A REPUBLICAN politician sparked religious fury on Veterans Day by saying that Muslims posed a significant threat, and be forced out of the US military. He claimed that Islam commanded them to lie. “Personally I don't trust one Muslim in our military because they're commanded to lie to us,” the Daily Mail quoted Womick, as saying during an interview on Veterans Day. “And if they really are a devout Muslim and follow the Koran and the Sunnah, then I feel threatened because they're commanded to kill me,” he added. Tennessee MP further said that US was engaged in a war with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who were Muslims. “It's a Catch-22. They are not allowed to kill their fellow Muslims, we're at war with Muslims,” he said.

Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro has termed Womick’s comments sad and disturbing. “He needs to be reminded that there are thousands of Muslims who serve and are serving (in the US military), and there are many of them who gave up their lives to preserve the freedom of this country and the freedom that he is enjoying,” Sbenaty was quoted by Daily Mail. “Al Qaeda doesn't believe in freedom of religion. They want to rule the world according to their views. And Womick wants to rule the United States according to his narrow vision,” he added.

A student, Ashiq Hussain said: “According to the Holy Koran, if you kill an innocent, you have killed the whole humanity. How come is then a devout Muslim commanded by his religion to kill his fellow citizen. This smacks of his hatred towards the World’s fastest growing religion.”

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations demanded Tennessee general assembly to rebuke Womick for his comments. While all the religions and Islam, in particular, teach the message of peace and brotherhood, Womick’s rant exposes his Islamophobia.

Such statements will only ostracise the Muslim community in the US, and further alienation will only breed hatred. After 9/11, Muslims had to close down their businesses and leave the country in the wake of threats by the majority community. If one person commits a mistake, you can’t hold the whole community to ransom. The more we try to embrace minority communities, the more powerful we can become as a country. Being one of the oldest democracies, the US should condemn the statement of such radicals.