Texas GOP Party Members Demand Removal of Practicing Muslim Leader

[left-of-center2012]

The Republican Party of Texas is riven with fractures and infighting as a local branch attempts to remove a Muslim man from his GOP leadership post simply because of his religious faith. Shahid Shafi serves as a party official for the Tarrant County GOP. Shafi is a trauma surgeon and city council member in suburban Southlake, Texas. He’s also a practicing Muslim.

The fact of his chosen religion is apparently none-too-pleasing for a not inconsequential number of Texas Republicans. Republican Party Precinct Chair and anti-Muslim activist Dorrie O’Brien is one of Shafi’s detractors. O’Brien has repeatedly–and without evidence–made claims to the press and others within the Tarrant County Republican Party that Shafi supports Islamic Sharia law and that the city councilman has connections to groups affiliated with terrorists.

In an open letter defending himself against the coordinated Islamophobic attacks Shafi noted:

“Here are the facts. I have never had any association with the Muslim Brotherhood nor CAIR nor any terrorist organization. I believe that the laws of our nation are our Constitution and the laws passed by our elected legislatures — I have never promoted any form of Sharia Law. I fully support and believe in American Laws for American Courts.”

Republican Land Commissioner George P. Bush tweeted his support for Shafi on Friday. “I urge the Tarrant County GOP to stop this attempt to remove a hardworking county party official based on religious beliefs,” he wrote.
Retiring GOP Texas State House Speaker Joe Straus took the criticism even further. “Some in the Tarrant County Republican Party want to remove a party officer because of his religious faith,” he tweeted. “This effort is disgraceful and un-American.”

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/texas-gop-in-disarray-as-party-members-demand-removal-of-practicing-muslim-leader/

[walkingman]

1. Rednecks!! Texas is an embarrassment to the nation (I am a Texan)

[ret5hd]

5. I am a Texan!

Oh wait...I thought this was one of those "I am Spartacus" moments. I love those things! Sorry.

[First Speaker]

2. Good for you, Bush and Straus...

...you otherwise crummy bastards...

[gratuitous]

3. Why are you a Republican, Mr. Shafi?

You have to make a public statement that you aren't a terrorist, not affiliated with terrorist organizations, and that you support the Constitution. Would you have to say that if you were a Christian in Texas? I'll save you the trouble of thinking up an answer: No. The only reason for this shameful episode is the bigotry and prejudice of Texas Republicans. Why would you want to be part of such an organization?

[J_William_Ryan]

4. Exactly

[JI7]

6. probably anti gay , anti immigrant or some other bigot

whenever someone brings up women or minorities that are Republican as evidence they aren't bigots I tell them they are usually bigots against some other group.p

[Major Nikon]

9. He's one of my city council members

He might be a bigot, but I haven't seen it. Granted I don't follow him all that closely, but I haven't seen him chime in on any of the garbage that so many others around here do. He strikes me as someone who doesn't stray from local issues like some of the other clowns on our city council.

As far as the Tarrant county GOPhers go, some of them are so stupid you wonder how they remember to breathe. If there's a silver lining out of all this, I hope it ends in running Dorrie O’Brien out on a rail.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

7. someone should send a photo of incoming House Dems

Mr. Shafi should be told that there is a party which actually likes diversity.

[jmowreader]

10. It's probably economic

He likes tax cuts. The GOP is the Party of Tax Cuts.

[lilactime]

8. If anybody promotes Sharia law, it's Republicans.