04/03/2015 Vermont bullies Indiana as American Muslims rise to defend religious liberty
Source: Vermont Watchdog
While Gov. Peter Shumlin and members of the House of Representatives moved this week to intimidate states with religious freedom protections, prominent spokesmen of America’s Muslim community defended Indiana and similar states.
On Tuesday, Shumlin issued a ban on nonessential state-funded travel to Indiana after Gov. Mike Pence signed a bill that protects the right of individual Hoosiers to not participate in activities that violate their religion.
Members of the Vermont House joined Shumlin’s bullying effort Thursday, proposing a resolution that urges the governor to extend the travel ban to all states with similar laws.
While Vermont officials were denouncing religious Americans, prominent members of America’s Muslim community spoke out to defend religious liberty in states.
“As a Muslim, there may be things I disagree with that are similar to what Christians or Orthodox Jews may disagree with. So as I listen to a lot of conservatives argue these things, I was nodding my head. I also would not want to be forced to do that,” Zuhdi Jasser, founder and president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, told Vermont Watchdog.