Devoid of anything positive to talk about, Speaker Bill Howell (R-Stafford) and Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) are desperately attempting to scare one up (emphasis on the word "scare"). According to the Washington Post's Tim Craig:
A day after [Esam S.] Omeish resigned [from the Virginia Commission on Immigration], the office of House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) released a statement from Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) titled "Kaine Appointee on Board of Directors of Radical 9-11 Mosque." Gilbert was referring to the fact that Omeish is a leader at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, the largest mosque in Virginia and one of the biggest in the country.Gilbert alleged that the center was "radical" because two of the Sept. 11 hijackers had attended the mosque in the months preceding their attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center.
Gilbert also referred to several unsubstantiated allegations about the mosque that appeared in conservative publications and on Web sites, including WorldNetDaily.com. (Yes, Gilbert must consider WorldNetDaily to be a credible source.)
"Even a cursory Internet search about the appointee in question would have also easily identified him as a leader of a potentially radical Northern Virginia mosque," Gilbert said.
Where do we begin to deconstruct this nonsense? First, how about this from the Washington Post article: "Gilbert didn't mention the fact that the FBI and the Sept. 11 commission, which spent two years investigating the attacks, found no evidence that the mosque's leadership had any role in the terrorist attacks." Case closed, one would think.
Second, how about the "source" for Gilbert's and Howell's claims, WorldNetDaily. A quick sampling of articles on that site gives us gems like these: "Good news about nuclear destruction," "Christian teens stone 'whore' in CBS drama," "Darwin challenged, research censored," and -- horror of horrors -- "Kansas governor attended Bilderberg meeting!" For more on the far-right-wing editor of WorldNetDaily, Joseph Farah, see here (note the ties to Rush "Phony Soldiers" Limbaugh, Richard Mellon Scaife, and Richard Pombo).
Third, as Tim Craig writes, what Howell and Gilbert are doing with the Omeish case is all cynical politics: "This gives the Republican Party a trifecta of issues -- illegal immigration, quotas and what they perceive as Muslim extremism -- to rally its base, which has been depressed after losing three statewide elections in five years." Lame.
Look, I'm no fan -- to put it mildly -- of what Dr. Omeish said ("the jihad way," calls for the destruction of Israel). But to tar an entire house of worship, one of the largest mosques in the United States, with the hateful words of one man (Omeish) is simply wrong. And to use anti-Muslim bigotry in any way, shape or form -- let alone for political gain -- is utterly despicable.
Gilbert and Howell should be ashamed of themselves and stop their behavior immediately, but of course they won't be. Howell, after all, is the same person who blasted LEGAL immigrants to Virginia as not having the same "shared values" as he does (like electing Republicans, first and foremost), and he never apologized for those comments. Gilbert is in a safe seat, unchallenged this year, so he's got nothing to worry about politically.
What is it, by the way, with the Republican Party attacking peoples' faith? In 2005, Jerry Kilgore attacked Tim Kaine's Roman Catholic faith. Last year, Allen supporters maliciously accused the Webb campaign of "Jew baiting." This year, aside from the Howell/Gilbert assault on Muslims, Jeannemarie Devolites Davis has attacked Chap Petersen's church.
Ah, today's Republican Party, formerly the party of Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, now the party of "illegal immigration, quotas and what they perceive as Muslim extremism" (and attacks on peoples' faith). It's just sad.
Resolution of the Arlington County Democratic Committee in Support of Responsible Immigration Policies for Our Diverse CommunityWHEREAS, Arlington County is one of the most diverse communities in America, with recent immigrants from more than 120 countries and foreign-born individuals comprising nearly 28 percent of the population;
WHEREAS, our diversity is an important reason why our community remains so strong and vibrant;
WHEREAS, as noted by the County Manager in his Memorandum of September 11, 2007, during our recent period of rapidly expanding diversity, Arlington has experienced the lowest crime rates in its history, the most rapid increases in property values in its history, some of the finest schools in the nation, full employment, extensive private commercial investment and the lowest tax rate among major jurisdictions in Northern Virginia;
WHEREAS, on the national, state and local level, Republican activists have resorted to anti-immigrant demagoguery in pursuit of electoral gain;
WHEREAS, enforcement of immigration law is a responsibility of the federal government, and the Bush Administration has failed to effectively enforce the law and adopt responsible immigration policies;
WHEREAS, other local jurisdictions have adopted policies motivated by xenophobia and political pandering - policies that create distrust and divisiveness and divert scarce public resources, thus hindering government's delivery of essential services and the performance of its core functions; and
WHEREAS, Arlington thrives and prospers with responsible policies that provide protection for its people and help to those in need, while promoting respect for and enforcement of the rule of law and the successful integration of immigrants into our community.
NOW THEREFORE, on this 3rd day of October, 2007, it is hereby resolved that the Arlington County Democratic Committee:
Rejects political appeals to prejudice against immigrants, and further rejects government policies directed toward immigrants that retard rather than increase government's ability to provide for the health, safety, education and welfare of all people;
Commends the Arlington County Government for its responsible policies for our diverse community; and
Lauds the County Board for its recent Resolution Supporting Arlington's Newcomers and its leadership on this important issue.
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Arlington County Board Affirms Support for Immigrants
http://www.arlington...