Rep Allen West, bigot. Rep. West: Ellison "antithesis" of country's founding principles

[cali]

Sounds like there’s friction inside the newly bipartisan Congressional Black Caucus.

Florida Rep. Allen West, a freshman Tea Party-backed Republican, said that Rep. Keith Ellison is “someone that really does represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established.”

West made the remark when asked a question referring to Ellison’s religion. Ellison, also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, was the first Muslim elected to Congress.

West made the comment in an interview with Richard Peritz, host of “The Shalom Show.” Peritz asked West how he planned to associate with those in Congress he totally disagreed with, “including Keith Ellison, who supports Islam.”

West responded:

“Well I think it’s most important that I stand upon the principles that people elected me to go to Washington, D.C., and represent them on Capitol Hill. So that when you run into someone that is counter, or someone that really does represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established, you’ve got to be able to defeat them intellectually in debate and discourse, and you to just have to be able to challenge each and every one of their assertions very wisely and very forthright.”

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http://www.startribune.com/politics/blogs/114507899.html?elr=KArks:DCiUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUvca_bPiL_ec7PaP3iU

[Ken Burch]

1. What the hell did Peritz mean by saying that Ellison "supports Islam"?

Ellison is a Muslim. He doesn't back "Islam" against the United States.

[msanthrope]

2. Well, that'll make for awkward CBC cocktail hours......n/t

[my2sense]

3. just another idiot

They're everywhere....

[LeftishBrit]

4. Sounds like the new Jesse Helms, with a little more melanin.

Who elects such extremists?!

'the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established'

Which included an explicit statement in the Bill of Rights that there should be 'no religious test' for office.