Muslims react to anti-Muslim campaign tactics

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Congressman André Carson's Republican opponent, Marvin Scott, is now calling on Carson (D-7th District), who is Muslim, to "stand up against Muslim extremism." It's a tactic that has local Islamic leaders condemning Scott's actions.

It's a normal Friday at Al-Fajr, a mosque on the northwest side of town, where Muslims gather for Jumu'a, the Friday prayer service. Before the service we asked the Chairman of the board, Dr. Haroon Qazi and another leader, Tim Palmer, to give us their reaction to the website created this week by GOP Congressional candidate Marvin Scott, drmarvinscottforcongress.com .

On it, Scott lists "fight Muslim extremism" as one of his guiding principles. Click on the words and you will find an image from 9/11 and ten reasons why radical Islam is a threat. They include "Islam commands homosexuals must be executed." "Islam allows husbands to hit their wives." And "Islam commands that drinkers and gamblers should be whipped."

Dr. Haroon Qazi, Chairman of the Board at the Al-Fajr Mosque says, "You can take anything out of context and make a peaceful religion into something which is demonic."

Scott is trying to unseat Carson, one of two Muslims in Congress but, at the mosque there is a belief that in the process he is smearing, not just Carson, but all Muslims. Al-Fajr Mosque public relations chair Tim Palmer points to website saying, "The change in word phrase, "Muslim extremism" transitioning into just "Muslims", is painting all Muslims as extremists."

Dr. Qazi says Scott should stick to the real issues like unemployment and the economy. "To exploiting religion for political benefit to me is very degrading," he says. And, Dr. Qazi says he will do what Marvin Scott wants André Carson to do, denounce extremist Muslims. He says they make up less than 1-percent of the billion people in Islam.

We asked André Carson for an interview to express his reaction to Marvin Scott's tactics. Through a spokesman, he declined. Carson stands by comments made to 24 Hour News 8 earlier this week by his campaign manager, who said that Carson believes none of the things spelled out on Marvin Scott's website.