Keith Ellison: Herman Cain Is A 'Religious Bigot' For Comments About Muslims

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim elected to Congress, said in a recent interview with Salon that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain's controversial comments about Islam are ugly, inflammatory and bigoted.

"It seems like a week doesn't go by without Cain saying something incredibly offensive, so I can only guess that he's doing it on purpose," Ellison told Salon's Justin Elliott. "He's probably figured out that he can get headlines if he says something really ugly, so he doesn't disappoint."

He's "trying to distinguish himself as the religious bigot of the presidential race," Ellison said.

"I don't know if Herman Cain is just a sick individual, or if he is using bigotry to strategically move his campaign forward," Ellison continued. "But in either case it's reprehensible that he just will not relent with this bigotry and that he actually thinks it's going to enhance his chances to get the Republican nomination."

In March, Cain told reporters at a campaign event that if elected president, he would not appoint Muslims to his cabinet because of his belief that they would attempt to work Sharia law into the U.S. government. He later attempted to walk that statement back, saying "I am not anti-Muslim. I am anti-terrorist."

Last weekend, Cain drew further fire when pressed by "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace about his criticism of a planned mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, which has sparked protests from residents. Americans "have the right" to block Islamic centers in their communities, Cain said.

"Our Constitution guarantees the separation of church and state," Cain said. "Islam combines church and state. They're using the church part of our First Amendment to infuse their morals in that community, and the people of that community do not like it. They disagree with it."

Click over to Salon for a full transcript of Justin Elliott's interview with Ellison.

Comments

[JohnBryansFontaine]

07:13 PM on 07/26/2011

Herman Cain is the biggest bigot in the race
by Alex Pareene

http://www.salon.com/news/2012_elections/?story=/politics/war_room/2011/07/19/cain_bigot

[brokerallen]

01:18 PM on 07/24/2011

Cain's distorted views make him a GOP favorite.

[methnkng]

06:15 PM on 07/23/2011

Islam treates women like second class citizens. It is evil

Check out this video of an ex Muslim woman telling it like it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up3yuQDAWKQ

[YaTaSay]

12:32 PM on 07/23/2011

I am disgusted how the tolerant liberal elites comment with such hate and ugliness. I wonder why Democrats are all too eager to point out that Republicans hate blacks and other minorities. Democrats feel that they alone should have the women and minorities. They will co-opt any issue they can to gather votes. The idea is to put people into small groups based on sex, race, sexual preference and promise the world, but not actually follow through. Eisenhower was the first President to propose and sign Civil Rights legislation in 1957. LBJ tried to muddle the vote, but was not able to succeed. Later LBJ cam around and Kennedy drafted more legislation to help minorities have their rights. Who were those pesky governors carrying the Stars and Bars in the South that fought against civil rights and integration? The governors in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Shockingly, through out the 50s and 60s they were ALL Democrats.

[methnkng]

06:16 PM on 07/23/2011

That is very interesting.

[nefertari05]

09:39 AM on 07/28/2011

Yes, and they were so disgusted with the passing of the Civil Rights Act that they LEFT the democratic party and became "Dixiecrats". Those "Dixiecrats" assimilated into the REPUBLICAN Party and they (their descendants) remain there to this day. One guess as to what they call themselves these days.

[YaTaSay]

11:23 AM on 07/28/2011

The Dixiecrats were formed in 1948. That fringe of the Democrat party was absorbed back into the Democrat party by 1950. The Dixiecrats were gone seven years before the 1957 Civil rights act. The Democrats had control of those Southern states through the late 70's and early 80's. The Republicans in the North did not have issues passing the first civil rights act in 1957. The Republicans did not have any sway over Southern politics during reconstruction and through the 1980's.

[jakel95020]

10:55 AM on 07/23/2011

that's why i don't eay his God fathers pizza. It is laced with reglious pixie dust from a secret recipe. You can't trust this man!

[quedog]

08:00 AM on 07/23/2011

hernab is not a bigot
he ie simply a man that need to stop politics and start
making pizza
pizza is his true calling

[norby413]

06:39 PM on 07/22/2011

I agree with Rep Ellison. Cain is making these statements of religious intolerance because it WILL get him ahead with the Tbagger crowd...

[quedog]

08:01 AM on 07/23/2011

no it wont because baggers hate colered folkes just as much as they hate arabs

[Andrew Mason Wagner]

11:17 AM on 07/23/2011

Well, they hate women as much as they hate colored folks and Arabs. Yet, they love Michele Bachmann. Hmm, perhaps they love those who will do anything to oppress there own people.

[norby413]

06:36 PM on 07/22/2011

I heard several comments from Caine on Daily last night. Gotta admit, as jaded as I am, his bigotry actually shocked me.
Tip for you Mr. Caine. Alot of the people who's vote you're courting would also prefer you NOT move into their neighborhoods. Property values, you know...

[methnkng]

06:17 PM on 07/23/2011

Watch this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up3yuQDAWKQ

You are being suckered.

[Just-a-Guy]

05:39 PM on 07/22/2011

I don't think Congressman Ellison comprehends how much of a wake up call 9-11 gave us.

[Andrew Mason Wagner]

11:18 AM on 07/23/2011

I don't think you comprehend the real lessons of 9/11.

[Just-a-Guy]

12:05 PM on 07/25/2011

Sounds like what you learned on that day and what I learned on that day are two very different things....

[Zenjil]

08:30 PM on 07/24/2011

That extremists can cause a nation to overreact to an entire religion?

[duzacm]

01:21 AM on 07/25/2011

One world government, and one world religion. It is on it's way.Just as Jesus predicted.

[Just-a-Guy]

12:04 PM on 07/25/2011

You're right...it was no big deal

(facepalm)

[hikemaroonbells]

05:36 PM on 07/22/2011

Bigot? Yes. But his biggest crime was the pizza.

[proudtohaveserved]

05:34 PM on 07/22/2011

MAN herman cain looks evil

[duzacm]

01:22 AM on 07/25/2011

Just the opposite.The man is just to honest to be a politician .

[endunagazi]

04:15 PM on 07/22/2011

Plus he makes one terrible pizza pie.

[sugarpops]

04:34 PM on 07/22/2011

You have been drinking the poisonned kool aid again/

[jugglefire]

04:35 PM on 07/22/2011

Careful, you're xenophobia is showing.

[MJHammonds]

04:03 PM on 07/22/2011

Good. I'm glad to see SOMEONE is calling Cain out on his ugliness.

[norby413]

06:38 PM on 07/22/2011

Your avatar is disturbing!

[methnkng]

03:42 PM on 07/24/2011

I am glad to see someone is calling out Islam on its ugliness.

Watch this video. http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=up3yuQDAW­KQ

[Jesterband]

02:51 PM on 07/22/2011

"They're using the church part of our First Amendment to infuse their morals in that community, and the people of that community do not like it. They disagree with it."

I have the same problem with another religion except on a national scale,...go figure.