Muslim Group Welcomes Candidate's Rejection of Hagee Endorsement
WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-
Islamic Relations (CAIR) today welcomed Sen. John McCain's rejection of
bigoted Texas pastor John Hagee's endorsement, and called on the presidential
candidate to "unequivocally distance himself" from Ohio pastor Rod Parsley.
News reports today indicate that McCain has decided to "reject" John
Hagee's endorsement and "repudiate" his remarks. McCain's rejection comes
after recent reports that Hagee said, "Hitler was a hunter," referring to the
Nazi Holocaust. In his statement, McCain said of the pastor's hateful remarks
that he "did not know of them before Reverend Hagee's endorsement."
SEE: McCain Rejects and Denounces Hagee (NBC News)
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/22/1053828.aspx
Rod Parsley, pastor of the World Harvest Church of Columbus, Ohio,
similarly supported McCain's presidential campaign after the candidate sought
Parsley's endorsement early this year. McCain has praised Parsley, saying he
is "one of the truly great leaders in America, a moral compass, a spiritual
guide."
SEE: McCain's 'Spiritual Guide' Wants America to Destroy Islam
(Due to the length of the URL, please cut and paste into browser)
http://bravenewfilms.org/blog/38133-mccain-s-spiritual-guide-wants-america-to-
destroy-islam?utm_source=rgemail
Parsley has referred to Islam as an "anti-Christ religion" and has
expressed support for "seeing this false religion [Islam] destroyed." He also
described Islam's prophet Mohammed as "the mouthpiece of a conspiracy of
spiritual evil."
SEE: McCain Pastor: Islam Is a 'Conspiracy of Spiritual Evil'
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4905624&page=1
SEE ALSO: McCain's Pastor Problem (Mother Jones)
(Due to the length of the URL, please cut and paste into browser)
http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/05/john-mccain-rod-
parsley-pastor-problem.html
In a statement, CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor said:
"Senator McCain said he chose to reject Reverend Hagee's support after
learning some of the hateful comments he has made. With similar disturbing
statements by Reverend Parsley circulating widely on the Internet, it's time
for the senator to renounce the endorsement of this second bigoted pastor.
"Millions of American Muslims may feel unsafe knowing that a candidate for
the highest office in the country would embrace a man who demonizes them as
"spiritually evil" and believes our country was founded, in part, to destroy
their faith.
"In the interest of best positioning any future administration to defeat
the narrative of anti-American extremists, we call on Senator McCain to
unequivocally distance himself from Pastor Rod Parsley."
Last year, CAIR called on McCain to appoint a Muslim campaign advisor and
a Muslim White House aide if elected in 2008. That request came following the
senator's statement that America is a "Christian" nation and that he would not
be comfortable with a Muslim in the White House.
In response to a question from Beliefnet.com about the possibility of a
Muslim presidential candidate, McCain said: "I just have to say in all candor
that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles, that's
a decision the American people would have to make, but personally, I prefer
someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith."
SEE: McCain Casts Muslims as Less Fit to Lead (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/us/politics/30mccain.html
CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 offices and
chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the
understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower
American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual
understanding.
CONTACT: CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor, Tel:
202-384-8857, E-Mail: csaylor@cair.com; CAIR Strategic Communications
Director Ahmed Rehab, Tel: 202-870-0166, E-Mail: arehab@cair.com; CAIR
Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com
SOURCE The Council on American-Islamic Relations
Corey Saylor, National Legislative Director, +1-202-384-8857,
csaylor@cair.com, or Ahmed Rehab, Strategic Communications Director,
+1-202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com, or Amina Rubin, Communications Coordinator,
+1-202-488-8787, arubin@cair.com, all of The Council on American-Islamic
Relations
