The 2010 midterm elections are today, and promise to be tightly contested between Democrats and Republicans. Many politicians are trying to win elections with rhetoric against Muslims, using issues like the Park 51 Islamic Center (commonly referred to as the ‘Ground Zero Mosque’) to grab more votes. Here are six of the worst candidates.
The 2010 midterm elections are today, and promise to be tightly contested between Democrats and Republicans. Many politicians are trying to win elections with rhetoric against Muslims, using issues like the Park 51 Islamic Center (commonly referred to as the ‘Ground Zero Mosque’) to grab more votes. Here are six of the worst candidates.
1. Tom Tancredo: Constitution Party Candidate for Governor of Colorado
Tancredo, a former congressman, in 2005 said that the US should bomb Mecca in response to a nuclear attack by terrorists. He has refused to backtrack or apologize for this statement, not even after running for President in 2008 as a republican. In fact, during a Presidential debate between Republican candidates in 2007, he said (referring to Muslims) that terrorism was a “dictate of their religion”. Tancredo, as evidenced by his third party candidacy, is considered so extreme that he embarrasses even the Republican Party.
2. Col. Allen West: Republican Candidate for Florida’s 22nd Congressional District in Congress
West has made many anti-Islam statements, beginning with his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference where he said “terrorists are doing what the Qur’an says” and that the West had been at war with Islam since the crusades. He also said in a speech in March that “Islam is a totalitarian theocratic political ideology, it is not a religion.” He also served in Iraq and had to leave the army when he fired a gunshot inches away from an Iraqi detainee’s head so the Iraqi would divulge information about an upcoming attack. However, no attack was ever discovered. West even refused to be interviewed by Al Jazeera English because he thought they were trying to kidnap him.
3. Ilario Pantano: Republican candidate for North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District in Congress
Pantano shot and killed two unarmed Iraqi detainees using 60 rounds of ammunition during his military service in Iraq, and narrowly was cleared of murder charges. His attitude towards Muslims and Islam isn’t positive, either. He is vehemently opposed to the Park 51 Islamic Center and said that “This mosque at Ground Zero will serve as a big Trojan trophy; and we are welcoming it?” He has also received the endorsement of blogger Pamela Geller, well known for her Islamophobia and for leading the fight against Park 51.
4. Sharron Angle: Republican Candidate for the US Senate in Nevada
Angle, currently in a very close race with Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, has drawn a lot of attention as a Tea Party candidate. Her views on Islam haven’t received much of a focus. Earlier this month, she said that Shariah law was taking over the US and that “Muslims were taking over a city in Michigan,” referring to Dearborn. This drew an angry response from the mayor of the city. Angle still has not explained her comments, and has avoided the media throughout her campaign.
5. Renee Ellmers: Republican Candidate for North Carolina’s Second Congressional District in Congress
Ellmers aired a TV ad attacking her opponent, Rep. Bob Etheridge in September discussing Muslims, terrorists and the Park 51 Islamic Center interchangeably and called the center a “victory mosque.” She has said that she isn’t “anti-Muslim,” but still defends the ad.
6. Josh Mandel: Republican Candidate for Ohio State Treasurer
Mandel has also drawn attention for an ad targeting his opponent, Democrat Kevin Boyce, which attacks Boyce’s association with a Muslim bank lobbyist named Noure Alo and repeatedly references an Ohio mosque negatively. Mandel pulled the ad, but then aired another ad that Ohio Democrats said was just as offensive, using Alo’s first name Mohammed four times in a sinister context, even though he goes by his middle name.
