Presidential hopeful and world neurosurgeon Ben Carson said in a shocking interview over the weekend, “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.” Since this statement’s release he has defended it and subsequently been under fire from global media outlets and the Muslim Americans serving in the United States Senate.

What are you feeling right now? Rage? Now you are in the shoes of the people who practice the fourth largest religion in the United States.

In Whitman County a 2010 census estimated there are about 300 Muslims here in our little corner or Washington. The number is growing as more and more students are recruited to our university for their studies.

Please understand that Ben Carson’s statement about a group of people is based on a monolithic extremist view of Muslims and the religion of Islam; it’s a disgrace and right now, I am sad to call myself American.

I am all for political posturing, but in this case Carson’s statement gives the one quarter of the world who practices Islam another reason to hate our country. This statement will have large implications if Carson is elected president because those words will not be seen as ‘diplomatic’ but rather could add fuel to a fire.

If we elect Carson, based solely on this statement, our county is in serious trouble. Carson’s statement comes from one of the darkest places in the human experience: fear, ignorance, and the blind spewing of extremist religious rhetoric. For being a man that supposedly reads a lot and does tons of research per his “The Ben Carson Story” film, I am inclined to ask, where is the evidence for such an outlandish claim?

If he can show me it is based in science and not rooted in a skewed, almost bigoted and discriminatory religious view, maybe I will give him some credit, but as of now there isn’t a snowball’s chance in the seventh circle of Satan’s paradise.

His mentality and statements are not and should not be viewed as monolithic across the board for Christians any more than the Islamic extremists should speak for our local Muslim community.

Until humanity is willing to settle the differences in opinion or at the very least respect the differences this election could be ugly, but at least it is shocking people into participating in our democracy.

No matter your religious views, no matter Carson’s views, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances,” according to the First Amendment.

While I cannot condemn Carson’s words because that is his right, he cannot impose his religion in policies, or prohibit or favor others because of their religion – I get the feeling he might try.