Democrat Andre Carson, a congressman from Indiana, said Donald Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the U.S. sets a dangerous precedent for the United States.
Carson said he has met Trump and that the businessman-turned-candidate is a “smart man.”
This is why his rhetoric “is that much more dangerous and we have to push back,” Carson told “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos.
The congressman attributed Trump’s rise in the polls to clear GOP front-runner because of his success using provocaiton to win attention.
“We live in an age where politicians are rewarded for saying provocative things,” Carson said. When “these politicians make these inflammatory remarks, they’re rewarded by higher polling results.”
“There are over eight million Muslims in this country who are making contributions to our society,” Carson said. “And anyone who wants to be the commander in chief has to know that and accept this reality.”
As one of two Muslim members of Congress along with Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., Carson has stepped forward to assure Americans that the millions of Muslims living in the U.S. do not pose a threat in the aftermath of terror attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., and Paris, with links to the Islamic State.
Terrorist plots are thwarted almost weekly “because Muslims are working behind the scenes, helping to keep Americans safe,” Carson said.
“Americans should know that not only is Islam a religion of peace, but Muslims are here and a valuable part of your society,” Carson said.
