Stallings calls for Sali to apologize or resign

Monday, August 13, 2007

Contact: Chuck Oxley (208) 871-4976 (office)

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Democratic Party Chairman Richard Stallings is calling for Idaho’s 1^st District Republican Bill Sali to apologize for his anti-religious freedom comments made this week to an online news organization.

According to a story (and a recording of Sali’s voice) posted on OneNewsNow.com, Sali objected to an opening prayer in the U.S. Senate chamber last month that was led by a Hindu cleric; in addition, he also objected to the fact that a member of the House of Representatives was a Muslim.

Sali said:

“We have not only a Hindu prayer being offered in the Senate, we have a Muslim member of the House of Representatives now, Keith Ellison from Minnesota. Those are changes -- and they are not what was envisioned by the Founding Fathers,” asserts Sali.

OneNewsNow.com also reported that Sali said the only way the U.S. can continue to survive is under that protective hand of God; and that a Hindu prayer addresses a “different god” and that "creates problems for the longevity of this country."

Stallings, himself a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Sali words unveil just how much of a bigot the congressman really is.

“Religious freedom is a bedrock value of America – it is one of our core tenents. And yet, here we have Bill Sali, a United States congressman, showing his disdain for people who belong to religions other than his own.”

“Today, Bill Sali is belittling Hindus and Muslims. Tomorrow, will he do the same with Roman Catholics and Buddists? Or perhaps Jews and Mormons?

Either Sali is too dumb and insentitive to realize that his words are extremely hurtful to others or he really is a religious bigot. Either way, this man does not belong in the United States Congress, Stallings said.

“I call upon Bill Sali to either publicly apologize to the Americans that he has insulted with his remarks, or resign his congressional seat and let someone who understands basic human dignity take his place.”