ACT for America

[Excerpt: "The confusion about Shami’s religion was sown by the candidate himself and his campaign. In an early interview when he first was considering a race, Shami responded to a question about his religion by the Chronicle’s R.G. Ratcliffe by saying he was someone of Muslim background."]

Why deny it? Perhaps taking a lesson from the current president’s campaign? Perhaps trying to distance himself from another Muslim in Texas still somewhat fresh in the news – the Ft. Hood killer? From the Houston Chronicle, Muslim? No. Quaker? No. Even worse?

Farouk Shami, the Houston hair care magnate running for governor, wants you to know that he is not a Muslim.

He also wants you to know that he is not a Quaker.

One more thing he wants you to know: The Texas media, possibly out of “something darker and racially motivated,” is engaging in a disservice to Texas Democrats by promoting a “media sideshow surrounding Shami’s religious beliefs.”

The campaign Tuesday made those charges in a hyperbolic statement by Campaign Director Vince Leibowitz on “the onslaught of coverage relating to Farouk Shami’s religion.”

The confusion about Shami’s religion was sown by the candidate himself and his campaign. In an early interview when he first was considering a race, Shami responded to a question about his religion by the Chronicle’s R.G. Ratcliffe by saying he was someone of Muslim background.

Last November, according to the American-Statesman, Shami’s then-campaign spokesman Jason Stanford said the candidate was a Quaker.

Leibowitz told the newspaper that was apparently a “miscommunication” based on the fact that Shami attended a Quaker school.

But Stanford said Shami told his former campaign manager, Joel Coon, that he was a Quaker. Coon confirmed that to the American-Statesman.

The paper also quoted Shami’s son, Basim Shami of The Woodlands, as saying his father “is a Muslim.” But the son added, “We believe in all religions, to tell you the truth, but we were brought up as Muslims.”

Debbie Schlussel exposed Shami as “a vehemently anti-Israel Palestinian Muslim,” and posted a video of Shami expressing full support and pride in being ‘Palestinian.’