Several Virginia Republican leaders called Wednesday for the resignation of a state GOP official who questioned in a Facebook post whether Muslim Americans have contributed to U.S. society.
The comment came in response to a statement by President Obama marking Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that concludes the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
“In the United States, Eid also reminds us of the many achievements and contributions of Muslim Americans to building the very fabric of our nation and strengthening the core of our democracy,” Obama said. “That is why we stand with people of all faiths, here at home and around the world, to protect and advance their rights to prosper, and we welcome their commitment to giving back to their communities.”
Bob FitzSimmonds, the state Republican Party treasurer, called the presidential statement “pure nonsense” in a public post on his Facebook page.
“Exactly what part of our nation’s fabric was woven by Muslims?” he wrote. “What about Sikhs, Animists, and Jainists? Should we be thanking them too?”
FitzSimmonds, a resident of Nokesville who is the chief deputy clerk of the court in Prince William County, did not return calls and messages seeking comment about the post, which was first reported by the BlueVirginia blog.
I suppose Mr. FitzSimmonds has not heard of political correctness. He really didn’t need to comment. If he can’t think of Muslim accomplishments, perhaps he should think of algebra or modern medicine that was kept alive during the dark ages. Regardless of what he thinks, I would think it would be prudent to not speak about his feelings considering his position in Prince William County and in the Republican Party. Maybe Mr. FitzSimmonds hasn’t heard that it is only appropriate to be negative about Hispanics around here. . That seems to be all the local spin these days–not angst towards Muslims. Just check out the local blogs.
I haven’t figured out why folks feel it is ok to be derogatory towards any group of people. Hatefulness will come back to bite certain people in the ass. Just wait until election time.
And they wonder why they lose state wide office? Nice going, Bob.
In what way was a question about the President’s hyperbole derogatory to Muslims, based upon your report of his statements?
I think that I’m pretty well versed in American history. Obama was using hyperbole. FitzSimmonds was correct. Have there been accomplishments by Muslims making America great? Probably one or two, historically. Currently, the Muslim populations does no more or less than any other membership in the US. And as for the organized Muslim organizations that seem to be the most……productive…… their product is not in the good of the nation. I speak of organizations like CAIR and their ilk.
Dummy. Someone this dumb shouldn’t be near a state office.
What a stupid tw*t.
@Cargosquid
What FitzSimmonds said was derogatory. For someone claiming to be well versed in American history, you must have overlooked the part where people shooting off their mouths about their own prejudices has been a deal breaker.
George Patton springs to mind…..
Moon, lay off Patton, although polite society abhors many of the things that he may have represented at the end of the day he was just the kind of SOB we needed and I would have gladly followed him through the gates of Hell.
That being said, there is no excuse for FitzSimmonds and his oversized ego and arrogance. The guy is and has been nothing but a windbag and a loser sucking off of the public teat. He’s no better than the liberals he criticizes. Further, while he has every right to express his opinion, unlike elected officials who have to answer at the polls for their stupidity, he does not. Thus, as a representative of RPB it is up to the RPV to police their own and RPV should cut him loose at the first opportunity, like yesterday.
He is also a deputy clerk of the court or some other appointed position.
Patton did shoot off his mouth and get nailed for it. I can’t say a word. My mother always swore that my father, George Patton, and Winston Churchill were the only ones who had the guts to say what they really thought about the Russians at the end of the war.
Shooting off his mouth really was a deal breaker for him.
Many of the slaves brought over were Muslims. And to suggest that this country was built without the involvement of slave labor is not looking at American History.
I’ll second what Mom said. FitzSimmonds is a multi-time loser. Why the RPV decided to reward him with any office is beyond me. It wasn’t as though he could be stifled/repressed by having any responsibility to his party.
So…in other words…no one can answer me other than….”He’s a dummy that insulted people.”
That is what I expected.
Many slaves were muslim. Can we dismiss the fact that slaves helped build this country?
Because they are a minority, many contributes have gone by without notice. for that matter, what have the Hindus, Buddists and Jews done for America? Individuals make contributions.
@Cargosquid
Those of us who have suffered this local doofus running for office are more informed. Perhaps you’d like to defend his “sexist tw@t” remark and tell us how it encourages women to rush to support the Republican Party.
@Cargosquid
Sorry, this guy is the antithesis of everything the GOP needs and I say that as someone just to the right of Mussolini. To me its not necessarily the comment as I hear much worse at the local watering hole but the sheer stupidity of a member of the purported “Leadership” (and I use that term very loosely) posting it on Facebook. Of course the arrogance of his response doesn’t help either.
