Roskam distances self from speech
By Eric Krol Daily Herald Political Writer

Posted Tuesday, May 09, 2006, by DailyHerald.com

Republican 6th Congressional District candidate Peter Roskam is distancing himself from - but refusing to condemn - a conservative activist's remarks that Muslims worship a bloodthirsty, vengeful God.

The state senator missed his scheduled speech last Thursday at a National Day of Prayer Program in Wheaton to vote in Springfield. Organizers substituted conservative activist Sandy Rios, who told the crowd that the Christian God is preferable because "he does not demand the blood of innocents to satisfy him."

"There is no other God like that. No Hindu God; no other God. Allah is not like that. Allah is a God of vengeance," Rios said.

Roskam said Monday that Rios' "remarks don't represent my views" and that he would not characterize the Muslim God as vengeful.

When asked if he considered Rios' remarks hateful, Roskam replied: "It's a free country. Sandy Rios is a former talk radio personality who used talk radio lingo at a National Day of Prayer speech."

Pressed further, Roskam said: "Well, they're not helpful, that's for sure. You'd have to ask Sandy Rios what her motivations are."

Asked if he personally found the comments reprehensible, Roskam said, "I've met many Muslims in the 6th Congressional District who are warm-hearted, service-oriented people."

Tammy Duckworth, the Democratic candidate in the much-watched contest, condemned Rios' comments as "hateful" and blasted Roskam for not speaking out last Thursday when his campaign was first asked to comment.

"Peter Roskam's silence in the face of bigotry is not leadership," Duckworth said in a statement. "And it clearly does not represent the views of the people of the 6th District of Illinois."

Roskam said he was in Springfield last week and unaware of Rios' speech.

"I've made it very clear her (Rios') comments don't represent my views," Roskam said. "My sense is that Tammy Duckworth has a lot to answer for in terms of the viewpoints of people who are supporting her campaign. We'll have a whole campaign to unpack which candidate best represents the 6th District."

Roskam did say Rios' remarks weren't appropriate for the prayer event.

"From my point of view, the National Day of Prayer is a time to recognize the positive," he said. "Those comments drive wedges at a time when we need to be bringing people together."

Roskam said he talked to Rios to ask her about her speech and told her he didn't share her views. Rios could not be reached Monday.

Rios, who provides a conservative viewpoint on Fox News Channel, is president of the Culture Campaign, a group that helps churches "re-enlist believers into the culture war."

Last week, Sheik Abdool R. Kahn of the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park said Rios' view of Islam is wrong.

"This concept that God in Islam is revengeful is a total blasphemy on God," said Kahn, calling Islam a religion of "peace and mercy."