NY gov slammed for ‘westernized’ Muslims comment

Muslim leaders in the United States are criticizing Gov. David Paterson for his description of the developers of an Islamic center and mosque planned near ground zero as peaceful, “almost westernized” Muslims.

The Muslim Public Affairs Council said Paterson mischaracterized the sect known as Sufi and his comment suggests other Muslims are a problem, although he made no criticism of Islam or any branches of it.

…Paterson, who has offered the developers state resources if they decide they’d prefer another site farther from ground zero, said in radio and television interviews Thursday that he had researched Sufi Muslims and they are “not like the Shiites,” the second-largest branch of Muslims and the majority in Iraq.

“They’re almost like a hybrid, almost westernized,” he said. “They are not really what I would classify in the sort of mainland Muslim practice.”

Paterson’s use of “mainland” apparently was intended to be “mainstream.”

Paterson didn’t immediately respond to a Friday request for comment on criticism of his remarks.

Damn bigoted wingnuts!