A Muslim in Romney's Cabinet? Probably not
A New York financier calls for a Muslim to be appointed to the next president's Cabinet and relates an interesting reply when he put that issue to Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
Mansoor Ijaz, who describes himself as an American-born Muslim whose family came from Pakistan, writes in an opinion piece in today's Christian Science Monitor that he attended a private fund-raiser this month for Romney in Las Vegas. Ijaz says he asked Romney whether he would consider a Muslim for a national security post in his Cabinet, since he says radical jihad is the biggest threat facing America.
According to Ijaz, Romney said that based on the proportion of Muslims in the US population, a Cabinet post would not be "justified," though he could "imagine" Muslims serving in lower-level jobs in his administration.
"Romney, whose Mormon faith has become the subject of heated debate in Republican caucuses, wants America to be blind to his religious beliefs and judge him on merit instead," Ijaz writes. "Yet he seems to accept excluding Muslims because of their religion, claiming they're too much of a minority for a post in high-level policymaking. More ironic, that Islamic heritage is what qualifies them to best engage America's Arab and Muslim communities and to help deter Islamist threats."
Romney disputed Ijaz’s account, telling reporters in Florida today that while Muslims don’t need to be in a Cabinet to effectively fight jihad, he would be open to appointing people of any faith to his administration.
Romney, interviewed Monday on CNN, was asked about diversity in his inner circle and in appointments.
"Suggesting that we have to fill spots based on checking off boxes of various ethnic groups is really a very inappropriate way to think about we staff positions," he said.
"I'm very pleased that, among my Cabinet members [as Massachusetts governor], for instance, I had several African-American individuals. I had people of different backgrounds. But I don't go in every circumstance I'm in and say, 'OK, how many African-Americans, how many Hispanic-Americans, how many Asian-Americans,' and fill boxes that way.
"I fill responsibilities based upon people's merit and their skill. And, sometimes, it includes many ethnic minorities. And other times, it includes different minorities. But I'm very pleased with my record."
Anyone who thinks that religious preference is not important in selecting a candidate needs to study history. The Mormon church is built upon racist beliefs. Being raised a Mormon I was not even taught the truth until I was able to research it on my own. The Mormon religion has a long history of anti-american and racist behaviour.
I would have no problem with a Muslim in the Cabinet so long as there are also Jews, Christians and representatives of the various racial and cultural groups that make up America. I also expect women in numbers proportional to the number in the country. Mormons did not allow blacks to be deacons until late in the last century and he would have to demonstrate that he totally discards any racist values.
Jon Stewart? I thought you were Jewish.
I think it is shameful when people pick all of the little historical facts, or quirks, even about a religion and slam it as worthless. Most of the Mormons I know are very honest, God-fearing, family-oriented, and patriotic people. There has to be a reason for that. From what I know about the Mormon faith it teaches good, honest principles for living.
So, please get off your negative, slam-everyone-who-doesn't-believe-like-you kick. It really makes you look negative and bitter. If you want to criticize others, I suggest that you first look at the inconsistencies in your own life first.
Odd thta Ijaz was a fundraiser to the democratic party before making up this story. Here is the response from Romney:
"No, that’s not what I said. His question was, Did I need to have a Muslim in my Cabinet in order to confront radical jihad, or would it be important to have a Muslim in my Cabinet?’ And I said no, I don’t think you need a Muslim in the Cabinet to take on radical jihad any more than we needed a Japanese American to understand the threat that was coming from Japan or something of that nature.” - Romney
LOL
He's got the Southern vote fer sure, now
jon stewart? i thought you were jewish...
could not have said it better mysef
Perhaps someone call explain to the Muslim gentleman that a disease needs a doctor, not another co-sufferer.
The proportion of Muslims in the US population is nearly as large as the proportion of Mormons--Romney is just tossing a sop to the evangelicals, saying "hey, I'm still against Islam, just like you; please vote for me."
How do we know Romney really said this?
This is really rich. He doesn't staff according to quotas, but will pick a Cabinet member based on the proportion of Muslims to the general population.
If you are not stupid, you realize that he he went with his gut feeling and answered "no", then scrambled to justify his answer. It's hard to justify that one on the spot, without being prepared.
What if the best qualified individual just happens to be a Muslim?
If Mr. Romney uses proportion of population for certain groups in the U.S. as criteria for assigning cabinet postions, I wonder if half of his cabinet will be women?
The arrogance of Ramney is astounding - but not surprising. His own faith of Mormonism is founded on religious intolerance and discrimination - to the point that Mormons believe that Catholicism is the church of the devil.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/10/10/mormons-the-beginning-theology/
Mitt Romney wants voters to ignore his religion, yet he is using it as a litmus test for his appointments?
