GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Calls Islam a Cult
Republican Ron Ramsey, a candidate for the governorship of Tennessee, is under fire for a comment he made earlier this month that characterized Islam as a cult. I don't know which is worse: the bigotry or the ignorance. Perhaps they're related. In any case, anyone aspiring to a chief executive position in the public sector of the 21st Century United States who doesn't recognize Islam as one of the world's major relligions (and, by the way, the fastest-growing of those) ought by that fact alone be disqualified from holding high office.
It really is astounding how much ignorance abounds in our nation about the world and its peoples. Poll after poll reveals our woeful ignorance of global politics and geography. We are in fact and sadly only slightly better informed about our own country's geography, history and politics. As the nation nominally leading the free world today, that kind of electoral ignorance is not only appalling, it's frightening. But when that ignorance extends to those who are elected to lead the nation in a more official way, it is downright unacceptable.
While I am unalterably opposed to literacy tests for voters despite the above observations, I think I'd be ready to back a move to require candidates for at least some public offices to pass a basic test of knowledge and awareness of politics, economics and geography as a pre-requiaite to running for one of those positions.
