Friday, August 25, 2006

Now 4 GOP Candidates Have Called For Religious Profiling Of Muslims

An Al-Jazeerah editorial yesterday says that Florida Republican Congressional candidate Mark G. Flanagan has become the fourth candidate for political office to endorse profiling of Muslims. In an August 21 statement he urged that airline passengers who appear to be Arab or Muslim should be subjected to additional special screening. Last week, House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) expressed similar sentiments (see prior posting). Republican Paul Nelson, running in the 3rd District of Wisconsin, who has endorsed similar approaches was asked on a radio show how he would identify who was a Muslim male. He responded, "If he comes in wearing a turban and his name is Muhammad, that's a good start." And Republican candidate for governor of New York, John Faso, also calling for profiling, said "Looking for Muslims for participation in Muslim jihad is not playing the odds. It is following an ironclad tautology."