Our Stupid Thing of the Week actually started last week, but like many stupid things, it probably wont end anytime soon. So with shaking heads and looks of disbelief, we present our weekly award to one of Charlottes all-time champions of Stupid Things, Rep. Sue Myrick.
Last week, Myrick announced at a press conference that she had written the foreword for a new book, Muslim Mafia, which charges that the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nonprofit advocacy group, has, among other things, planted radical Islamist spies as Capitol Hill interns. Written by former Air Force investigator P. David Gaubatz and journalist Paul Sperry, the books primary piece of evidence is a one-page CAIR strategy document. This insidious CAIR document shows conclusively that American Muslims are planning to conduct a, umm, well, actually, they plan to conduct a pretty standard PR and lobbying plan, including placing Muslim interns in congressional offices. And thats it. No kidding, thats the evidence.
Er, Sue? Couple of problems. First, lobbying while being Muslim isnt a crime. Second, theres no mention, much less proof, of radical Islamists applying for congressional internships anywhere in the book you recommend, nor in the authors smoking gun, i.e., the strategy document. Yet, Sue, you claim the authors uncovered documents proving that radical Islamists live among us and are carrying out their subversive plan. Again, Sue, where is the evidence for this supposed plot that has you all agog and bug-eyed again?
The charges, as have been pointed out by a multitude of congressional staffers, members of Congress, foreign policy experts, journalists, and even a former Republican N.C. cabinet member, are laughable at best. Ill go one better and call Myricks statements what they are: batshit crazy paranoia. Then again, delusional nuttiness with a nasty undertone has been Myricks stock in trade for years.
Myrick's looniness or, to be more genteel, her overexcitability blended with paranoia and a dash of authoritarianism is familiar to anyone whos followed her political career. Does anyone else remember her City Council days, when she got all wigged out about heavy metal and Satanic rock groups, and wanted to set up a panel to judge which rock groups coming to Charlotte were suitable for teenagers, whom she branded as lemmings? And dont get me started on the talking coffeepot, or the homemade altar on the beach, both of which were sources of Gods guidance for Sue. Or her previous comments on how Muslims were taking over the country because so many of them run convenience stores. Yep, rabid Goofballism has long been Myricks approach to governance, which in a way, I suppose makes her a kind of pioneer for the off-the-wall comments coming from the GOP these days.
Yes, its all funny in a ridiculous way, which is something weve come to expect from Myrick, but heres whats not funny: millions of Americans eat this kind of junk for breakfast and, like Sue, believe themselves in a world thats crawling with evil people, probably brown ones, who are out to get them. Its way too reminiscent of the 1950s red-scare era for comfort. Whats next making American Muslims wear crescent-and-star patches on their clothes? Here's Sue on CNN, talking about this latest bit of craziness. Warning: watching this could be painful, because, seriously, you're about to watch one really sad human being.
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