Virginia Muslims Call On Bob McDonnell To Denounce Statements

FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA) - Muslim leaders in Virginia are calling on Governor-elect Bob McDonnell to repudiate statements made by one of his biggest contributors, Pat Robertson.

In response to the Fort Hood shootings, Robertson said last week on his TV program "The 700 Club":  "Islam is a violent -- I was going to say religion, but it's not a religion.  It's a political system.  It's a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination."

Today, 9NEWS NOW asked Bob McDonnell if he would denounce those statements.  He would not.

"I've had thousands and thousands of supporters.  They're each entitled of their own opinion.  My goal is to try to get people to work together," answered McDonnell.

But Imam Johari Abdul-Malik of DAR AL-Hijrah in Falls Church says McDonnell needs to 'get to know' the Muslim community.  Johari says the statements Robertson made last week were as bad as any racial slander.  He says the Governor-elect needs to first denounce those statements, and then take the $25,000 Robertson gave to his campaign and put it toward bringing people of different religions together.

Mahdi Bray, the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society, says McDonnell needs to be the governor of all the people or all religions.  If he does not repudiate the statements, Bray says, then he's not.