Ben Carson: Muslims Can Only Embrace Islam and Democracy if They’re Schizophrenic

By Kenrya Rankin Feb 17, 2016

Ben Carson’s latest move on the campaign trail blithely reduces both Muslims and people with mental illness. When asked if Muslims can embrace and participate in a Democratic society, the Republican presidential candidate said: “Only if they’re schizophrenic. I don’t see how they can do it otherwise, because they have two different philosophies boring at you. That would be very difficult.”

The Huffington Post also reports that Carson dismissed critcs and argued that being politically correct makes the nation more vulnerable to threats from ISIS:

“We would be so busy trying to protect their rights that we wouldn’t be watching our own,” he said. “When I say things like that, people say ‘Oh you’re Islamophobic.’ No, it’s not Islamophobic at all…. There’s a difference between Muslims who accept America and accept our Constitution and accept our ways and those who want to continue a different method of living. And if we’re not sophisticated enough to understand that we will lose that war.”

Saba Ahmed, executive director of the Republican Muslim Coalition denounced Carson’s comments. “There are tens of thousands of Muslims in this country who love American values and their religion at the same time. I am one of them,” she told ThinkProgress.

It’s not the first time the Republican presidential candidate has made comments about Muslims. In September, he said that he would “not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.” It was a move that his campaign says sparked a jump in donations