FW: Email and Thank Senator Reid for his remarks about Dr. Carson.
Rashid Makhdoom
Friends,
Pls take a moment to send a thank you note to Senator Reid for his speech yesterday on Senate floor condemning Dr. Carson for his bigoted remarks about American Muslims & Islam. You can send an email to Adelle Cruz at Adell...@reid.senate.gov
Rashid.
Reid: Republicans Should Denounce Ben Carson’s Bigoted Remarks
“Ben Carson questioned Muslim-Americans devotion to the United States. He questioned their integrity. And then Ben Carson unilaterally disqualified every Muslim-America from becoming President of the United States.”
“The nearly three million Muslim in this country are part of the fabric of America. They teach in our schools, fight in our military, and serve in Congress.”
“I call upon every Republican to denounce Ben Carson’s disgusting remarks. That shameful intolerance and bigotry should have no place in America today.”
Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor condemning the hateful language used by Republican Presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson, in reference to Muslim-Americans. Below are his remarks:
In Arlington National Cemetery, there is a white headstone, which, like so many others, marks the final resting place of a courageous service-member who gave his life in combat. This grave belongs to Kareem Khan of New Jersey, who was just twenty years old. Kareem was Muslim.
Kareem’s rank was that of Specialist in the Stryker Brigade of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry division. By all accounts, he was a good soldier. He received a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and a medal for good conduct. Tragedy struck on August 6, 2007, as Kareem and three others were checking abandoned Iraqi houses for explosives, a hidden bomb exploded, killing all four soldiers. Like thousands of other soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Kareem Khan sacrificed everything for his country. Kareem gave, as President Abraham Lincoln said, “the last full measure of devotion” for the United States.
But yesterday, I watched on “Meet the Press” as a Republican candidate for President denigrated Kareem Khan and all Muslim-Americans. Ben Carson questioned Muslim-Americans devotion to the United States. He questioned their integrity. And then Ben Carson unilaterally disqualified every Muslim-America from becoming President of the United States.
Shame on him. Shame on any person who spews such vile, hateful rhetoric. The nearly three million Muslim in this country are part of the fabric of America. They teach in our schools, fight in our military, and serve in Congress. Congressmen Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Andre Carson of Indiana – both Muslim – have represented their districts and states with distinction.
Sadly, this is just another example of Republican candidates refusing to speak for three million Muslim Americans. We saw it last week with Donald Trump, as he refused to denounce bigotry at his own campaign rally. If these Republican candidates are incapable of going to bat for America’s Muslim community, then they shouldn’t run for President of the United States.
I call upon every Republican to denounce Ben Carson’s disgusting remarks. That shameful intolerance and bigotry should have no place in America today. Sadly, it seems to have a lasting place in the Republican Party. Republicans should open their eyes and take note of the contributions of our country’s Muslim community. Until they do, none of them will be worthy of leading this nation.
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