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.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.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.
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.......
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.
maloney | Mar 30, 2011, 03:06 PM EDT
Muslims KILL gays!! We are just trying to protect our gays don't ya know.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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.
ajb1944 | Mar 29, 2011, 04:59 PM EDT
Speaking of bigots...Have you looked in the morror lately.....you useless leftist MORON
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.
hancock | Mar 29, 2011, 01:12 PM EDT
Are Muslims bullies? Hey holla do you think they would put up with your mouth?
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.
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.
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?
FastEddy | Mar 29, 2011, 11:54 AM EDT
O'Doherty, you clueless "progressive" shiite disturber ... Your turf is not downtown with the elitist demo-fascists. You don't seem to be able to distinguish between those kinder, gentler mullahs who want a piece of our action and those towelhead Islamofascists who want to kill you and the rest of us. Get into flyover country before you claim resonance with the tea parties. Otherwise, go visit the NYFD.
muslimteaparty | Mar 29, 2011, 11:27 AM EDT
There is a real Tea Party/Conservative movement in the US comprised of Muslims. We continue to be ostracized by these shock politicians and the shock "journalists" that cover these stories. muslimteaparty.wordpress.com
olovely | Mar 29, 2011, 10:50 AM EDT
There used to be a time when American consevatives would listen and debate issues on their merit without insisting on ideological purity tests, or shutting debate down when they encountered a point of view they didn't share. Those days are over and our nation is the poorer for it.
slainte9 | Mar 29, 2011, 10:48 AM EDT
What's this got to do wit Ireland? Unless Cain is related to my great-grandfather Tom Cain from Limerick, who never ventured south of the Hudson.
MikeRock | Mar 29, 2011, 10:09 AM EDT
O'Doherty, Please cancel my online subscription to "Irish Central", or better yet why don't you move to Ireland.
irishwxman | Mar 29, 2011, 10:05 AM EDT
Irishcentral...liberal superstar...tea party basher. When will you learn ALL religion is ridiculous. Muslims don't get any special treatment. Christians like to touch little boys, and Muslims like to murder thousands of innocent people. For what?