Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) has faced consistent religious intolerance during his days in office, and it primarily comes from his challengers.
Most recently, Gary Boisclair, Ellison’s opponent, had a shockingly incendiary, islamophobic video removed from content sharing site, YouTube because it violated user terms-of-use policy.
Huffington Post reports that the web ad featured graphic images of murdered non-Muslims and the House member swearing to the Koran.
"Congressman Ellison swore an oath to uphold the Constitution," says Ellison's Democratic challenger Gary Boisclair, “on a Koran.” He continues, “The Koran says Christians and Jews are infidels. The Koran says Christians are blasphemers who should have their hands and feet cut off and that they should be crucified and killed." He asks, "Do you really want someone representing you who swears an oath on a Koran, a book that undermines the Constitution and says you should be killed?"
Ellison, who has had to battle the same kind of discrimination from his most outspoken opponent, Lynne Torgerson, voiced his support of YouTube’s decision:
"I'd like to thank YouTube for removing the ad because it violated the company's 'policy on shocking and disgusting content,'" said Ellison in a statement. "The people of Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District elected me to uphold our Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion for every American."
Ellison has won re-election twice by over 40-points --- this despite being publically called a supporter of “criminal behavior” by adhering to the Muslim faith, and "not a proper person to have in our federal government” by Torgerson.
No comments:
Post a Comment