doing what he did, which was to frighten and upset people. What he did was wrong, plain and simple.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Would you expect Carson to make it crystal clear that he will not invoke biblical law in any capacity in the US if he were to elected?

Carson has said himself his proposed flat-tax plan of about 10% was inspired by the biblical practice of tithing, although even in ancient times it was a religious obligation, not legal requirement imposed by the government.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"Muslim Americans responded with a mix of frustration, exasperation and anger"

Yeah, and non-Muslims all over the works are becoming frustrated, exasperated and angry at the continuing mayhem and deaths caused by Muslims.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Sorry to say this but ONE BAD MUSLIM make it hard for people all over the world to TRUST ANY MUSLIM!!

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Seems a bit unfair. Is the US presidency officially only open to Christians, Atheists and Jewish people? How about Rastafarians, Zoroastrians, Jains, Baha'is, Sikhs, Taoists, Hindus, Buddhists, Agnostics and Satanists?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

'Seems a bit unfair. Is the US presidency officially only open to Christians, Atheists and Jewish people? How about Rastafarians, Zoroastrians, Jains, Baha'is, Sikhs, Taoists, Hindus, Buddhists, Agnostics and Satanists?'

I'd settle for a Christian candidate who said "Let's be honest. Jesus was a pacifist lefty with a belief in wealth distribution which would make your eyes water".

0 ( +3 / -3 )

sensenotcommon:

" Albania's PM, for one. Nigeria and Tanzania both had Christians as their last presidents. Jakarta's governor is a Christian too. All majority Muslim territories. "

None of those places are "muslim countries" though, in the sense that they have islam writting into their constitution. They are "muslim majority" contries, which is something different (by the same token, all European countries are "christian countries", and Japan is a "buddhist country", something that most people will disagree with.

Among countries that have islam in their constitution, I can not think of a single one that allows a non-muslim to be president. Interestingly, Assad Jr. changed the Syrian constitution to allow just that, which in turn caused massive opposition from the Sunni muslim organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Not too long ago Republicans on this board would feign indignation when it was pointed out how racist their party is. Not they celebrate their racism. The USA has 8 million muslim citizens, I am sure Trump and Carson would want to deport them along with the 11 million immigrants who keep many industries in the USA alive.

Racist, angry, old, tired, almost exclusively white, regressive and just plain stupid. That is the republican party today. And you can see that many who post here are proud of their failing party. Gotta thank Trump and Carson for saying out loud what the republican party has been for decades, not that far removed from the KKK really.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Seems a bit unfair. Is the US presidency officially only open to Christians, Atheists and Jewish people?

Nope - as I mentioned the other day, the only group GOPers find more objectionable than Muslims is atheists; as such, you're left with the former and latter (but practically, with the former).

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

'If things get so terrible for US Muslims, there are nearly 50 majority Muslim nations worldwide. Some of them are incredibly beautiful and wealthy! I've even been to a few and very happy to report that in no way are Muslims living in fear there.'

Any other groups you'd advise to leave if things got 'terrible'? Nothing to say about those making life 'terrible' for them?

I'm no apologist for Islam or any other religion ( I have no time for any religion ) but history shows it doesn't take much for the religious to turn very nasty against those with beliefs not in accordance with their own.

Fundamentalists discriminating against a minority based on their sectarian beliefs about religion is very dangerous for both. Politicians playing this game are dangerous and disgusting. The US is a secular democracy and politicians should stay out of this business.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

bass: I totally agree with Carson, unless that individual can swear to uphold the constitution and denounce ALL Sharia laws

You are changing his statement. He simply said that he would not support a Muslim for president....the end. No mention of radical or not, just being Muslim period.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@Zurcronuium It isn't racist. Islam is not a race. I'm sorry to be pedantic here but it is an important distinction. What the rightists are stunningly hypocritical about is the fact that they will not call out Christians like Carson and Huckabee who repeatedly attempt to blur the distinction of religion and state but then go apeshit at the idea of Islam ( no candidate ) doing this.

I think what they are saying is that blurring the line between religion and state is fine as long as a Christian does it and he is not a Democrat.

This is a Dutch oven and many of the posters here need to raise their heads from under the blanket.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Not too long ago Republicans on this board would feign indignation when it was pointed out how racist their party is.

