DURING THE CONFIRMATION HEARING
FOR RUSSELL VOUGHT, HE IS
THE NOMINEE FOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR
OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT
AND BUDGET, OF COURSE, TRUMP IS
THE GUY WHO NOMINATED HIM.
BERNIE SANDERS CAME ACROSS
AN ISSUE THAT HE FELT
PASSIONATELY ENOUGH ABOUT THE
QUESTION HIM ON AND IT HAD TO DO
WITH PREVIOUS STATEMENTS THAT HE
HAD MADE IN REGARD TO MUSLIMS.
SANDERS TOOK ISSUE WITH THE
PIECE VOUGHT WROTE IN JANUARY
2016 ABOUT AN INCIDENT AT WHETON
COLLEGE.
THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL HAD FIRED A
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR
FOR A FACEBOOK POST INTENDED TO
EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH MUSLIMS.
VOUGHT DISAGREED WITH HAWKINSí
POST AND
DEFENDED THE SCHOOL
IN AN ARTICLE FOR THE
CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE THE
RESURGENT.
WHAT EXACTLY DID HE WRITE IN
THAT PIECE THAT CAUGHT
BERNIE SANDERS ATTENTION AND
MADE HIM QUESTION THIS NOMINEE?
HE HAD WRITTEN, MUSLIMS DO NOT
SIMPLY HAVE A DEFICIENT
THEOLOGY.
THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD BECAUSE
THEY HAVE REJECTED JESUS
CHRIST HIS SON, AND THEY STAND
CONDEMNED.
HE MADE THIS STATEMENT BERNIE
SANDERS FELT THAT IT WAS
QUESTIONABLE AND DISCRIMINATORY.
WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS
THE EXCHANGE THAT THEY HAD
DURING THE SENATE HEARING TAKE A
LOOK FOR YOURSELVES AND WE
WILL DISCUSS AFTER.
WE WRITE TO EXPRESS OUR DEEP
CONCERNS ABOUT THE NOMINATION OF
RUSSELL VOUGHT TO THE POSITION
OF DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE.
HE HAS DENIGRATED THE MUSLIM
FAITH.
HIS WRITING HAS SHOWN DISTILLATE
TO MUSLIMS AND DISCLOSE
THEM FROM ANYTHING.
AND THE PISA REFER TO THE EURO
FOR A PUBLICATION CALLED
RESURGENT, GIRO, MUSLIM
MUSLIMS DO NOT SIMPLY HAVE A
DEFICIENT THEOLOGY.
THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD BECAUSE
THEY HAVE REJECTED JESUS
CHRIST, HIS SON AND THEY STAND
CONDEMNED.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT
STATEMENT IS ISLAMOPHOBIC?
ABSOLUTELY NOT, SENATOR.
I AM A CHRISTIAN AND I BELIEVE
IN A CHRISTIAN SET OF
PRINCIPLES BASED ON MY FAITH.
THAT POST AS I STATED IN THE
QUESTIONNAIRE TO THIS
COMMITTEE WAS TO DEFEND MY
ALMA MATER, WHEATON COLLEGE,
CHRISTIAN SCHOOL THAT HAS A
STATEMENT OF FAITH THAT
INCLUDES THE CENTRALITY OF JESUS
CHRIST FOR SALVATION.
AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE.
FORGIVE
ME, WE JUST DONíT HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE IN
THE MUSLIM RELIGION STAND
CONDEMNED?
AGAIN SENATOR, I AM A CHRISTIAN
AND I WROTE THAT PIECE ñ
I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I DONíT KNOW
HOW MANY MUSLIMS ARE IN
AMERICA, PROBABLY A COUPLE MILLION.
ARE YOU SUGGESTING ALL
THOSE PEOPLE STAND CONDEMNED?
WHAT ABOUT JEWS?
DO THEY STAND CONDEMNED TOO?
SENATOR, I AM A CHRISTIAN.
I UNDERSTAND YOU ARE A
CHRISTIAN.
BUT THIS COUNTRY IS MADE UP OF
PEOPLE, I UNDERSTAND THAT
CHRISTIANITY IS THE MAJORITY BUT
THERE OTHER PEOPLE OF OTHER
RELIGIONS AND DISCUSSION AROUND
THE WORLD.
IN YOUR JUDGMENT,
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
CHRISTIANS ARE GOING TO BE
CONDEMNED?
THANK YOU FOR PROBING ON THE
QUESTION.
