NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Blogs > Entertainment blogs > Manhattan Diary > Herman Cain, Tea Party star, Muslim basher

Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Herman Cain, Tea Party star, Muslim basher

Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 09:37 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

21 Comments

RSS

Archives

Herman Cain, star of the Tea Party Convention, and the pick of many of its members for president, may be the worst thing that has happened to the radical platform for the Republican agenda.

This week he said he's been called a racist for saying he would refuse to appoint ANY Muslims to his cabinet if elected.

“I will not. And here’s why. There is this creeping attempt, this attempt, to gradually ease Sharia law and the Muslim faith into our government,” Cain said. “It does not belong in our government. This is what happened to Europe. And little by little, to try to be politically correct, they made this little change. They made this little change. And now they’ve got a social problem that they don’t know what to do with hardly.”

So Muslims are just a social problem, a sort of virus that democracies catch that infects the body politic. They should be ostracized, they should be condemned to the margins. I remember this speech in the original German.

Last month Herman won a straw poll at a conference organized by the Tea Party. That level of support makes it clear that conservative candidates sense that Muslim bashing will be a handy vote catcher in 2012.

Already serial adulterer Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have dipped a foot in anti-sharia rabble rousing. Congressman Peter King has held hearings into "The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community’s Response." Michele Bachmann has said "not all cultures are equal, not all values are equal."

I think it's already safe to say that they've found their theme. Tea party candidates like Herman Cain and Bachmann are playing not to the brightest hopes but to the deepest suspicions of the people who support them. It's going to be an ugly and destructive political season indeed if they follow this appalling line through to the election.

Cain grew up in the segregated South. He ought to know a bigot when he sees one.

E-mail

21 Comments

See all comments

hollabackgurl | Dec 03, 2011, 12:18 AM EST

The tea party promoted and pushed all the birther garbage - and they are still at it. Birtherism is racism because it's trying to prove the president is not 'one of us.' That's the essence of racism.

Report abuse

dipperloop | Apr 14, 2011, 07:42 PM EDT

Hey Cahir, you don't know what you are talking about, have you ever met a Tea Party person, all we want is the goverment to stop spending our hard earned money,nothing more.......

Report abuse

olovely | Apr 05, 2011, 04:25 PM EDT

I don't see anyone on the left targeting Muslims the way the GOP is. I don't see anyone on the left being silent when religions or ethnic groups are pilloried. You have the wrong party Geroid4.

Report abuse

maloney | Mar 30, 2011, 03:06 PM EDT

Muslims KILL gays!! We are just trying to protect our gays don't ya know.

Report abuse

maloney | Mar 30, 2011, 03:00 PM EDT

As for sharia law there is one thing they follow that should be adopted. Keep your women silent in the darkest corner of the darkest room of your house. See, the muslims did get one thing right.

Report abuse

maloney | Mar 30, 2011, 02:57 PM EDT

cahir..get your eyes checked quick!! In case you haven't noticed, Cain is BLACK!! That makes you, cahir, a bigot!! a racist!! a black hater!!! Along with all of the posters who don't agree with Cain. I'll see your black traitor potus and raise you one black PATRIOT HERO!!!

Report abuse

Gearoid4 | Mar 29, 2011, 07:53 PM EDT

We should not scapegoat minorities as a result of a violent few who use terrorist methods and claim to speak in their name. Nonetheless those of a leftist persuasion seem to pick and chose whichever group suits their political program and are curiously silent when certain other religio/ethnic populations are pilloried.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Mar 29, 2011, 06:02 PM EDT

And they(the tea party)claim they are not bigots. fascists like Cain are a danger to democracy.

Report abuse

jmchrystal | Mar 29, 2011, 05:56 PM EDT

It is too bad that schools, parents and the christian religion have all failed in teaching the concept of democracy.

Report abuse

ajb1944 | Mar 29, 2011, 04:59 PM EDT

Speaking of bigots...Have you looked in the morror lately.....you useless leftist MORON

Report abuse

HR25supporter | Mar 29, 2011, 02:05 PM EDT

I like this guy he says what he thinks and means what he says. Honestly I could do without so many muslims trying to infiltrate the country that they despise. No I'm not a devout Christian, just want to see a level playing feild in the white house and congress. At least Cain is an experienced business man that has a real plan. Obama is the least transparent president we have had. And he's full of BS. regaurdless vote yes to H.R. 25. your pay check will thank you. IRS will not.

Report abuse

hancock | Mar 29, 2011, 01:12 PM EDT

Are Muslims bullies? Hey holla do you think they would put up with your mouth?

Report abuse

hollabackgurl | Mar 29, 2011, 01:08 PM EDT

Any time an entire group is tarred with a brush of contempt and ridicule it permits bullies to taget them daily. Across America teenagers will bully and attack Muslim kids because people like Cain foster a climate of hostility and suspicion. It's entirely fair to point to where that kind of tactic usually leads.

Report abuse

trspit80 | Mar 29, 2011, 12:50 PM EDT

What a crock of crap you spew! Hearing this speech in "original German?". Who's trying to peddle fear now? I'm getting sick and tired of people attaching holocaust references to anything but the holocaust. It's ignorant and totally irresponsible. Find something else to compare. Stop these wholesale holocaust and Hitler comparisons which represent a level of evil that has no comparison.

Report abuse

olovely | Mar 29, 2011, 12:15 PM EDT

I'm willing to bet there is a Teaparty/Gay movement too. Doesn't mean they're not completely deluded. If the star of the Teaparty is calling for a boycott on ALL Muslims, how dumb do you have to be to be a Muslim who supports him?

Report abuse