Plans for a controversial New Hampshire ‘Draw Muhammad art contest’ announced
Tea Party activist Jerry DeLemus is planning a “Draw Muhammad art contest” to be held in New Hampshire.
The event will feature cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, images that many Muslims consider blasphemous, and will mimic a similar event held in Texas last month. That event was attacked by two gunmen, who were shot dead by security officers. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attack.
DeLemus announced his plans on Facebook. “Due to the recent attempts on the lives of those in Garland Texas and to include the 2 Muslims arrested in Boston that were actively planning with a third man the beheading of Pamela Geller I am in the early stages of planning a Draw Muhammad art contest in New Hampshire.” he wrote.
“I am planning this to push back against those that are trying to impose Sharia and or believe that it is justified to kill those that don’t accept their beliefs,” he explained.
DeLemus is a former Republican candidate for Strafford County Sheriff and leader of the Rochester 9/12 Project. He made headlines last year when he commanded the armed militia supporting rancher Cliven Bundy in his confrontation with federal officials. Last month, GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz named DeLemus to his New Hampshire leadership team.
The Rochester activist is an outspoken admirer of Geller, who organized the event in Garland, Texas. Geller and her organization, American Freedom Defense Initiative, are on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of anti-Muslim hate groups. “I love Pamela Geller,” DeLemus wrote, “she is honest and courageous.”
DeLemus acknowledged the possibility of a violent response to the event. “We must not be intimidated into silence or inaction by those that would threaten to do us harm,” he wrote. “To the contrary we must take it to them and expose their evil violent positions. This is my intention and I’m sure there is risk involved but no more than those fighting this same evil in Afghanistan. We must stand for our rights here if we are asking others to defend them overseas.”
DeLemus said those attending the event will be allowed to carry firearms but he is hoping for a peaceful event. “If we fail to push back then we are losing ground,” he wrote. “The ground we are losing has been paid for with the blood of millions of Americans on battlefields around the world. I in good conscience cannot stand by and do nothing to defend our way of life.”
Five hours after DeLemus posted his announcement, 30 people had signaled support by “liking” the message.