AS A CHRISTIAN,
I BELIEVE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS
ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF
GOD AND ARE WORTHY OF DIGNITY
AND RESPECT REGARDLESS OF
THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
I BELIEVE THAT AS A CHRISTIAN,
THAT IS HOW I SHOULD TREAT
ALL INDIVIDUALS -
AND YOU THINK YOUR STATEMENT
THAT YOU PUT INTO THAT
PUBLICATION, THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD
BECAUSE THEY HAVE REJECTED
JESUS CHRIST THE SON AND THEY
STAND CONDEMNED.
YOU THINK THAT'S RESPECTFUL OF OTHER
RELIGIONS?
SENATOR, I WROTE A POST BASED
ON BEING A CHRISTIAN AND
ATTENDING A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
THAT HAS A STATEMENT OF
FAITH THAT SPEAKS CLEARLY WITH
REGARD TO THE CENTRALITY OF
JESUS CHRIST AND SALVATION.
I WOULD SIMPLY SAY, MISTER
CHAIRMAN, THAT THIS NOMINEE IS
REALLY NOT SOMEONE
WHO IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS
SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.
I VOTE NO.
WOW.
THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXCHANGE
AND IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE
DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF
THAT EXCHANGE BECAUSE ON THE
RIGHT, YOU HAVE PUBLICATIONS
LIKE THE NATIONAL REVIEW CALLING
OUT BERNIE SANDERS, ESSENTIALLY
ACCUSING HIM OF DISCRIMINATING
AGAINST CHRISTIANS WHICH THAT
WAS IN MY INTERPRETATION.
I SAW THAT IS HIM POINTING OUT
TO SOMEONE WHO WILL BE PART OF
OUR GOVERNMENT IF HE GETS
CONFIRMED OPENLY AND
TRANSPARENTLY SAYING THAT AN
ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN
THE COUNTRY WILL BE CONDEMNED OR
ARE CONDEMNED.
THAT KIND OF MESSAGING DOESN'T
LOOK GOOD ESPECIALLY IF YOU
ARE PART OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO ENDORSE
ONE RELIGION OVER THE OTHER.
AND THEN EMIGRATING FROM THE
ATLANTIC SHARED HER POINT
OF YOU AND I WANT TO SHARE
WITH YOU GUYS JUST TO PLAY
DEVILS ADVOCATE AND GIVING US
PERSPECTIVE.
SHE SAYS SANDERS MAY USE THE
TERM ISLAMIC PHOBIA TO
SUGGEST THAT VOTE FEARS MUSLIMS
FOR WHO THEY ARE TOP IN HIS
WRITING, BUT WAS CONTESTING
SOMETHING DIFFERENT: HE
DISAGREES WITH WHAT MUSLIMS
BELIEVE, AND DOES NOT THINK
THEIR FAITH IS SATISFACTORY FOR
SALVATION.
RIGHT OR WRONG, THIS IS A
CONVICTION HELD BY MILLIONS
OF AMERICANS AND MANY MUSLIMS
MIGHT SAY THE SAME THING
ABOUT CHRISTIANITY.
HER PIECE SORT OF DEFENDED VOUGHT
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A REALLY
INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE, BUT IF
YOU WANT TO SIMPLIFY WHAT SHE IS
SAYING, WELL, THIS IS WHAT HIS
RELIGION ALLOWS HIM TO BELIEVE
AND SINCE A LOT OF AMERICANS
ALSO BELIEVE IT, WHATEVER.
I GUESS IT IS WHAT HE BELIEVES
SO WHY YOU GOING TO
CRITICIZE THEM FOR?
BUT THERE WAS A TIME IN
AMERICA WHERE THE MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT INTERRACIAL
MARRIAGE WAS WRONG.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE
THOUGHT GAY MARRIAGE WAS WRONG.
THERE WAS A TIME IN AMERICA WERE
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT BLACKS
AND WHITES, BLACK INDIVIDUALS
AND WHITE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD
USE SEPARATE WATER FOUNTAINS AS
SEPARATE SCHOOLS.
IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE MAJORITY
OF AMERICANS THINK WHEN IT
COMES TO THESE TYPES OF ISSUES.
WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT IS THE
RIGHT POSITION ON THE ISSUE?
IF YOU ARE OPENLY HOSTILE OR
HATEFUL TOWARD A CERTAIN
GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY
BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION,
BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN IT
THEN THAT IS A PROBLEM.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT BERNIE
SANDERS WAS TRYING TO POINT
TO DUCK
RIGHT, EMMA POINTS OUT AN
INTERESTING WAY OF LOOKING
AT IT THAT DIFFERENT BELIEF
SYSTEMS AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO BELIEVE WHAT THEY WANT
THAT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS WHAT
MAKES A GREAT THAT WHAT MAKES IT
DIFFERENT WHERE I DISAGREE WITH
EMMA IS HE IS NOT JUST A CITIZEN
BELIEVE IN WHAT HE WANTS.
