GOP Presidential Hopeful Herman Cain Buys Into Anti-Sharia Hysteria

Mar 31, 2011

Just a day after Sen. Richard Durbin’s Capitol Hill hearing on Muslim civil rights, GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain had this to say in a Fox News interview:

"Many of the Muslims, they are not totally dedicated to this country, they are not totally dedicated to our Constitution. Many of them are trying to force Sharia law on this country."

The former pizza company CEO turned radio host and columnist was actually clarifying a comment he had made to a Think Progress reporter over the weekend, when asked if he would appoint Muslims to his cabinet or to federal judgeships. Cain said he would not because of a "creeping attempt" to ease Sharia law and the Muslim faith into the government, citing "what happened in Europe" as a warning.

When Fox News’ Neil Cavuto pressed Cain, asking him if a prospective Muslim cabinet member said they would honor the Constitution, and not be for Sharia law, Cain said, "In that case, I would certainly consider that individual. But see, my motivation for saying ‘no I wouldn’t’ was based upon the fact that they are trying to push Sharia law off on this country, and I’m simply not going to try and be politically correct in order to help facilitate that."

Cain is a popular speaker at Tea Party rallies and unexpectedly won a RedState.com reader poll for 2012 GOP nominee in December. In January, he formed an exploratory committee for a potential presidential run. Cain appears to be the latest Republican hawking the rhetoric of an unfounded nationwide anti-Sharia movement

He previously stated in an interview with Christianity Today magazine, "The role of Muslims in America is not to convert the rest of us to the Muslim religion." He also said, "Based upon the little knowledge that I have of the Muslim religion, you know, they have an objective to convert all infidels or kill them. Now, I know that there are some peaceful Muslims who don’t go around preaching or practicing that. Well, unfortunately, we can’t sit back and tolerate the radical ones simply because we know that there are some of them who don’t believe in that aspect of the Muslim religion."