Over 40 religious and secular organizations have come together in the United States to voice their opposition and anger towards California Republican Congressman Trent Franks and four other House members for their continuing push to probe Muslim-Americans on their affiliations. The groups called the move baseless and said it was a dangerous path Franks and others were leading the country down. Franks has called for investigations into Muslim groups' influence in the United States. The initial calls, which Muslims have told Bikyamasr.com is a “witch hunt” were made by Minnesota Republican Michelle Bachmann earlier this month when she accused US government officials of using their positions to push the Muslim Brotherhood's agenda. The 42 religious and secular groups criticized Franks and four other House members who signed letters demanding the probe, saying the letters questioned “the loyalty of faithful Americans based on nothing more than their religious affiliations and ... tenuous evidence of their associations." The groups consisted of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and American Baptist Churches USA, to the Hindu American Foundation and People for the American Way, as well as the Secular Coalition for America and American Atheists and others. The letter comes following Arizona Senator John McCain's criticism of the House Republicans' calls to question American citizens over their patriotism. He argued that the focus on one top State Department official, Huma Abedin, is “nothing less than an unwarranted and unfounded attack on an honorable citizen." “These attacks on Huma have no logic, no basis, no merit. And they need to stop now," McCain said. In a Tuesday statement, before the most recent criticism, he accused critics of engaging in “political correctness." “To collaborate in this administration's political correctness and pretend that these issues are not real is to potentially put innocent lives at risk in the pursuit of preventing anyone from feeling uncomfortable," Franks said in the statement. Muslim-Americans have repeatedly told Bikyamasr.com that they are frustrated with the attacks on their faith, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
