The call for applying the test to Muslims in the U.S. came from former House speaker Newt Gingrich, an ideological cohort to Donald Trump, who lost out to Mike Pence as the Republican candidate’s presidential running mate on Friday.
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In an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity”, Gingrich said that every person “who is of a Muslim background” in America should face a test. “So, if you’re trying to compete for western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois, there’s a certain value to an IN candidate, I think”.
Gingrich’s answer is notable not just for its Trump-like attack on Muslims-those already in the United States-but also for its profound ignorance of Islamic tradition.
The remarks came hours after news broke that a truck fatally plowed through scores of people celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France.
According to Nice Matin, the local newspaper, the attacker was a French resident of Tunisian origin, although his religion is yet to be determined. Gingrich added that anyone who simply visits any website “favoring ISIS or al Qaeda or other terrorist groups” should be guilty of a felony, “and they should go to jail”. “This is about looking for certain characteristics that we have learned painfully time after time involve killing people, involve attacks on our civilization”.
Donald Trump has postponed formally announcing his running mate for the 2016 presidential election in the wake of the attack in Nice. Modern Muslims who gave given up Sharia, glad to have them as citizens.
If they do, he said, they should be deported – even if they’re US citizens. “Perfectly happy to have them next door”, he stated. While representing perhaps one of the most indiscriminating calls for a religious test proposed by a typical political figure for some time now, his suggestion reflects a relatively unconstitutional approach. In fact, there are varying interpretations and legal opinions – called fatwas – most of which concern rituals, family matters and personal spirituality. “You have to monitor the mosques”, Gingrich said. Go to Syria if you want to know what war looks like.
During a question and answer session on Facebook Live Friday afternoon, Gingrich said his comments to Fox News were “distorted” by the media.
“How are you going to test me”, Ahmed asked.
They both agreed that they would blame president Barack Obama for “lacking the guts to do what is right” – and Mr Hannity questioned whether the USA government could ascertain if incoming refugees “really wanted to assimilate”.
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“Reasonable, sensible and prudent Americans must exercise their civic duty to hold these publicly elected officials responsible for their misconduct and reckless behavior”, Saad said.
