Texas Legislator to Staff: Ask Muslims to Pledge Allegiance to America

ByERIN DOOLEY ABCNews logo
Thursday, January 29, 2015

A Texas state Representative today said she instructed her staff to ask Muslim constituents to "publicly announce allegiance to America."

"Today is Texas Muslim Capital [sic] Day in Austin," newly-elected Republican state Rep. Molly White wrote on Facebook. "I did leave an Israeli flag on the reception desk in my office with instructions to staff to ask representatives from the Muslim community to renounce Islamic terrorist groups."

"We will see how long they stay in my office," she added.

Texas Muslim Capitol Day, an initiative organized by the Texas Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, serves as "an opportunity to benefit Texans state-wide by urging lawmakers to support issues that affect people of all faiths," according to the CAIR website.

In response to White's post, CAIR Government Affairs Manager Robert McCaw sent a letter to Texas Speaker Joe Straus asking if White violated any House ethics rules by "creating such an internal office policy that is selectively being enforced to discriminate against certain religious minorities."

"The Texas Capitol belongs to all the people of this state, and legislators have a responsibility to treat all visitors just as we expect to be treated -- with dignity and respect," Straus said in a statement to ABC News. "Anything else reflects poorly on the entire body and distracts from the very important work in front of us."

White later commented on Facebook, "I do not apologize for my comments. ... if you love America, obey our laws and condemn Islamic terrorism, then I embrace you as a fellow American. If not, then I do not."

"Isn't it amazing when you stand for America, our allies and against terrorism how much vile and angry responses you get? I will never cow to anti Americanism and extremists," she wrote in another comment.

"I am banning users that are insulting," she added.

In a post earlier today, the Texas lawmaker insisted that "becoming an American" is "not the intent of most Muslims who move to America."

"Remember, in the Koran, it is ok to lie for the purpose of advancing Islam," she wrote. "Texas must never allow fringe groups of people to come here so they can advance their own culture instead of becoming an American."

Rep. White did not immediately respond to requests by ABC News for comment.

Her message was echoed by a slew of protesters at the Capitol. A few dozen men and women waving signs proclaiming "Go home and take Obama with you," "Muhammad is dead" and "Radical Islam is the New Nazi" protested against the Muslim community members standing on the Capitol steps.

"Islam and the false prophet Muhammad -- Islam will never dominate the United States, and by the grace of God, it will not dominate Texas," one protester yelled before she was removed by an officer at the scene.

"Muhammad is dead!" she screamed as she was dragged away. "Muhammad did nothing but made himself a pervert. We love America, we love Jesus Christ!"

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office declined to comment.

Related Topics