As Censored noted, we in PWC are likely a little closer to this particular doofus than you are and I can personally attest that he is worse in person than his electronic persona lets on. Rarely does anything he says or does have much to do with the GOP or its ideals but invariably has everything to do with himself. He is little more than an arrogant windbag wrapped in cheap pin-stripe suit. That he hasn’t held a real job to my knowledge and instead suckles off the public teat should tell you everything you need to know about this wannabe.
Moon, you owe me a drink for that diatribe castigating one of “my own”.
Well done, MoM, Well done! You made me feel sorry for him even. I do LOVE “electronic persona.”
I seem to always be in the position of owing you drinks. I might just show up in person to buy it for you this time.
Something that relates to this tangentially … that I wanted to talk about … the documentary “The Newburgh Sting” which is on HBO right now. I watched it On Demand today.
It’s about the way the FBI manufactured and packaged the story of the 2009 “Bronx Terrorism Plot”. Anyone who watches this – I think every American should – will presumably be queasy about the way our government manipulates us through amoral and immoral actions.
One aspect to what happened in this story is the way they entrapped – went trolling for – Muslims. And added to the perception that the Muslim community in America has a flammable jihadi element inside of it. When the story at hand was a narrative manufactured by the FBI,scouring for marks who could play a part in a story that they wanted to tell, to create a perception that the FBI was preventing real terror plots. It’s analogous to planting a bomb, finding it, and justifying many billions of dollars of spending with the bomb discovery.
Beyond any narrow issue to do with this story, or our war on terror, or prejudice against Muslims, I urge everyone to watch that movie. the large issue, to me, is that our government is a crooked thing. The real thugs and gangsters in America are at the top of our food chain.
People who pay their taxes, serve on juries, volunteer in their communities, run for elected office, support their families, honor their contracts, contribute to charities, and respect others that do the same things, make America great. I personally know dozens of Muslim Americans that do just that. I do not personally know any Muslim Americans that are not working every day to make this the best place it can be.
This is nothing new. FitzSimmonds has been profoundly embarrassing for Republicans and profoundly hilarious for Democrats for years. The whole modern Republican problem wrapped up in one individual exhibit.
Its convenient to have a poster child….
he personifies the concept that assholes actually can exist with no other means of life support. Why the RPV does not fire him is beyond my ken.
Why is it important for politicians to make politically correct statements or just keep quiet?
@cargosquid Why is it wrong for the leader of a country to talk about a certain group as helping strengthen the country? There are 2.6 million Muslims in the US, and if you google famous Muslim Americans and look at Wikipedia you will see many have contributed to the fabric of our nation. Why do you always post such stupid sh*t defending racists and idiots?
Not wrong.
Fitzsimmonds was calling him out on hyperbole.
“to building the very fabric of our nation and strengthening the core of our democracy,”
Sharia does not strengthen democracy. Sharia is anathema to western democratic values.
Nor did they build the very fabric of our nation. There were no Muslims doing so at the time of the Founding.
Have there been individual Muslims that have done good things? Yes. Just as there are people that do bad things. None are involved in building the very fabric of our nation.
Wikipedia? Really?
Here’s number one on their list: Nihad Awad – National Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations – He’s the head of an anti-American organization that is the un-indicted co-conspirator of a terrorist support network.
I looked at the list. Kind of paltry. And none of the listed were or are involved in “Building the very fabric” of the nation.
Regardless of how FitzSimmonds feels, you don’t say everything you think when you are in a political position. In fact, you don’t say everything you think in a civilized society.
I think it is a quantum leap to simply dismiss everything that is Muslim to sharia law. Certainly sharia law has played a role in the development of our laws has have the teachings of all Abrahamic religions.
Finally, let’s set your religious prejudices aside for a moment–what good does it do to insult people? If Elena can go and wish someone well at the end of Ramadan, why can’t the rest of us simply be civil? That includes FitzSimmonds taking pot shots at the president. It was unnecessary and absolutely not necessary to comment on. The President was making an inclusive gesture towards one of the major faith groups in this great nation. If FitzSimmonds doesn’t agree, then he needs to STFU for once.
His behavior certainly gives us a snapshot of why he should never be elected to office.
I wonder when we will see President Obama praising the “many achievements and contributions of Chiristian and Jewish Americans to building the very fabric of our nation and strengthening the core of our democracy,” THAT, at least, would have a basis in historical reality.
If he did that…the press would freak out about “separation of church and state” and other standard outcries against religion.
Jews and Christians are not seen as “other” in this country. I have heard him praise Christians and Jews before. No big deal.
God, you and FitzSimmonds really have some sort of issue here. Who cares!!! Just pretend he (the prez) was being polite and inclusive so you can move on.
@Moon-howler
I don’t really care what the President said.
I’m responding to YOUR post.
@Cargosquid
It’s too easy to march lock-step with propaganda. the deputy speaks truth. It’s first freaken ammendment. Their book says to kill infidels where you find them. So..are you converting or standing up?