Editor, Times-Union: On “Hardball” (Nov. 7), Chris Matthews correctly upheld the Constitutional provision that there should be no religious test for public office (Article VI, Clause 3). But one of his substitute hosts, Ron Reagan, comes in with his own religious test – for Christian creationists.
The public should know if candidates are creationists, said Reagan (Sept. 14), which sounds like a religious test for me. On one broadcast Reagan, Bob Schrum and David Corn had an extended laughfest at the expense of creationists (June 24). Even Chris Matthews himself has mocked creationists as “rubes,” “chuckleheads” and “antiscience” (June 9). But I believe there is one group of creationists none of the Hardball bullpen would laugh at or mock. I mean Muslim creationists.
As Muslim populations increase, so do their demands that they never have to see or hear anything that offends their religion. Muslims have rioted and killed over offensive books and cartoons. Now they are staging walkouts in science classes that teach evolution in the United Kingdom (blogs.discoverymagazine.com/gnxp/2011/11/evolution-is-haram). In the readers response section Sept. 9, JB points out, “Muslims are good at making demands, because there is always the threat of violence - sometimes explicit, sometimes just implied - if their religious beliefs aren’t given the deference they consider to be their due.” But I’m sure no threats - explicit or implied - will stop that profile in courage Chris Matthews from speaking truth to power. I’m waiting in anticipation for Matthews to denounce Muslim creationists as “rubes,” “chuckleheads” or “antiscience.” But I won’t hold my breath.
