Post editorial. I can't imagine what would have been said had Mr. Levin been an atheist.
No Place in Congress
Thursday, July 18, 2002; Page A28
THE DEMOCRATIC primary contest for the redrawn 12th congressional seat in Michigan has reached a new low in demagogic appeals to bigotry. William Callahan, a three-term member of the Michigan state legislature, claims that incumbent Rep. Sander Levin, first elected to the U.S. House in 1982 and representative of the current district since 1994, shouldn't be reelected to the new, heavily Catholic and more conservative district, because Rep. Levin is Jewish. In fact, what State Rep. Callahan said was worse than that. He put it this way: " That man [Levin] has never owned a Christmas tree. He's not a Christian. And I'm thinking, 'Jeez, how can he represent me then?' " Continuing, Mr. Callahan said "I really feel that in order for somebody to represent you, they should be pretty much like you, and Mr. Levin is not." Challenged for making such bigoted remarks, Mr. Callahan apologized for the Christmas tree reference and said he never meant to cause offense, according to the Detroit Free Press. But he then immediately went on to demonstrate why he belongs neither in the U.S. House of Representatives nor in any position of public trust. "I am a Catholic who is pro-life and of Irish, Polish and German descent," said Mr. Callahan. "[Levin] is very much pro-choice and Hebrew. Enough said." We disagree. William Callahan said far too much, all of it mean-spirited, divisive and a naked attempt to exploit religion for crass political purposes.
Sander Levin's measured response -- "I think that the issue of religious affiliation was put to rest in American political life 40 years ago by JFK" -- was drowned out by unrestrained expressions of outrage from Democratic and Republican party leaders and human rights groups in Michigan. Notably absent, however, was similar criticism of Mr. Callahan's bigotry by Rep. Levin's congressional party leaders, who, one would think, should be eager to let Mr. Callahan know that his repellent brand of politics is unwelcome in Washington. Not that Sander Levin has any reason to fear William Callahan is likely to prevent him from serving an 11th term. The voters of Macomb County are probably as turned-off as their leaders are. But the more William Callahans of this world hear their own national party leaders denounce bigoted campaigns for Congress, the less likely they are to emerge from the caves where they belong.
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