Rep. Weyler attacks critics: Islam ‘preaching intolerance, hate, enslavement, and murder’
State Rep. Ken Weyler, an influential 14-term lawmaker, made national headlines earlier this year when he argued that giving public assistance to Muslims is “aiding and abetting the enemy. That is treason.”
Today, the one-time deputy speaker and former chair of the powerful House Finance Committee again attacked Muslims with a letter to the editor published by the Portsmouth Herald in which he defended his controversial comments and lashed out at critics.
Weyler was apparently reacting to an op-ed and letter to the editor from Exeter writer and photographer Robert Azzi, who condemned Weyler’s remarks as “bigoted, deplorable — and unconstitutional.”
“First, there can be no religious test as to whether someone’s entitled to public benefits,” Azzi wrote. “Second, Weyler clearly exposes himself to be ignorant of one the world’s three great monotheistic religions. Third, what’s truly unacceptable and incomprehensible is that a state representative who touts his military experience — after having presumably having taken the oath to serve and protect the Constitution of the United States — as a qualification for office can be so contemptuous of its meaning and intent.”
Weyler responded by complaining that he had been vilified for “publicizing what I read in the Koran and warning my fellow citizens of why we are under attack, and suggesting that we stop giving money to terrorist sponsors.”
He criticized Azzi by describing “the rule in Islam that deceit of non-believers is acceptable and encouraged as long as it advances Islam.” Azzi’s response “is part of that deceit,” Weyler wrote.
The Kingston lawmaker went on to defend his remarks by claiming “contributions that the faithful Muslims make to support their Mosque must have 10 percent go to ‘Jihadis.’ “ He asserted that the Koran “instructs all Muslims that they must strive to impose Sharia Law wherever they live,” and wrote, “these gullibles think murder and mayhem will bring them to Paradise.”
“So here we have a religion preaching intolerance, hate, enslavement, and murder, and those who sound the alarm that we have this fomenting in our midst are called bigots,” Weyler wrote. “That is a word that is used for intolerant people. I ask you who to whom is it better applied?”