Jewish Group Calls on Goode to “Rethink” Muslim CommentsRep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) is refusing to back down from his incindiary anti-Muslim comments, but opposition to his position is swelling.
In a letter to the congressman yesterday, the Anti-Defamation League called on Goode to reconsider his “ill-conceived remarks” about how he fears an influx of legal Muslim immigrants and its effect on American culture and politics. His comments were earlier condemned by the nation’s most prominent Islamic political organization, the Council on American Islamic Relations.
“To suggest Muslims should be viewed with fear, based solely on their faith, demonizes millions of people living in our communities,” wrote ADL’s Washington, D.C. director, David L. Friedman. “This is of special concern at a time when the stereotyping and disparate treatment of communities as part of debates over immigration or counterterrorism policy impacts those people in very tangible ways, including making them more vulnerable to bias-motivated violence.”