Our guest blogger is Charlie Eisenhood, a student at New York University and the Editor-in-Chief of the New York City-based blog NYU Local.
This morning, New York GOP Gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino spoke and answered questions from political journalists at a breakfast forum hosted by Crain’s New York Business. Paladino locked up the Republican primary largely by stoking anti-Muslim hate. He spent much of his campaign loudly attacking the Park51 community center planned for lower Manhattan as a “monument to those who attacked America.”
After winning the nomination, Paladino reiterated his opposition to the Muslim community center and absurdly said he feared that it would bring “sharia law to America.” ThinkProgress asked Paladino this morning if he would consider appointing Muslim judges if elected to office. Paladino stopped for a moment, then said, “oh please,” as he ignored the question and walked away:
TP: Mr. Paladino, I’m a student journalist. If you’re elected governor would you appoint Muslim judges?
PALADINO: Oh, please.
TP: Mr. Paladino, why won’t you answer my question? Mr. Paladino, are you concerned with sharia law?
Watch it:
While Paladino has made a name for himself confronting reporters and speaking his mind on controversial topics, he refusal to answer a simple question may speak volumes about his about treatment of the Muslim American community. Paladino has said that he would regulate the construction of community centers based on religion. Would he also select judges based on how they worship God?