THIS IS A HEARING, CONFIRMATION
HEARING FOR HIM TO SERVE
FOR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
DIED THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
THESE HEARINGS WHAT BERNIE
SANDERS WAS TRYING TO DO WAS NOT
TEST HIS BELIEF SYSTEM.
I DON'T THINK HE WOULD CANOPY
WAS A CHRISTIAN OR WENT TO
CHURCH, HE WANTS TO KNOW THAT HE
IS GOING TO STAND UP FOR
ALL AMERICANS EVEN THOSE WHO HE
SAID IN HIS OWN WORDS STAND
CONDEMNED.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING ABOUT
WATCHING THAT TAPE IS THAT YOU
HEAR IT A LOT, YOU SEE IT A LOT
ONLINE THAT YOU CAN ANSWER THEM
QUESTION THAT WE SEE SO MANY OF
THESE HEARINGS DIED THINK I'VE
WATCHED MORE THIS YEAR, THEY'RE
EVERYWHERE.
IT'S LIKE THE NBA FINALS OF
HEARINGS THIS YEAR.
THE MORE YOU WATCH THEM, THE
LESS YOU LEARN BECAUSE THEY
REFUSE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.
HE IS NOT ASKING YOU WHAT YOUR
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE.
HE IS ASKING YOU ñ
THAT IS NOT ON TRIAL.
NO ONE IS SAYING YOU CAN'T
BELIEVE WHAT YOU WANT TO
BELIEVE.
HE IS ASKING TO STAND BY THE
SENTENCE THAT MUSLIMS DO
NOT SIMPLY HAVE A DEFICIENT
THEOLOGY.
THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD BECAUSE
THEY HAVE REJECTED JESUS
CHRIST HIS SON AND THEY STAND
CONDEMNED THAT DO STAND BY
THAT AND HE CAN ANSWER YES OR
NO.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE
BETTER.
IF HE BELIEVES THAT THEN DUDE,
STAND BY THIS VALUE WROTE
THIS IN JANUARY 2016.
ARE YOU THAT SPINELESS THAT IF
YOU BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW
THAT THERE IS A SECTION OF
CHRISTIANS THAT WILL HAVE
HIS BACK IF YOU WERE TO STAND BY
THAT BUT YOU WERE NOT EVEN
GOING TO COME DOWN ON AN ANSWER
TO ME, AS A CHRISTIAN.
I'M A CHRISTIAN.
MY FAITH IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME
THAT YOU ASKED ME, CENK
UYGUR HAS PUT ME TO THE TEST OF
THIS BEFORE BECAUSE I KNOW
IT'S STRANGE AND MARKET HAVE A
CHRISTIAN DIED THE FUND
GIMMICK THAT I WILL STAY BY MY
BELIEVES DIOCESE STAND BY
EVERYONE ELSE'S RIGHT TO BLUE
BUT THEY WANT TO BELIEVE
BUT THIS GUY IS SUCH A POOR
REPRESENTATION OF HOW I
UNDERSTAND THE LOVE OF GOD AND
HOW I UNDERSTAND TO HAVE
THE AUDACITY TO SPEAK FOR GOD.
I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT.
I KNOW WHO IS CONDEMNED AND WHO
IS NOT.
I KNOW IíM A GAY CHRISTIAN
SWEARING.
IíM A MESS.
LOOK, THERE IS A PORTION OF THE
BIBLE THAT SPECIFICALLY TALKS
ABOUT THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE
THAT JESUS IS GOD AND HOW THEY
ARE CONDEMNED AND MUSLIMS DO NOT
BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS GOD.
IT IS BASED ON WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS.
I THINK THAT BERNIE SANDERS
WAS VERY SMART IN BRINGING
UP JUDAISM AS WELL.
THIS IS A MULTI-FAITH COUNTRY.
THERE IS A RELIGIOUS PLURALISM
THAT WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING.
I REALLY CAN'T WRAP MY MIND
AROUND SOMEONE WHO WOULDN'T
GET ON BOARD WITH THAT.
IT MAKES THIS COUNTRY GREAT.
IT'S THE REASON WHY MY DAD WAS A
NAVY CHAPLAIN AND HE HAD TO
LEARN HOW TO PERFORM MULTIPLE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF SERVICES
ON THAT SHOULD BECAUSE ANYONE
CAN SERVE AND PROTECT THIS
COUNTRY OF ANY KIND OF FAITH.
WHAT COUNTRY DO YOU THINK THIS
IS?
I FEEL IT IS SUCH A DISCONNECT.
IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING.
I'M PISSED 
THAT HE COULDN'T
ANSWER.