Muslim is not an ethnicity.
The "Repuglican" Party IS the party of EXXXXXXXclusion.
Any questions?????
"....Romney said that based on the proportion of Muslims in the US population, a Cabinet post would not be "justified," though he could "imagine" Muslims serving in lower-level jobs in his administration."
Regarding Romney's filling cabinet posts based on proportional representation, there are as many Muslims as there are Jews in America--about 4-5 million of each religious group according to the last census. Does he think that Jews should be excluded as well. What about Mormans, or Sikhs or Orthodox Druids? This is really the pot calling the kettle black. In this offhand comment, Romney reveals how truly small minded he really is, and makes clear his disassociation with James Madison and the Founding Fathers of America. So, let's asks Hillary the same question--first she'll patronize her NY pro-Israel financiers with some well-chosen Islamaphobic zingers, then she'll sidestep the whole question by blathering on about national secuirty and other bromadic themes. So, at least Romney revealed himself, giving voters a fair chance of seeing where he stands
and making an informed choice.
Islamic Fascism declared war against the U.S. and all non-Islamic nations. The truth is the truth. Why would any free human want to suppress this? http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl
Mormons aren't racist, despite oversimplified reports of the history and doctrines by ex-mormons and anti-mormons above. Regardless, Romney's view is not necessarily dictated by the ostensible Mormon view. For a credible source about Mormons, try mormon.org. For a credible source about romney, try his campaign site.
As far as credible sources go, that should be the theme of this article. Romney says he'd have no problem with a Muslim, but those who hate him and love a good straw man argument just can't handle that fact. The conversation at the fund raiser was misrepresented, so commenters shouldn't attribute a "representative" cabinet notion to Romney based on the out-of-context crankiness of an opponent's supporter.
There has always been a great amount of prejudice and hatred towards the Mormons. Lies and mistruths frequently prevail. Comments about Mormons being anti-American couldn’t be farther from the truth. Below is an example of the Mormons response to a request from the President of the United States in the Mexican-American War.
The need to assist the U. S. Army in the Mexican war was urgent [1846]. President James K. Polk instructed the Secretary of War, William L. March to authorize Col. (later General) Stephen W. Kearney, Commander of the Army of the West, to enlist a battalion of 500 Mormons for this purpose. Captain James Allen was ordered to proceed to the Mormon Camps in Iowa to recruit five companies of 75 to 100 men each.
The Mormons had many reasons to be reluctant to enlist: They had received no protection from persecution and mob action in Missouri and Illinois; their families were destitute and spread over a wide area; they had hundreds of miles of hostile Indian territory to cross; they worried how their families would suffer in the bitter plains winter; and of course, the Mormons had particularly close family ties and were concerned about protection for their families located on the western frontier.
However, President Brigham Young and the governing Council of the L.D.S. Church urged the men to enlist, telling them it was their patriotic duty to join. Five companies totaling over 500 men were mustered in at Council Bluffs, Iowa on July 16, 1846. There were 32 women, of which 20 were laundresses hired at private's pay, that left with the Battalion. They made the longest march in military history consisting of 2,000 miles from Council Bluffs, Iowa to San Diego, California.
President Brigham Young told them: "Brethren, you will be blessed, if you will live for those blessings which you have been taught to live for. The Mormon Battalion will be held in honorable remembrance to the latest generation; and I will prophesy that the children of those who have been in the army, in defense of their country, will grow up and bless their fathers for what they did at that time. And men and nations will rise up and bless the men who went in that Battalion. These are my feelings in brief respecting the company of men known as the Mormon Battalion. When you consider the blessings that are laid upon you, will you not live for them? As the Lord lives, if you will but live up to your privileges, you will never be forgotten, without end, but you will be had in honorable remembrance, for ever and ever."
In addition to the 500 men, some of the officers chose to take their families and their possessions and their own wagons at no expense to the government, which the Army permitted. There were 15 or 16 families, including 50 or 55 children and dependents, who left Council Bluffs with the Battalion.
Being a muslim born yet american citizen I would strongly reccomend to be open to those candidates who possess the qualities of understanding jihad, muslim religion and the core values of islam. It is the diversity that could toppel radical muslims that are splitting the world into pieces. I strongly believe that there has got to be a position available in Washington D.C for someone who could see through radicilism and extremism by pointing out the bad guys. Once again I reiterate, that a muslim born sitting in washington D.C holding a reputable position could help out the decision makers sitting in pentagon to weed out those who have been splitting us apart in this great country and that is the United states of America.
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