Conservative Congressman Blasts Bachmann’s Anti-Muslim Allegations, Stands Up For Religious Liberty

[rug]

By Scott Keyes on Jul 23, 2012 at 9:15 am

SLINGER, Wisconsin — One of the most conservative congressmen in the country stepped up to defend Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and the rights of all Muslim-Americans yesterday against Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) spurious accusations that she is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, calling them “the wrong thing to do.”

During a town hall held by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) on Sunday, a constituent lauded Bachmann’s anti-Muslim witchhunt about a supposed Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of the U.S. government and called on her congressman to support her efforts. Sensenbrenner instead used the opportunity not only to defend Abedin, but to advocate for the larger notion of religious pluralism in America and a separation between church and state.

The longtime Republican congressman went on to praise the Constitution’s ban on religious tests to hold office, saying Thomas Jefferson’s vision “was right.” When the constituent responded with bigoted accusations about Islam, Sensenbrenner countered: “Religion is a personal issue to every one of the people who lives in the United States…And that has been one of the most cherished freedoms that this country has had since it’s beginning”:

SENSENBRENNER: Let me say that I do know Huma Abedin and I think that the comments that were made about her in that letter, whether or not they were taken out of context, were the wrong thing to do… I think the Constitution in saying that there shall never be a religious test for any office of trust and profit under the United States meant that people should not be judged on the basis of their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs. That was Thomas Jefferson that put that in the Constitution — I think he was right.[/div class="excerpt"]

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/07/23/562831/jim-sensenbrenner-huma-abedin/

How batshit do you have to be to be rebuked by Sensenbrenner?

[bluestateguy]

1. I get the feeling that Bachmann is not well liked by her own party in Congress

And shit, that now makes two good things that NonSensenbrenner has done this year: he voted against CISPA.

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2. I didn't know that about Sensenbrenner and CISPA.

[dregstudios]

3. Home Grown Hate

Bachmann is just the latest example of the homegrown fear-mongering our country has been subjected to in the decade following 9/11. These are NOT allegations to be played with in today’s society where dissidence is not being tolerated and minorities are being held without trial. As an elected official, Michelle should be leading by example not spewing her own form of politicized terrorism. You can read much more about living in this Orwellian society of fear and see my visual response to these measures on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-in-society-of-fear-ten-years.html We must acknowledge this type of bigotry erodes our freedoms from the inside out for ALL races of Americans.

[rug]

4. A belated welcome to DU.

Great artwork!

Keep posting.