Days of Hope Amidst Days of Anguish

What a wonderful thing!  Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are now (Muslim Americans from Michigan and Minnesota) members of the House of Representatives. They are the first Muslim women to serve in Congress!  What a great moment in our American history and I celebrate it as a sign of hope!

Hope in what?  Hope in the American dream.  Hope in the American people.  Hope in the strength and wisdom of our United States Constitution and the democracy which it embodies.

“This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; *but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” (*Italics mine).

Another hopeful note is what happened in the  Tarrant County (Texas) Republican Party two days ago.  The County Republican Party gathered to vote on whether Shahid Shafi, a 53-year-old trauma surgeon and city councilman in the Fort Worth suburb of Southlake since 2014, should be removed as a vice chairman.  A precinct chairwoman called for this vote after making unproven claims that Shafi, who has served as a delegate to several GOP state conventions, has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorism and wants to impose sharia law.  Many other precinct officials joined in the call to remove Shafi.  “We believe that Dr. Shafi is unsuitable to be the face and voice representative for all Republicans in Tarrant County,” said the opposition.

On Thursday, January 10, 2019, Republicans of Tarrant County, Texas, voted overwhelmingly against the removal of Dr. Shafi.  The real issue was whether Dr. Shafi’s Muslim faith disqualified him from the job.  The vote was 139 to 49!  There is hope for the American dream.  Hope for the American people.  Hope for religious liberty.  Hope for the continuance of the Constitution.  Hope of our democracy.