Minnesota Independent

Bachmann sits down with Bryan Fischer after he claims Muslims have no First Amendment rights

By Andy Birkey | 03.25.11 | 8:41 am

Bryan Fischer, an analyst for the American Family Association, is well known for controversial statements about LGBT people (“gay sex is a form of domestic terrorism”) and Muslims (inbreeding has caused “lowered intellectual capacity”), false or misleading statements that have landed the AFA on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s list of “hate groups.” On Thursday, shortly before he interviewed Rep. Michele Bachmann on his radio program, Fischer shared another opinion: That because of their faith Muslim Americans have “no fundamental First Amendment claims.” Bachmann, who speaks at an AFA event in Iowa today, is not the first potential 2012 candidate from Minnesota to join Fischer; Tim Pawlenty met with him in January.

Ellison: Conservatives talk of ‘liberty and justice’ but not ‘for all’

By Andy Birkey | 03.18.11 | 2:25 pm

Rep. Keith Ellison gave an impassioned speech on the House floor Thursday evening criticizing conservatives for only seeking liberty for some. He talked about his love of coming to the House chamber to say the Pledge of Allegiance and said conservatives often miss the point of “liberty and justice for all.”

Pastor who gave controversial Senate prayer bought anti-Muslim ads

By Andy Birkey | 03.15.11 | 4:30 pm

The Associated Press reports that a Christian prayer on the Minnesota Senate floor on Monday made non-Christian members of that body uncomfortable. Pastor Dennis Campbell’s prayer was highly Christian, as opposed to the nonsectarian prayers that were commonplace under DFL control. It’s not Campbell’s first controversy; last summer he took out ads in the St. Cloud Times that were viewed as anti-Muslim.

Ellison confronts King on planned Muslim investigations

By Andy Birkey | 12.21.10 | 12:35 pm

Republican Rep. Peter King of New York says he wants to hold investigations into the “radicalization” of American Muslims in his new position as chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, but Rep. Keith Ellison said on Monday that targeting one community would hamper homeland security efforts.

Ellison: Juan Williams ‘dishonored his legacy’ with remark about Muslims

By Andy Birkey | 10.25.10 | 6:30 am

Rep. Keith Ellison weighed in late last week on the controversy surrounding the firing of National Public Radio’s Juan Williams after he told Fox’s Bill O’Reilly that he gets “worried” and “nervous” when he sees people in Muslim garb get on an airplane. Williams dishonored his own legacy, especially his work on the “Eyes on the Prize” documentary on the civil rights era, Ellison said, calling Williams’ remarks “ugly” and “bigoted.”

Bachmann called on to denounce anti-Muslim Values Voter Summit speaker

By Andy Birkey | 09.16.10 | 9:00 am

People for the American Way called on speakers at this coming weekend’s Values Voter Summit to denounce inflammatory statements made by the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer about U.S. servicemembers, gays, Muslims and Hispanics. The AFA is a…