Tennessee legislator says that Muslims should be barred from U.S. military

What a great way to start the day. First Zuccotti Park is cleared of the revolutionary bums, and now a reader sends this, from the Tennessean:

MURFREESBORO—Local and national Muslims called for state officials Saturday to rebuke state senator Rick Womick for remarks he made that all Muslims be removed from the U.S. military.

At least one local Muslim, Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, went further, stating: ” … he needs to be impeached immediately.”

Womick, though, stood by his comments and offered no apology when contacted by The DNJ.

“Who are we at war with?” Womick said. “We are at war with al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who are Muslims. It’s a Catch-22. They are not allowed to kill their fellow Muslims, we’re at war with Muslims. The only solution I see is that they not be allowed in the military.” [LA replies: I can’t believe it: simple, straightforward logic about Islam being expressed by an American politician. And he’s not backing off under attack, but is holding to his position. The Volunteer State! Let’s raise Womick from the Tennessee Senate to the U.S. Senate.]

Womick, R-Rockvale, set off a cascade of criticism for remarks that he made during an interview with Eli Clifton of thinkprogress.org Friday at an anti-Shariah conference in Nashville.

“Personally, I don’t trust one Muslim in our military,” Womick said in the interview. “If they truly are a devout Muslim and follow the Quran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because they’re commanded to kill me.”

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Tennessee General Assembly to formally rebuke Womick for calling for removal of all Muslims from the military.

CAIR also called on state and national Republican Party leaders to repudiate Womick’s bigoted “un-American” comments.

Womick said Saturday he has no opinion on what CAIR had to say.

“They are a radical Islamic group,” said Womick, who fought as a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot in the first Gulf War to force Iraq’s military out of Kuwait in 1990-91. “Whatever they have to say, I choose to ignore.”

Womick’s comments particularly bother Islamic Center of Murfreesboro member Saleh Sbenaty.

“It’s really sad to see Mr. Womick’s comments coming on Veterans Day,” said Sbenaty, a 19-year MTSU professor in the Department of Engineering Technology. “He needs to be reminded that there are thousands of Muslims who serve and are serving (in the U.S. military), and there are many of them who gave up their lives to preserve the freedom of this country and the freedom that he is enjoying.” [article continues]

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Jerry Z. writes:

Three cheers for courage and sound judgment, a commodity in short supply among American politicians. If Rep. Rick Womick is this direct in dealing with one of America’s biggest fifth-column threats (Grover Norquist and company are another), there is no end to what he can accomplish! Womick for President!

It will be interesting to see who does and does not come to his defence in the “storm” of protest from CAIR, and every other Muslim Brotherhood front in the US. Womick will be the litmus paper as to where America stands now on our Islamic enemy. He may provide back bone for one or more of our Republican Presidential candidates to step up. THIS is a man!

Thomas Bertonneau writes:

I just went to Senator Womick’s website and used the “contact” function to applaud his remarks. I hope that others will do the same.

Tim W. writes:

As that noted theologian Muhammad Ali said (regarding his draft dodging during the Vietnam War): “War is against the teachings of the Holy Koran. I’m not trying to dodge the draft. We are supposed to take part in no wars unless declared by Allah or The Messenger [i.e., Elijah Muhammad]. We don’t take part in Christian wars or wars of any unbelievers.”

Quoted by Daniel Pipes.

LA writes:

We should remember that there are conservatives who think it’s a terrible idea that Muslims should not serve in the military, because it would mean we have a different type of citizenship for Muslims, and the American ideal is that we’re all the same.

Irv P. wrote to Rick Womick at his official webpage:

Stand your ground. Don’t give an inch.

Creeping Sharia is one of the biggest problems the Western world faces. Shine the light of truth on it!

God bless you!

Rick Womick replied:

Thank you for your words of support and encouragement. I will!

Dean Ericson writes:

Rep. Womick is quoted in the article as saying:

“We welcome all immigrants no matter what your race religion, beliefs, creed, sexuality, everything,” Womick said. “No discrimination, so long as you are willing to come to our country and integrate into American society and obey our U.S. Constitution, our state Constitution and our laws.”

It looks like this isn’t a planned and principled campaign but that he accidentally opened his big mouth. I’m guessing we’ll see Womick run up the white flag, shortly.

LA replies:

Mr. Ericson’s conclusion is a logical one, based on Womick’s pure-liberal statement. However, from what I’ve heard about Womick, he is more solid than his liberal rhetoric would indicate.

B. writes:

Hollow victory. The only thing that will result from this is (1) people complaining that he said it and (2) people like us typing messages that we are happy that he said it. Nothing more will follow.

LA replies:

No one’s calling this a “victory,” therefore it can’t be a hollow victory. This is literally the first time that any public official in the U.S. has even said this. The first step in changing things is stating the truth, and that is what Womick has done.

Robert B. writes:

Senator Rick Womick for President? It’s not too late …

LA replies:

Womick was incorrectly identified as a state senator in the Tennessean article. He is a state representative.

James P. writes:

I love the way the article states that Womick had “no opinion on what CAIR had to say”—and then immediately quotes him that “They are a radical Islamic group.” Certainly sounds like he has an opinion about what CAIR had to say!

Posted by Lawrence Auster at November 15, 2011 08:10 AM | Send