Bigotry in the Pennsylvania Capital
State lawmakers yesterday held up voting on a resolution in recognition of a Muslim group's upcoming convention after a Butler County legislator protested that "the Muslims do not recognize Jesus Christ as God."
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, said he opposed the House's formal recognition of this weekend's 60th annual convention in Harrisburg of the U.S. chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
"The Muslims do not recognize Jesus Christ as God and I will be voting negative," he said on the House floor.
...
"I wonder what I would not also qualify for -- being on the floor myself?" [Jewish lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Babette Josephs of Philadelphia] said later. "Having the right to vote? Having the right to practice my religion? ...And we have other people who are not Jewish and not Christian on the floor -- some elected, some not."
Nothing like a fresh reminder of the idiotic bigotry still rife in this country. Even better is the reasoning given by his partner in idiocy for sending the bill back to committee:
Invoking the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks, [Republican Gordon Denlinger of Lancaster] said the resolution should not have been promoted as noncontroversial under House rules.
"Certainly this nation went through an attack some years ago that is well-burned into the subconscious of our society," he said. "What I sense on our floor today is that, for some people, this evokes very strong passion and emotion."
Could someone please explain, preferably in very small words since I obviously must be an idiot for not understanding, exactly what this resolution has to do with 9/11?
*facepalm*
Full article here.
Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, said he opposed the House's formal recognition of this weekend's 60th annual convention in Harrisburg of the U.S. chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
"The Muslims do not recognize Jesus Christ as God and I will be voting negative," he said on the House floor.
...
"I wonder what I would not also qualify for -- being on the floor myself?" [Jewish lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Babette Josephs of Philadelphia] said later. "Having the right to vote? Having the right to practice my religion? ...And we have other people who are not Jewish and not Christian on the floor -- some elected, some not."
Nothing like a fresh reminder of the idiotic bigotry still rife in this country. Even better is the reasoning given by his partner in idiocy for sending the bill back to committee:
Invoking the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks, [Republican Gordon Denlinger of Lancaster] said the resolution should not have been promoted as noncontroversial under House rules.
"Certainly this nation went through an attack some years ago that is well-burned into the subconscious of our society," he said. "What I sense on our floor today is that, for some people, this evokes very strong passion and emotion."
Could someone please explain, preferably in very small words since I obviously must be an idiot for not understanding, exactly what this resolution has to do with 9/11?
*facepalm*
Full article here.