America's Minority Religions Take Center Stage
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/common-ground-news-service/americas-minority-religions-take-center-stage_b_2442928.html
Posted: 01/10/2013 12:48 pm
By Tamarra Kemsley
Newtown, Conn. -- First, it was Mitt Romney's campaign for the 2008 presidential bid. Then came The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "I'm a Mormon" public relations campaign, flooding New York City's Time Square and a dozen other American cities. Next arrived Broadway's "The Book of Mormon" musical. And finally, in 2012 Mitt Romney ran for president again.
Collectively, this time period has been labelled the "Mormon Moment." And for the faith's 14 million members ready to shed their reputation as a non-Christian, polygamy-practicing cult, it couldn't come soon enough.
Mormons, however, weren't the only U.S. religious minority thrust under the limelight during both presidential campaigns.
On-going in both the 2008 and 2012 campaigns were false statements that Barack Obama is Muslim. Islam and Muslims also made headlines in the United States during debates over Rep. Peter King's controversial congressional hearings on Islamic radicalisation and state bills banning the use of Islamic or other non-U.S. legal principles, and the "All American Muslim" television program featuring Muslims in Detroit.
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