Examples please.

Not they celebrate their racism. The USA has 8 million muslim citizens, I am sure Trump and Carson would want to deport them along with the 11 million immigrants who keep many industries in the USA alive.

A lot of Americans feel that way. If you think a big chunk of Americans wouldn't feel comfortable if most Muslims were watched closely, scrutinized then you are sadly mistaken. Carson just said what a lot of Americans think and it was a stupid gotcha question that was totally irrelevant.

Racist, angry, old, tired, almost exclusively white, regressive and just plain stupid.

But young, angry, in your face, playing the race card, the victim card, pushing progressive agendas down peoples throats and just plain ignorant, but that is perfectly acceptable?

That is the republican party today.

Didn't know Carson, Cruz and Rubio were White.

And you can see that many who post here are proud of their failing party.

Is that why you hold on hope that Hillary that is on life support will regain consciousness or that a 73 Socialist will take the White House to distribute more wealth, but doesn't know the first thing about running a government, who is worse than the current president we already have grown oh, so very sick and tired of.

Gotta thank Trump and Carson for saying out loud what the republican party has been for decades, not that far removed from the KKK really.

The KKK that was founded and started by Democrats, hey, why am I not surprised?

Your statement is racist and clearly demonstrates the vile thinking that is given as normal in the republican party.

It's racist? How so?

Basically what you are saying is that you Americans that we do not like if you object to being hated then leave.

I think you are confusing law abiding Muslims and Muslim Americans with the radical Jihadists. Look at Minnesota, they have a very large Somali population and a few months ago, there were quite a few that tried to sign up and sneak abroad under the radar to join them. So tell me, how are people supposed to feel or NOT build a negative opinion about Muslims? There is a difference, but the radicals are giving the law abiding Muslims a very bad name and the moderates don't do anything about it to change the image, sadly.

It is just too few steps away from what happened to Japanese Americans in the USA during WW2. Maybe you think that was OK as well?

Not even close. Now you are making an apples and oranges argument.

You are changing his statement. He simply said that he would not support a Muslim for president....the end. No mention of radical or not, just being Muslim period.

And he is entitled to his opinion. Again, Muslims would never tolerate a Christian leader or do you think Israel would allow a Christian PM?

Would you expect Carson to make it crystal clear that he will not invoke biblical law in any capacity in the US if he were to elected? I agree that religious law has no place in a civilised secular democracy. It's just that Carson invokes the bible pretty frequently.

And that is Ok, as long as he doesn't govern according to the bible, but to the constitution, NO problem and if he wants to invoke certain passages or include some words from the scriptures and include them in his speeches, why not?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The peace loving Christians living in the US are okay. The radical one's need to get out of the country. None of them have absolutely no business running for US Presidency.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Islam is not a race

Yes, that is true but the followers of Islam as understood by Americans mostly come from the Arabian people. I doubt that the haters make a distinction. If a Saudi was a Christian I doubt that the hatred for Arabs would be nullified against him. In fact in America Sikhs have been shot by racist Americans, think that was in Wisconsin in 2012

“Everyone here is thinking this is a hate crime for sure,” said Manjit Singh, who goes to a different temple in the region. “People think we are Muslims.”

Though violence against Sikhs in Wisconsin was unheard of before the shooting, many in this community said they had sensed a rise in antipathy since the attacks on Sept. 11 and suspected it was because people mistake them for Muslims. Followers of Sikhism, or Gurmat, a monotheistic faith founded in the 15th century in South Asia, typically do not cut their hair, and men often wear colorful turbans and refrain from cutting their beards.

“Most people are so ignorant they don’t know the difference between religions,” said Ravi Chawla, 65, a businesswoman who moved to the region from Pakistan in the 1970s. “Just because they see the turban they think you’re Taliban.”

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

bass: Muslims would never tolerate a Christian leader

And you would never tolerate a Muslim leader. So, the question is, what's the different between you and Muslims?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

“It discourages young Muslims from standing up for their rights or for being proud about their faith,”

Faith. The strong belief in something without and inspite of evidence for the belief.

