9th
“I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.”
Parsley is not shy about his desire to obliterate Islam. In Silent No More, he notes—approvingly—that Christopher Columbus shared the same goal:
“It was to defeat Islam, among other dreams, that Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World in 1492…Columbus dreamed of defeating the armies of Islam with the armies of Europe made mighty by the wealth of the New World. It was this dream that, in part, began America.”
- Rod Parsley, whom John McCain calls his “spiritual guide”
I’m not in favor of using people’s religious advisors as weapons against them, nor am I suggesting that John McCain agrees with everything Mr. Parsley says. However, in the interest of fairness, shouldn’t these remarks be getting the same amount of press coverage as Reverend Wright’s? Doesn’t this association at least demand some sort of explanation from Mr. McCain?
Barack Obama took his pastor’s indefensible remarks and responded with the most eloquent and relevant speech on race relations this country has every heard, with the exception of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. It seems Mr. McCain doesn’t have the guts to attempt to do the same with this shameful piece of fundamentalist Christian hate speech.