U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) have been presented with yet another sign that they’re on the wrong side of the Muslim Brotherhood issue. In an interview with Sam Bollier of Al-Jazeera, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) praised both men for their defense of Muslims with questionable ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. We should be approaching the point where praise from someone like Ellison should cause patriotic Americans to question the positions of the recipients of such praise.
Via Al-Jazeera:
Sam Bollier: In 2008, about 90 per cent of American Muslims voted for Obama. Do you think a similar percentage will vote for Obama this time around?
Keith Ellison: Yeah, because I think the Republican Party as a brand has made it very clear that part of their political presentation is being anti-Muslim.
That’s not to say – and I want to be very clear – I’m not saying that all Republicans are anti-Muslim. [New Jersey Governor] Chris Christie has done some notable, laudable things … but if you look at everyone from [Minnesota Congresswoman] Michele Bachmann to [presidential candidate] Herman Cain, if you look at the deafening silence coming from Mitt Romney on issues of inclusion with the Muslim community – it’s very clear that there’s an active move to try to marginalise the Muslim voice, and Republican leaders are either letting it happen or not saying anything at all.
One exception to that is when [Senator John] McCain got up there to defend [Hillary Clinton’s deputy chief of staff] Huma Abedin, and I thought he was great to do it. [Some Republican congressmen had accused Abedin of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.] But that episode is notable for its rarity.
Chris Christie has repeatedly aligned himself with the likes of Sohail Mohammed and Imam Mohammad Qatanani. Both men have connections to CAIR, Hamas, or other Muslim Brotherhood elements.
John McCain has been wrong at every turn when it comes to the Arab Spring. He sided with the Libyan rebels and he’s siding now with the Syrian rebels. In Libya, al-Qaeda essentially took control of Benghazi after Gadhafi’s fall. In the spring of 2011, McCain referred to the Libyan rebels as his ‘heroes’.
Perhaps, instead of questioning the Republican Party for not supporting Muslims who sympathize with Muslim Brotherhood groups, Americans should question certain Republicans (McCain / Christie) for supporting Muslims who sympathize with Muslim Brotherhood groups.
While they’re at it, perhaps said Americans should ask McCain and Christie why the likes of Keith Ellison is defending them.