Candidate dr. Brkz ha ben carsos suggested shouldnt be president . Who fits in the oval office, its the inside story. Welcome to inside story. Im ray suarez. When new york governor al smith ran for president in 1928, he was the first Roman Catholic nominee of a major party for the white house. He was trounced in a time when people were far more open about their prejudices and american protestants were very comfortable talking out loud about their dislike about catholics. It would have been 30 years later before another nominee, this time john f. Kennedy won. Theres only been one catholic since, john kerry, he lost. Being nominated is a big idea, just ask president obama, ben carson, a seventh decade day adventist himself. Al jazeera americas del walters reports. I would not advocate we put a muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that. Is. Reporter dr. Ben carson says he doesnt think islam is with the constitution,. It depends on what that muslim is and what his policies were. His comments ignited a fire storm, care is calling for carson to withdraw from the race. We ask mr. Ben carson to withdraw from the president ial race because hes unfit to lead. But carson isnt backing down. In an interview with the hill on sunday he said i do not believe sherea is consistent with the constitution of this country, referring to islamic law, what you do as a public official, thats inconsistent with our principles and our constitution. There is a problem in this country its called muslims. We know our current president is one. Donald trump was criticized for his handling of the comment. He was asked on cnn why he didnt do more to correct the man. We certainly do have a problem. We have radicals that are doing things. It wasnt people from sweden that blew up the world trade center. Americans are showing little warmth for islam. In a recent pew poll, muslims came in last rating even lower than atheists. Del walters, al jazeera, new york. Joining me now in washington rabbi jack moline, the reverend bay area lynn, americans united for church and state and rawan s. Moody, center for islamic studies. Reverend, let me start with you. Today carson spokesman doug watts says mr. Carson has Great Respect for the Muslim Community but theres a huge gulf between the faith and practice of the muz lix faitmuslim faith and ou. What do you think of that statement . I think that statement is more outrageous than what dr. Carson said that a muslim should not be a president. This is an insult to all muz throims say w muslimsthat say we are not amerr do not believe on the values that this country was built on is not true not fair and a gross misrepresentation of the Diverse Community of american muslims that live in this country that pledge allegiance to this country that believe in the constitution and the values of this country and we dont see any contradiction at all between these values and the values of islam that preach justice and equality and fairntion t fairnee people. Youve heard before its certainly said in other countries of the globes where islam is the majority religion, often in muslim countries the head of state or government often performance a religious function and has a heavy state in the government. Thats actually not true. The majority of muslims are secular and weve had some kind of separation of religion and state, in the history of islam for the last 14 centuries. Its not been the clergy that is been ruling in muslim state, with the exception of iran, close to 70 majority muslim countries, there is no muslim majorities where the clergy is ruling, there is a deal between thing clerics and the government, there hasnt been a religious establishment ruled in the case of islam, there has been de facto separation between church and state. But the question is are the religions religious values that are embedded, they have a part of this country as they do in every country. Jack woline if i substituted you for are islam you would believe it wouldnt you . I would believe it but i wouldnt be any happier about it than i am about what dr. Carson said. Its really alarming in this day and age, in any day and age to be honest with you, but particularly in an america that has been through so many changes and has come to appreciate the importance of diversity had a we have somebody who misunderstands the motto of the United States , e plu pluribus unim, out of the many one, out of the few one. Isnt dr. Carson talking about the political reality if not a true reality . Isnt in practical terms he right that in 2015 it is unlikely that a muslim could be president . I think he went further than that, saying a muslim should not be president of the United States. That runs afoul against the constitution, no religious test for president of the United States. I cant believe how dr. Carson or many of the candidates in one major party in the country who seem to think if you are a christian you should assume that gods law is nor important than the utle constitution. United states constitution. Thats what Mike Huckabee has already said and in fact ben carson himself said, when he decided to run for the presidency, he felt the fingers of god, im not sure what he meant but i think he meant god selected me to be president. There are three other members of the Republican Party who also communicated with us, god told them directly or indirectly, they would be president. Obviously at a minimum they cant all be right. Or god wanted a good republican field in the presidency contest. Gentlemen stay with us. Many dontfully belong in the american mainstream . Today its muslims but this is hardly the first time that a Distinct Group of americans has been judged unfit for justice. Service to a republic with a farm workers striking in mexico. All that tension is about whats happening right now. Unlivable wages. You can work very hard and you will remain poor. Whats the cost of harvesting americas food . Do you see how it will be hard to get by on their salary . Yeah fault lines, Al Jazeera Americas hard hitting. Today they will be arrested. Ground breaking. Theyre firing canisters of gas at us. Emmy Award Winning investigative series. Fault lines invisible hands only on Al Jazeera America we have a problem in this cub, its called muslims. We know our current president is one. We have Training Camps growing where they want to kill us. Thats my question. When can we get rid of them . Youre watching inside story, im ray suarez. Who fits in the oval office this time on the program. This 00 last week a member of the audience at a donald trump rally hinted there were secret muslim Training Camps in the United States. The real estate developer, turned president ial candidate, told the man hed be looking into it. If a muslim could be president ben carson said he didnt think so, a congressman dr. Carson allowed. Carson is hardly alobe in that assessment. A repeat gallup poll indicated that nearly 40 of americans would not vote for an otherwise qualified muslim candidate. The difference between democrats and republicans an enormous 28 gap. Rabbi jack moline , muslim massmoudi is all with me,. I think we liver in a time when so much is changing, that people want something that is familiar, they think they remember the way things used to be, been told they