My Trumpy District 3 Senator Al Novstrup voted against the tabling, evidently wanting to spend more time on this useless grandstanding resolution. The more sensible Republican Senator Deb Peters was among those saying enough already:
If you recall the Bible and the story about the Good Samaritan’s parable and how you should treat your neighbors… that has always been the way that my husband and I have been raising our family, that’s how I was raised, and so I felt like it was not in concurrence with how I was raised, and so I did vote no on that [Senator Deb Peters, in Dan Peters, “Statement Supporting Trump Dumped by South Dakota Lawmakers,” KSOO, 2017.03.07].
Senator Tapio came armed to the verbal teeth for the SCR 15 battle with his prepared remarks and a press packet.* Bob Mercer observes a small irony:
Tapio emphasized freedom in his prepared speech. The press packet he provided to reporters featured a quote he said must be printed in whole or not at all [Bob Mercer, “Tapio’s Islamic Terrorism Statement Is Rejected by State Senators,” Watertown Public Opinion, 2017.03.07].
Celebrate freedom, but try to limit the exercise of freedom of speech and press—such is the understanding of freedom of Trumpists like Tapio.
*Update 18:39 CST: A long day of diligent investigative blogging (basically one call) produces Tapio’s written remarks and his press packet quote:
There you go, Neal. Quoted in full, just as you asked.
YUK! Two things!! While DFP gets harder&more expensive to smart fon blog, republican spin gets more sinister: “choice” means LESS health care. 1. Thune Noem&Rounds scream CHOICE while meaning restriction of little people health care! 2. Wear RED today too. RESIST, WOMEN!!
Whether its extinction of giraffes or tigers, export of crude under high pressure chinese steel tunneled under the primary drinking water source of central USA, clean coal (???),wolves&bison slaughter, or health care for EVERYONE(unspun meaning for little people too), republican policy only serves their 1%, short term profit/climate denial, head-in-the-sand mode of coping w/reality. Its all the same.
[I’m working on it, Leslie!]
This was kind of embarrassing to watch. Cory, I think one of your debate students could have been more convincing while reading it, especially the crying part.
In Kansas just days prior to Trump’s speech before congress an Indian man was shot and killed and his friend seriously wounded as their assassin yelled at them “to got home”.
A few days ago all 100 U.S. Senators signed a letter to Trump calling on him to increase security at Jewish Community Centers around the country because of numerous threats of violence.
Since Trump took office hate crimes are on the increase against Muslims and other people of color while Tapio wants to fuel the fires of the hate that perpetuate these hate crimes.
Did Tapio choke and tear up for these innocent victims, I doubt it.
Roger, Jenny, Tapio appears to have a penchant for patriot karaoke. It’s a shame he works up all this emotion for a mere resolution, which does not one practical thing to improve the quality of life of his constituents.
i’m sure its my *&%#@ Samsung smart fon and age.
the problem I see is that nationally the republican party is a disgrace and like trump blogging after watching fox news, rush Limbaugh ect., this lil’ state of 800,000 residents, 500 of whom are republican adminisistration politicians, take idiotic cues from the big boys and lying crooked trump.
Update! I have added images of Tapio’s press statement and prepared remarks at the bottom of the post.
The Muslim community, Clara Hart, and I sat where each Senator had to look us in the eye when they voted. We held hands and patiently waited for the Senate to end this madness. I believe the good people of South Dakota need to make every attempt to meet our Muslim neighbors.
I never thought that I will witness such an ignorant and bigoted twisted mind such as Senator Tapio. I lived here with and among south Dakotans for more than 25 years, and never seen this level of hate. woooow. where those people live? My sincere advice to this kind to do themselves a big favor, please learn about people live around you. Our 6th St Islamic Center is open anytime to visit …. Big Thanks to everyone supported us to defeat SCR15..
Mohamed Sharif
The fact that 50 refugees from Minnesota joined ISIS doesn’t concern anyone? Refugee resettlement is a $1.5 billion industry, LSS doing everything they can to keep that money coming in.
Ryan Deplorable
I’m less worried about some people leaving to join ISIS as I am about the dumbass in the White House going against American Intel agencies and screaming Radical Muslim Terrorist. You want an excuse for radicalizing young Muslims- Drumpf will hand it to you on a silver platter next to yer head.
We now have hundreds of Marines in Syria and possibly hundreds more going into Kuwait. All HRC and Obama’s fault, I’m sure.
Mohamad: “where those people live?”
I believe the correct answer is, on the internet.
mike from iowa continues to prove he is the least intelligent commenter on this forum. There is no place in debate for name calling. Radical Islamic Terrorism is a real threat, believe it or not, and the radicalization of young muslims started well before Trump, Obama, or HRC…but the 100,000 drone strikes the Obama administration ordered in his eight years did not help. That is nearly 35 drone strikes per day! I don’t have the answer for the Middle East crisis, bringing those refugees over here does not solve it, and puts Americans at risk.
Ryan, Radical Christian Terrorism is also a real threat. What is the litmus test for defending against that threat?
Great point, maybe if we focused our resources on that domestic threat instead of focusing them on thousands, scratch that, millions of refugees in which the Obama administration helped create we could combat “Radical Christian Terrorism”. I’ve never heard that term before, so please explain.
The United States State Department has been leading the world in pointing out how laws of apostasy and blasphemy hinder rights to religious freedom of individuals in all societies.
Certainly, that was true in America when such laws and ordinances were passed in our colonial period. We owe our religious freedom to the fact that religious intolerance in our own country didn’t work very well.
It is ironic that the current Republican President and the Republican-led Congress have plans to cut the State Department’s budget by a third. The State Department is stalwart in standing for religious liberty across the globe, so cuts would inevitably undermine US efforts to stand up for religious liberty, and religious minorities across the globe. Tapio’s resolution should really be directed at the Republicans and himself, who seem far more interested in supporting religious intolerance that leads to such laws.
It must be remembered that in some instances these laws were imposed on societies by western imperialism during the colonial period of these Muslim-majority nations. Pakistan, for example, obtained its apostasy laws from the British, though the Pakistanis have made them harsher over time. And, it must be remembered that many Muslim countries have had a history of religious tolerance and freedom. When Muslims ruled Spain, Christians and Jews flourished. When the Christians (Ferdinand and Isabella) came to power in Spain, the Inquisition began.