Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our universal human rights of freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and freedom of worship for ALL people — without exception. We reject protests against houses of worship, and we reject attacks on individuals based on their identity group.
On August 17, 2010, In Panama City, Florida, middle school and high school students were told by U.S. Congressional candidates that spoke out against Islam at a candidate forum on organized by WJHG News and the North Bay Haven Charter School. Both of the anti-Islam Congressional candidates are campaigning for the Florida District 2 Congressional seat; the primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, August 24, 2010. In the United States Constitution, Amendment 1 specifically states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Panama City, Florida: Congressional Candidates Condemn Islam at North Bay Haven Charter School (Screenshot WJHG Video)
WJHG News Channel 7 TV Video of Congressional Candidate Forum at Children’s School
Republican Congressional candidate Ron McNeil told the school children about Islam “That religion is against everything America stands for. The freedom and liberty and if you girls who are out here were Muslims today you don’t have the rights that you have as American citizens and Christians. You’ve got a separate religion and it’s plan is to destroy our way of life and our lives then you’ve got to think differently about it.”
Florida: Congressional candidate Ron McNeil tells children that Islam is "against everything America stands for" (Photo: Ron McNeil for Congress Web Site)
Remarking on the planned 51 Park Place Islamic Center, Ron McNeil also sought to have Christians “walk” on the planned Islamic center, stating “I’m totally against it. If I had my way it’d be pretty much over my dead body to build a mosque there. The Muslims will have that place to gloat about for years if they get their way and it was the Muslim religion that caused the problems we had on 911. It was extremist. It probably didn’t represent their exact religion but the very fact they want to build something right there in the shadows of ground zero is ridiculous.” (Actually, it is two NYC blocks away on Park Place.)
According to the Northwest Florida News, “Some people in the audience applauded McNeil’s response.”
On Congressional candidate Ron McNeil’s Facebook site for his campaign, some are praising his views “Ron, Thank you for standing up for what so many of us would also say given the opportunity” and stating “We need more men like him in office!”
Others have condemned his views asking him “when was the last time you actually read the Bill of Rights?” And another stated “I’m a Republican, but I will never vote for a man that tells teenagers a mosque should be… built nine stories under the ground so citizens and Christians can walk above it. I am a Christian and a Republican and I still find his speech choice of words disgusting for a man running for public office.
On Ron McNeil’s campaign web site for Congress, he states “I intend to lead the transformation of the American Republic back to the US Constitution and Bill of Rights,” while the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of religion. In previous interviews, Ron McNeil views Americans core values as based only on “Christian values.”
Northwest Florida News also reported that Congressional Independent candidate Dianne Berryhill also spoke out against Islam to the school children, quoting Ms. Berryhill as stating, “If we were under Muslim law, you girls wouldn’t be sitting here showing any kind of skin. You would be in hot burqas and… you wouldn’t be sitting in school.” On her campaign website, Congressional candidate Dianne Berryhill promotes a video of herself shooting a machine gun.
Florida Congressional Candidate Dianne Berryhill (Photo: Campaign Website and YouTube)
There are no remarks on Dianne Berryfield’s Facebook campaign site by Florida voters.
No other candidates at the Candidate forum had any remarks on the subject.
However, one of the children in attendance spoke up to challenge Congressional candidate Ron McNeil’s views.
Student Doug Reed challenged Ron McNeil’s comments, publicly asking McNeil “What gives you the right or the federal government the right to tell Americans that they cannot build a institution or building in a certain place?”
When McNeil replied “That religion is against everything America stands for.” Doug Reed asked a different question “Where is it our place to tell them that they’re wrong and that their religion is bad. It’s not our place as Christians, I believe.”
Florida Student Doug Reed Challenges Anti-Islam Congressional Candidate Asking What Gives Anyone The Right to Deny Freedoms or Say Someone Else's Religion is Wrong (Screenshot WJHG Video)
Congressional candidate Ron McNeil replied “It’s our place as Christians to stand up for the word of God and what the bible says.”
Among the mottos of the North Bay Haven Charter Academy are “Every individual is entitled to equal opportunity” and “Education can influence change to achieve progress.”
The Northwest Florida News also reported the comments of Bay County Islamic Society spokesperson, Hashem Mubarak, where he told the news that “If we’re going to say hateful statements, inflammatory statements for political reasons, this is wrong and this is actually against the American values. Christianity actually is for love and understanding and he does not apparently represent that with what he said. I really demand that Mr. McNeil make an apology of what he said or we would be happy to discuss with him and have a dialogue and maybe educate him.”
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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our universal human rights of freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and freedom of worship for ALL people — without exception. We reject protests against houses of worship, and we reject violence and attacks on houses of worship.
Responsible for Equality and Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our universal human rights to freedom of religion, freedom of worship, and freedom of conscience for all people of all faiths, including the freedom of religion supported under Article 1 of the United States Constitution. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”
We are deeply concerned about the escalation of intolerance and hate that we seeing growing around the world, including in America today. We will be inviting the public to join us in a freedom of religion, freedom of worship, and freedom of conscience event on September 11 at 2 PM in Freedom Plaza in Washington DC to give Americans an opportunity to publicly show their support for such freedoms. There is more information at 911Freedom.com, — Facebook Event: Public Rally for Freedom of Religion, Worship, Conscience.
We urge those who promote hate and intolerance to unburden the hate from their hearts.
We urge all to Choose Love, Not Hate. Love Wins.