remember what things used to be and they want an anchor in turbulent assess. When theyr seas. They are designed to tie us forward, not get us stuck in the pras. I think past. Harry lynn, sometimes candidates have had to go to the people and say yes im a member of this religion but heres what it means and its hierarchy wont be giving me orders. I mean this yes, its shocking on one level to hear it said so blatantly but on the other its a deep part of our history seasonality it . It is. In 1960, john kennedy running for the office of presidency of the United States he had to go down in 1960 to houston, texas to speak to a group of baptist ministers because they were concerned he would take his orders from rome. He said i believe in an america where the separation of church and state is absolute and then he went on to explain that. Now, in these political times it would be unthinkable for candidates of any Political Party to say the same thing. I have that written on a tee shirt and you offer cover up who said it. And then people come up and say, who said that . John kennedy said that. No, but its a heartwarming and powerful little piece of news footage to watch even did. When people are asked about religion they can do anything they want, talk about john kennedy when he was talking about separation of church and state, but then i dont discuss religion in a Campaign Season because i think its inappropriate. Those are really good answers. The bad answer is, when i say my Favorite Book is the bible. Everybody say that, both Hillary Clinton and donald trump say the bible is their Favorite Book. If you press them a little bit, all of a sudden they get confused if you remember in the last several election cycles howard dean once said when he said, what is your Favorite Book in the new testament, he said job, and he said well, one of those gospels, does not show him to be bibleliterate. Rahman masmoudi, a lot are photographed going to or coming from church. It is very well understood you have to talk about that a little when youre in Campaign Season. Would a muslim have to do almost the opposite, minimize that . Avoid talking about it . Or make a very clear delineation between the life he lives 9 00 to 5 00 monday through friday and his private devotions . Well, i think the reality, ray, is that we are living in very difficult and Turbulent Times with whats going on in the middle east and syria and iraq , with the rise of extremism and terrorism in the name of islam, it hats really hurt the image of islam in this country and around the world. This is a reality. The problem is there is a big phenomenon of islamophobia growing in this country and theres misunderstanding, total misunderstanding of islam and what islam teep teaches because people unfortunately judge islam by what they see on tv the crimes committed by these people and thats all they know. Most americans have never been overseas, been to a muslim country, met a muslim in their life. They see this violence on tv and think it represents islam. The violence has been completely contradictory to islam, completely denounced by all muslims, most of the victims of these violent groups are muslims themselves and we are completely against it. It has thog to do with islam, that these groups are because of political problems National Problems ethnic problems they use religion to justify their crimes. So i think we american muslims in particular you know, have a very difficult, are in a difficult position and we have a difficult task, to explain islam and to distance ourselves and to explain that those extremists have nothing to so with the true islam and with the true teachings of our religion. When we pick it up, i want to pick it up right there. In the years following september 11th the implication that the current president barack obama was raised as a muslim or is a muslim took on almost a radioactive charge requiring push back definition. Is the immediate insinuation that a muslim in america is suspect has divided loyalties eventually goin going to be taken care of by time . Well explore that next, who fits in the oval office, its he was so ahead of his time. Father Junipero Serra was so devastating to native american cultures. We have suffered greatly, what kind of saint would allow that . And youre gonna let the pope know . Absolutely. Protestors are gathering. Theres an air of tension right now. The crowd chanting for democracy. This is another significant development. We have an exclusive story tonight, and we go live. Every saturday night. I lived that character. Go one on one with americas movers and shakers. We will be able to see change. Gripping. Inspiring. Entertaining. No topic off limits. cause im like, dad, there are hookers in this house. Exclusive conversations you wont find anywhere else. These are very vivid, human stories. If you have an agenda with people, you sometimes dont see the truth. Talk to al jazeera. Saturday, 6 00 eastern. Only on Al Jazeera America. Were here to fully get into the nuances of everything thats going on, not just in this country, but around the world. Getting the news from the people who are affected. People need to demand reform. Ali velshi on target weeknights 10 30p et sure, tv has evolved over the years. Its gotten squarer. Brighter. Bigger. Its gotten thinner. Even curvier. But whats next . For all binge watchers. Movie geeks. Sports freaks. X1 from xfinity will change the way you experience tv. Canada, the united kingdom, israel, germany, japan. Many countries of different religious histories, different religious majorities differ from the United States in one important way. The head of state and the head of government are two different people. So while one person has to jump into the mud wrestling match of politics day after day, another person altogether can get to cut ribbons shake hands and generally symbolize the country. The president in the u. S. Is the ultimate symbol of authority and a billboard for the country. Look at the unease that grated americas first black first family right along the jubilation and joy on part of other americans. For a lot of people in this country state dinners presided over buy black president and first lady or that post vacation walk from marine 1 to the white house with the dog and the cute daughters, represented how much the country has changed and was changing and i dont mean that in a good way. Along with majorityminority america in the 20 ps and those with no religions faith there is an Inauguration Day looming in the future with the oath of office taken on something other than a bible. We wont just mention it and move on. It will be seen by some as a loss. Another defeat in a long string of losses, of primacy of the old america and the old americans. Im ray suarez and thats the every year, the u. S. Imports more and more produce fresh fruits and vegetables from mexico. And every year, wages have stayed the same for the people that harvest that produce sometimes the last people to touch the fruit bought by u. S. Consumers. But after years of long, hot days and stagnant pay, workers left the fields and took to the streets to demand better working conditions and a living wage. The response from the government was swift and fierce
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