In a “700 Club” segment that aired last Thursday regarding the political views of Muslim Americans, televangelist Pat Robertson characterized Islam as a violent religion stating, “Islam is not a peaceful religion that wants to coexist. They want to coexist until they can control, dominate, and then if need be destroy.”
Robertson went on, “The fact is that our immigration policy is so skewed to the Middle East and away from Europe that we have introduced these people into our midst and undoubltedly there are terrorist cells all over them.”
Robertson’s remarks sparked an immediate outcry from many Muslim Americans, among others, who equivocated the televangelist’s remarks with anti-semitism.
Robertson gained national attention for comments made on the “700 Club” in September 2001 in which he agreed with fellow televangelist Jerry Falwell that the events of 9/11 were the fault of feminists, abortion rights proponents, civil liberties groups, and gays and lesbians. After being thoroughly criticized by religious, political, and community leaders nationwide, Robertson tried to distance himself from the remarks, stating that he did not really understand what Falwell was claiming.