The problem with America is too many people are too proud of their faith.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Muslims should become Atheist and leave their ridiculous Islam religion. The Islam religion will send Muslims to the hell. Islam religion was created by Satan. Satan had recruited Moses for his disciple but Moses refused to be his disciple. Later Satan had successfully recruited Mohammad and started his evils work by Mohammad. With his evil work, he encourages Muslims to kill Muslims. Satan lied his followers with imaginary reward for who carry his evil works. Actually there's no beautiful Virgins and they all go to hell for their sin. Some Muslims converted to Buddhist and Christian after they visited to Mecca. They said they lost trust and believing Islam because nothing in Mecca except black stone. Why Allah created and not intervene Muslims killing Muslims for differences within Islam? They said they will go to hell and there's no heaven for Muslim who obey Allah and Allah is Satan and Satan is evil. Muslim peoples should be thinking logically about Islam religion and whether it was work of Satan (evil) or God.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

What Ben Carson said was he didn't advocate a sharia law Islamist president. He's not anti Islam as the right wing media would have you believe.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Yes, that is true but the followers of Islam as understood by Americans mostly come from the Arabian people. I doubt that the haters make a distinction. If a Saudi was a Christian I doubt that the hatred for Arabs would be nullified against him. In fact in America Sikhs have been shot by racist Americans, think that was in Wisconsin in 2012

Usually the ones who can't or won't make that distinction are prejudiced against anyone with dark skin. Aka the red-neck supremacist ilk that thrive on their own ignorance.

Most of us who are against Islamic ideology are quite able to make the distinction. Why is that? Because the people that were the first to speak out against Islamic fundamentalism were muslim apostates that tried to leave the religion but were persecuted, and murdered for doing so. A lot of them live in the US/Canada and elsewhere. They specifically inform others that Islam is a religion and not an ethnicity since anyone can follow any faith. They've been advocating with the governments of their host countries about the threat that this ideology imposes and brings along with it. Look at some of the things the former leader of NOI used to say. He's a Black-American racist Islamic nut job. They obviously come in all colors.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Racist, angry, old, tired, almost exclusively white, regressive and just plain stupid.

Stereotyping is bad. But against white people it is fine.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Important correction to my above post...Left media!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Let's see, now.... yes, yes, back in the first half of the 20th Century, the world was at war twice with a particular country with a particular ethnicity, belief system and ideology. Some of the US soldiers fighting that particular nation were of the same ethnicity and religion, German and Christian. One of my US ancestors received the Purple Heart for being killed in action while fighting against the nation his father came from. One general in particular stands out as being a German-American with a very recognizably German surname. Nevertheless, his family had been in the USA for many generations and the USA still entrusted him with their security. So much so, that after the war with the German nation of his ancestors, he was elected POTUS. It is possible to see people for their own self worth and not as a representative of an entire ethnic, nation, or religion. Indeed, many of us hope that that is the case with the USA, the EU, and possibly, Japan where most posters here reside with many having children with names, surnames, ethnicities, religions, beliefs, customs that set them aside from the majority population. Not to get too preachy, but I cannot hope for the freedoms, rights and opportunities given to my mixed-race children in this country, if I, myself, would deny such to others in my home country.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

'Would you expect Carson to make it crystal clear that he will not invoke biblical law in any capacity in the US if he were to elected? I agree that religious law has no place in a civilised secular democracy. It's just that Carson invokes the bible pretty frequently.

And that is Ok, as long as he doesn't govern according to the bible, but to the constitution, NO problem and if he wants to invoke certain passages or include some words from the scriptures and include them in his speeches, why not?'

I see. So, in the interests of fairness, you'd have no problem with a Muslim President quoting from the Koran or the Hadiths if he wasn't governing according to these scriptures?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Carson’s campaign defended his comments on Monday, saying he was not suggesting a Muslim should be barred from running for president. But his campaign said he would not advocate for that person becoming a leader and would not support it.

Carson did not say that Muslims could not run for POTUS, or that Muslims could not be elected POTUS.

Carson indicated he would not advocate for a radical, ISIS-supporting, anti-US Constitution, fanatical Muslim who was running for POTUS.

followed billionaire Trump’s failure to challenge comments made on Friday by a supporter who labeled U.S. President Barack Obama a Muslim. Trump later clarified his silence, saying he was not obligated to correct an audience member.....”

