Carson’s Priorities Wrong Re: Ft. Hood

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The current Congressman for the Seventh District, Andre Carson, was recently interviewed by the Associated Press regarding the terrible tragedy at Fort Hood. In the article, Carson, who is one of two Muslims in Congress, cautions against focusing on the alleged shooter’s religion and instead said the discussion should be about mental health issues. Carson says: “This is no way a reflection of Islam any more than Timothy McVeigh’s actions are a reflection of Christianity.” Carson’s statement linking Timothy McVeigh with Nidal Hassan is misleading and irresponsible. The May Campaign joins the Indianapolis community in rejecting any linkage between murder and Islam, whatsoever. However, for Carson to dismiss the facts pointing to Hassan’s associations with Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric who knew three of the 9/11 hijackers, and Hassan’s association with him going back to 2001 as mere mental illness is troubling. Carson is representing the twelfth largest city in the U.S., and is a former employee of IDHS who should be leading the effort for a thorough Congressional investigation.