DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Muslim congressman Keith Ellison are sending out an adjective-laden “Dear Colleague” letter to encourage politicians from both parties to consider inviting a Muslim to the State of the Union (SOTU) as a show of American solidarity. Typically, this sort of thing should be treated like any another vacuous gesture, but this also happens to be a political stunt intended to reinforce the Democratic party narrative about the rise of rampant Islamophobia, starring Donald Trump as Hitler.
So here are a couple of ideas for Republicans: Why not also bring a relative of someone killed by Islamic terrorists at San Bernardino or at Fort Hood, or maybe the relatives of an infantryman who lost his life fighting terrorism overseas? Now, I realize the current presidential administration, along with many others, believes the true victims in this situation are the ones who have to hear ugly words from a rogue presidential candidate, but guests who have suffered from violence at the hands of Islamic terrorists might provide some much-needed perspective.
#LantosPrize #HumanRightsDay pic.twitter.com/7fI3fp4LBg
— Think AgainTurn Away (@ThinkAgain_DOS) December 14, 2015
In addition to the numerous Muslim-born heroes and heroines who’ve escaped the extremism and the rigid illiberalism of Islam who deserve a seat at SOTU, be sure to bring Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the famed Somali women’s rights advocate. She has an incredibly compelling personal story to tell about overcoming the intolerance of radical Islam. Let her talk about the battle against female genital mutilation and her fight for the reformation of Islam. She would be the sort of courageous woman whose actions epitomize the much-needed pushback against extremism that Barack Obama mentioned in his speech after San Bernardino attacks.
Bring Taslima Nasrin, who was forced to flee Bangladesh in 1994 when extremists threatened to kill her after publication of the novel “Shame,” which explored the Muslim persecution of Hindus. And bring Nonie Darwish, the Egyptian-American human rights activist who is trying to bring together Jews and Muslims. Or invite Wafa Sultan, the doctor and activist who in 2006 famously told her misogynistic interviewer on the Al Jazeera to “shut up.” Maybe bring Ibn Warraq, who writes on the secularization of Islam. It’s about time average Americans see that Muslims are represented by people other than CAIR.
Ellison—a vocal critic of limiting access to foreigners…unless he happens to disagrees with them—declared that Americans “must show our compatriots and the world that we will not be intimidated by fear into discrimination.” These are heartening words. Most of the people above are in hiding or using pen names because they might lose their lives for their views. So I’m sure Keith Ellison will vouch for their safety.
