When GOP presidential candidate, Ted Cruz stated, “We need to empower
law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they
become radicalized,” I chuckled.
I mean it’s no
laughing matter to stigmatize and ostracize an entire community based on
their religious affiliation — but I find it funny. The Muslim community
has already been monitored for years. It’s something we joke about
inside the mosque. We joke that those watching us will decide to
convert to Islam or that they are simply bored watching us. But not
only that — it’s the hypocrisy. If Muslim Americans are “radical” then
what is Ted Cruz? The fuzzy Easter Bunny?
Let’s take a
look at the two Muslim Congressmen, Keith Ellison and André Carson. Both
support LGBT rights, the right to choose and causes that protect basic
human rights. As a Muslim, this is right in line with my beliefs.
Contrary to Islamophobic drivel: as a Muslim, we must adhere to the law
of the land in which we live. We share this land with people of all
walks of life. My religious freedom is important — and the freedom of
others to not practice religion, practice a different religion or live
out their beliefs (as long as they do not harm others) is equally
important.
Let’s take a
look at LGBT equality. Even if gay marriage is not practiced inside my
religion, I have no right to impose my religious beliefs onto others I
share society with. In this vein, I’m proud to be a Muslim American and
proud of the Congressmen that represent my demographic. Like Ellison
and Carson, I would also support LGBT rights if were in a political
position. Does Ted Cruz? Yeah, not so much.
Think Progress
quoted Ted Cruz addressing his Iowa supporters in January regarding LGBT
rights, “Our country is in a time of crisis. We’re losing who we are.”
If Cruz wants
to call the Muslim American community radical, he needs to look in the
mirror. We are not the ones pushing our religious beliefs into the
political process. He is the one doing that. We’re not the ones trying
to shut down Planned Parenthood. He is the one doing that. We’re not
the ones speaking out against the LGBT community. He is the one doing
that.
Ted Cruz is a
scary guy — even scarier than Donald Trump. He hails from the
Evangelical Dominion sect that preaches taking control of the nation and
taking the wealth from the “wicked.” His father, Rafael Cruz, can be
seen in videos online preaching about Christian Kings that are anointed
to take control. Ted Cruz believes that America is a “Christian” nation
and that this must be restored.
Sorry, Ted. You are not my King.
Rafael Cruz
preaches about the Seven Mountains of Dominionism whereby Christians are
meant to take dominion over seven cultural elements: family, religion,
education, media, entertainment, business and government. The sect is
based out of the belief of Isaiah 2:2: “Now it shall come to pass in the
latter days that the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of
the mountains.”
Ted Cruz gives
political speeches as if he on the church pulpit — talking about the
body of Christ and God. Listen man, I have my beliefs about Jesus
(peace be upon him) and God — but I don’t bring them into the public,
political sphere. They don’t belong there.
This is not a
Christian nation. We are a secular nation made up of Christians, Jews,
Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, Agnostics and other faiths and
non-faiths.
Does it scare you that Ted Cruz wants to impose his Christian sharia onto the general citizenry of the United States? It should.
Adding to this
radicalization is the list of those he appointed to his advisory
committees. The list reads like the Who’s Who? of Islamophobia and the
anti-Muslim movement. Southern Poverty Law center provided detailed profiles of eight anti-Muslim activists, five now named to the Cruz campaign and three to the Trump campaign.
Many hail from
the anti-Muslim Center for Security Policy. (Anti-Muslim groups always
pick names that make it sound like an official government agency. Kind
of like when you get that junk mail that scares you into opening it
thinking you owe taxes or your house is about to be repossessed, only to
find out inside they are trying to sell you something worthless.)
Ted Cruz
demands that a United States president must bend their knee (in worship)
to be in the White House. This is lunacy. This guy is dangerous.
I exercised my
first amendment right in Chicago by protesting Trump’s speech at UIC
Pavilion due to his overtly xenophobic rhetoric that has incited hate
crimes. The Ted Cruz platform, however, is far more dangerous than
Trump’s and should also be called out for exactly what it is: radical.
