Presidential hopeful Herman Cain told Think Progress' Scott Keyes over the weekend that he'd refuse to appoint a Muslim to his cabinet if elected president.
Why? It’s because (brace yourself for a new conspiracy theory) "there is this creeping attempt … to gradually ease Shariah law and the Muslim faith into our government.” Asked by Keyes for an example of how this is happening, Cain says he remembers something about "a judge up in New Jersey" and a decision about a mosque (watch the video below).
"The role of Islam in America is for those who believe in it to practice it and leave us alone. Just like Christianity. We have a First Amendment," he explained.
Wait, did he say, "Just like Christianity"? So, under Cain's reasoning (which appears to be that one can't hold a cabinet position or serve as a federal judge without attempting to improperly infuse his or her religion into American law), does that mean that Christians shouldn't serve in these roles, either?
We're guessing that might not go over too well with Cain's right-wing supporters (and he really does have them — Salon points out that he won a straw poll at the Conservative Principles Conference in Iowa over the weekend, and last month won another straw poll at a conference organized by a Tea Party group).
Someone needs to work on the logic behind his bigotry and/or his talking points.
Read more at Salon.
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