Republican congresswoman Jean Schmidt from Ohio praised secularism in Turkey today, hailing it as a tool of progress, but declined to extend that same praise to the United States as well.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/...
Musfara Kemal Ataturk's vision became reality on May 19, said Republican congresswoman Jean Schmidt in a speech directed to congressional majority leader Democrat Nancy Pelosi on account of the May 19 Turkish Youth and Sports Day. A leader that can combine vision and decisiveness can lay the foundation for a great future, said Schmidt adding, Turkey's neighbors can learn a lesson from him. The statement, in the congressional record, also praised women being granted suffrage in 1934.
When asked why she would gladly rise to support secularism in Turkey, but not in her homeland, Rep. Jean Schmidt said that while she was never a big supporter of the Separation of church and state, it had shown great progress in "making the Muslims in Turkey less crazy."
Later when asked what other country in the middle east she would like to see secularism there she said "Isn't Iran like a big Islam country? Why don't we put in a leader their that isn't into Jihad. Shah--that's a muslim word right?--we can call him that.
When asked to respond the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said she was dismayed that comments like these would be made by a congresswoman "I'm sad to see that Rep. Schmidt express such ignorant opinions, Shah isn't a Islamic word it is Persian.