Fox News contributor Allen West didn't dispute an audience member who falsely claimed that “Obama is a Muslim,” responding that he's “not going to get into that” but the president “has an Eastern orientation, I'll put it that way.”
The former Florida congressman was speaking at a July 12 event in Mount Dora, Florida, hosted by the Golden Triangle Republican Women's Club, with funds benefiting the Allen West Foundation.
During the event's question and answer segment, an attendee told West: “I personally believe that Obama is a Muslim. I believe he has a corrupt administration. And I believe that he is doing everything in his power to bring this country down.”
West agreed that Obama is bringing down the country, and then moved on to the Muslim claim by stating: “Now the point about him being a Muslim or not, you know, I'm not going to get into that. But this is what I will tell you. The formative years of your life have an incredible impact upon your worldview and your perspective. Okay? My years from zero to ten, I was learning all the SEC football fight songs. I was going to Atlanta Braves, you know, baseball games.”
By contrast, West said, “The president has an Eastern orientation, I'll put it that way. You go back and you look at the speech he gave at the Turkish general assembly and also the speech he gave in Cairo, Egypt, in 2009. That defines his perspective. Anybody that allows Muslim Brotherhood affiliated individuals to be advisers in your, in his administration -- I got a problem with that. Okay? And I will tell you, that's an impeachable offense, folks.”
He concluded: “Don't care whether or not he's a Muslim. I care about his orientation. And his association. But you're absolutely right. One thing I'll tell you -- he has told us exactly what he wants to do.”
West's coddling of the “Obama is a Muslim” questioner stands in stark contrast to what Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) did when confronted with a similar situation. During the 2008 campaign, an audience member told the Republican presidential candidate that she heard Obama is “an Arab,” prompting McCain to reply: “No, ma'am. He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not [an Arab].”
The right-wing media has been responsible for propagating the myth that Obama is Muslim. Conservatives have also repeatedly raised Obama's upbringing to attack the president's worldview as foreign. For instance, Fox News host Mike Huckabee falsely claimed in 2011 that Obama grew up “in Kenya” and as a result “his view of the Brits” is “very different than the average American.” And Newt Gingrich claimed Obama has engaged in “Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior.”
From West's June 12 speech:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I personally believe that Obama is a Muslim. I believe he has a corrupt administration. And I believe that he is doing everything in his power to bring this country down.
WEST: Well he said so. He said so. Okay, I mean, let me -- you just said three things. Remember, I'm from Georgia, I went to University of Tennessee, so three is about it for me.
So let me start off by saying this, first of all. Anyone that stands up and says to you, “We're five days away from fundamentally transforming America.” He just told you what he's going to do. And then when he gets inaugurated he said we now have to be about the business of remaking America -- he just told you what he's going to do. But if you don't understand those five principles, and you don't understand his four principles, then you fall for it.
Now the point about him being a Muslim or not, you know, I'm not going to get into that. But this is what I will tell you. The formative years of your life have an incredible impact upon your worldview and your perspective. Okay? My years from zero to ten, I was learning all the SEC football fight songs. I was going to Atlanta Braves, you know, baseball games and, you know, seeing Hank Aaron, Mike Lum, Clete Boyer, Joe Torre, you know, you name it. Selling Cokes at Grant Field in Georgia Tech. And so that's, that's my perspective. I had a father who served in World War II. I had an older brother who served in Vietnam. I had a mother who served civilian service in the 6th Marine Corps District headquarters. That formulated a different perspective and opinion.
The president has an Eastern orientation, I'll put it that way. You go back and you look at the speech he gave at the Turkish general assembly and also the speech he gave in Cairo, Egypt, in 2009. That defines his perspective. Anybody that allows Muslim Brotherhood affiliated individuals to be advisers in your, in his administration -- I got a problem with that. Okay? And I will tell you, now that's an impeachable offense, folks.
If you have not read the Muslim Brotherhood's explanatory memorandum, it was written in 1991. It was found in a FBI raid in 2004. And you can go online when you leave here, read “explanatory memorandum, strategic goal, Muslim Brotherhood in North America.” And it tells you exactly what they want to do in this country. Now we have a former president, Jimmy Carter, that's speaking at a Muslim Brotherhood affiliated group convention. And we have a current president that is allowing them into his administration. I got problems with that.
Don't care whether or not he's a Muslim. I care about his orientation. And his association. But you're absolutely right. One thing I'll -- he has told us exactly what he wants to do. And it's up to us to say that's not who we are as an American people. And that's not racist. If you all were racist, why would I be here? If we were honest, okay? So it has nothing to do with that. But that is the word that they use to make you self-censor. And you got to stop self-censoring.