A Christian minister running for a congressional seat in Iowa has written about how the September 11 attacks in 2001 heightened his awareness of anti-Muslim bigotry and its negative effects.
Sarah Tron Garriott, one of three Democratic candidates for the district currently represented by Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), shared his experiences in an opinion piece. In February 2021, he responded to “hate-filled messages” directed at him after he shared an Arabic prayer from a Muslim woman on the state Capitol floor.
In his writings, Garriott stated, “They said horrible stereotypes about my Muslim neighbors, including their hatred of Islamic law, their hatred of freedom, and their violent religion.” He noted that some critics argued the U.S. is a “Judeo-Christian country,” asserting that Muslim prayers were unwelcome. Others accused him of misguiding people as a Christian leader.
In light of the backlash, Garriott feels a strong need for increased religious diversity. He revealed that he began studying for a master’s degree in divinity at Harvard the day after the 9/11 attacks. Reflecting on his time at a diverse campus, he mentioned becoming increasingly aware of the prejudice against Muslims. “I’m a literalist of the Bible, and I took Jesus’s words about peacemaking to heart,” he wrote. He collaborated with Muslim classmates to celebrate Ramadan.
In stark contrast, Nunn’s spokesperson, Mark Mataba, expressed that Nunn had a “different response” to the attacks—he enlisted in the Air Force and completed over 100 combat missions. Mataba also criticized Garriott for allegedly downplaying the gravity of the 9/11 attacks, stating, “Her disdain for Iowa and America is evident.”
Republican responses to Garriott’s comments were not favorable. Iowa Republican Party spokeswoman Jade Sissy slammed her for focusing on anti-Muslim sentiments without acknowledging the tragedy of the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day. She described Garriott’s statements as tone-deaf political pandering, while Republican National Committee spokesman Zach Kraft accused her of alienating Iowa values by aligning with elite coastal Democrats.
Garriott had previously criticized the presence of Christian displays at political rallies, labeling it as an unsettling overlap of faith and political power. Fox News Digital attempted to reach Garriott for a response but has yet to receive a reply.
