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 As White House hopefuls met Monday night for their first face-to-face debate, a Muslim coalition is calling on Republican candidates to repudiate growing Islamophobia in the United States.
“We call on all the participants in tonight’s GOP presidential debate in New Hampshire to state clearly that they will not promote or exploit growing anti-Muslim sentiment to gain political advantage," the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections (AMT) said in a statement obtained by OnIslam.net.
Seven Republican presidential aspirants met on Monday, June 13, in their first face-to-face debate in New Hampshire.
AMT said that several of Republican hopefuls in the debate hold Islamophobic views.
It cited Herman Cain, who said that he would not appoint a Muslim in his administration.
Cain later modified his position by calling for an unconstitutional "loyalty" oath for Muslim appointees.
The Muslim coalition also cited the position of Republican aspirant Rick Santorum, who describes Islamic Shari`ah as "an existential threat" to America.
Former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who is also aspiring for the White House top post, has also suggested a federal anti-Shari`ah law.
"I am convinced that if we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America, by the time they [his grandchildren] are my age they will be in a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists. ..."
Gingrich had also called for a ban on all mosques near Ground Zero "so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia."
AMT also cited the position of Republican hopeful and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who said in 2007 that he would not consider Muslims for cabinet posts.
"Based on the numbers of American Muslims [as a percentage] in our population, I cannot see that a cabinet position would be justified," he said.
"But of course, I would imagine that Muslims could serve at lower levels of my administration," added Romney, who later disputed the accuracy of his quote.
The Muslim coalition called on Republican candidates to avoid using Muslims as a bargaining chip to gain votes.
"While appealing to fear and religious intolerance may score some cheap political points with a vocal minority in American society, our nation and its values of diversity and inclusion are harmed in the process," AMT said.
"American Muslims deserve the same rights and respect as other citizens."
Since 9/11, US Muslims, estimated at between six to eight million, have become sensitized to an erosion of their civil rights, with a prevailing belief that America was stigmatizing their faith.
Anti-Muslim frenzy has grown sharply in the US in recent months over plans to build a mosque near the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York, resulting in attacks on Muslims and their property.
Moreover, US Muslims have been sensing a growing hostility since Republican Representative Peter King held a hearing on what he described as “radicalization” of US Muslims.
Lawmakers in at least 13 states have introduced proposals forbidding local judges from considering Shari`ah when rendering verdicts on issues of divorces and marital disputes.
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