Obama is a big boy. He should be able to defend himself. Obama has never defended Trump. Why should Trump be obligated to defend Obama?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

jpntdytmrow:

" Let's see, now.... yes, yes, back in the first half of the 20th Century, the world was at war twice with a particular country with a particular ethnicity, belief system and ideology. "

...and now the belief system of Nazism is all A-OK and must be tolerated and coddled? And speaking out against Nazism is Naziphobia? Seriously?

Read your argument again. You are precisely making the point why the West should be careful with islamic ideology.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Carson indicated he would not advocate for a radical, ISIS-supporting, anti-US Constitution, fanatical Muslim who was running for POTUS.

What a thoroughly cretinous statement. Nobody would advocate for such a candidate, and very few would vote for him.

Anyone who would utter such redundant garbage is a waste of oxygen.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sensenotcommon:

" Nobody would advocate for such a candidate, and very few would vote for him. "

But how do you know that if you never ask him? And as long as any questions about fundamentalist islam are shouted down as "islamophobia", we will never ask. Already now, the current Potus has surrunded him with a bunch of Muslim Brotherhood affiliated advisors, but does the press ever investigate the political stance of the Muslim Brotherhood, which in its internal papers clearly states that they are against the democratic system and want to submit your country under Shariah rule?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I'd never advocate for a Christian to be President.

Of course I mean a radical Christian who bombs abortion clinics and wants to make the Bible the law of the land. But I didn't really feel the need to say that initially for whatever reason.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Of course I mean a radical Christian who bombs abortion clinics and wants to make the Bible the law of the land. But I didn't really feel the need to say that initially for whatever reason.

I will take a radical christian over a radical moslem leadership anyday of the week , Good ole day dubya

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

American Muslims fear a new wave of Islamophobia

Given the number of Muslims killed in the name of Islam around the world, there are no shortage of Muslims that are also afraid of Islamists killing in the name of Allah. You could call them Muslim Islamophobes. Schools all over America are overreacting by expelling kids for pointing their finger at other kids and saying 'pow'. Can anyone be surprised that something like this happened? I'm not.

There are certainly some American Muslims, much like many on the Left that are immersed in the world of identity politics, that are looking to promote their own political agendas by creating controversy based on identity differences. Surely the kids parents knew that a Muslim with a briefcase that resembles a bomb would draw some sort of negative reaction. They seem to have welcomed the overreaction and are exploiting it to undermine social cohesion in his community and in America in general.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

DIVIDE and conquer... does this sound familiar?

Problem is NOT Islamophobia as much as who or what is ALLOWING that to happen.

It starts with the White House.

When Islam and Muslim are the same (they are names for the SAME Religion), why are the two being "separated" with NO indication of using Islamic or Muslim TERRORISTS?

Who or what BENEFITS from such "divisiveness"?

Everyone EXCEPT the USA....

Why?

Who or what BENEFIT from such divisiveness the MOST?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Muslims are most welcomed to practice thier sharia in the privacy of their own islamic country. However the United States Not being an islamic country, is not the place for any muslim to come and say that their laws come before the contitution or any of OUR laws

3 ( +3 / -0 )

American Muslims fear a new wave of Islamophobia

And vise versa. Americans are alarmed by Kerry's recent announcement about letting in "additional" syrian (muslim) refugees into the United States. They do not belong there period.

Heh, the Germans got their hands full. German women are being told to "cover up" as muslim women do- from head to toe. How dare them refugees tell Germany what to do in the sovereignty of those German hosts!

Looks like Merkiel bit off more than what she can chew. A shame. October approching shortly. Hope the germans will be allowed to carry on their traditional "October" drinking festivities without the "new arrivals" being too offended eh. . .

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Islamophobia... in simple terms it is a fear of Islam. It's the only religion in the world that has this term. A fear of a religious ideal. So fearing a harmful ideology, religious or not, is not a phobia. It's a natural reaction to a negative aspiration.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So fearing a harmful ideology, religious or not, is not a phobia. It's a natural reaction to a negative aspiration.

Islam is no more harmful than Christianity. It's the way radicals use it to their nefarious means that is a problem - same as when Christians do the same.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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