GOP candidate admits he was wrong about Muslims and ‘Sharia law’ in Dearborn - Detroit Metro Times

A Republican Gubernatorial Candidate's Apology: A U-Turn from Islamophobic Rhetoric

Republican candidate Anthony Hudson has walked back on his inflammatory statements about Dearborn, a predominantly Muslim city in Michigan. After spending two weeks warning of "Muslim infiltration" and "Sharia law," Hudson unexpectedly met with residents, visited mosques, and experienced the opposite of what he had predicted.

Hudson initially promoted an 'American Crusade' march, claiming to expose Dearborn's alleged problems with Muslims and Sharia Law. He even tweeted conspiracy theories about the city and retweeted messages that claimed Muslims were trying to take over America. However, after 72 hours of interacting with residents, touring local businesses, and visiting three mosques, Hudson realized he had been misled.

"I can tell you in good faith right now standing at a pulpit in a mosque that Sharia law does not exist in Dearborn, Michigan, nor do I believe it exists anywhere in the United States," Hudson said in a video posted from one of the mosques. "You have all been lied to with the propaganda that's going on about Dearborn, Michigan...Dearborn is a very quiet community. There is a lot of hospitality."

Hudson's sudden change of heart comes after spending time talking to residents who disputed his claims, saying they would never engage in such actions. His apology marked a stark contrast to his earlier anti-Muslim rhetoric and drew praise from civil rights groups.

However, Hudson still plans to proceed with the march that was initially organized by his campaign, despite only 42 people expressing interest on Facebook. The reason behind the march remains unclear, but it has sparked concerns about whether it will serve as a counter-protest to counter claims of Islamophobia in Dearborn.

In a bizarre twist, Hudson's video message took an ugly turn when he referred to a journalist as a "fucking lesbian" and used a homophobic slur. This unfortunate incident raises questions about the candidate's judgment and behavior during his apology tour.

I'm so done with politicians like Anthony Hudson who use fear-mongering rhetoric to get ahead. He literally went from spreading hate towards Muslims in Dearborn, MI to suddenly becoming BFFs with them after just 72 hours of interaction? Like, dude, you can't just fake it till you make it, especially when it comes to something as sensitive as Islamophobia. And now he's still planning on pushing an 'American Crusade' march despite all the pushback? That's just ridiculous.

I mean, I'm glad some civil rights groups are speaking out against him, but his apology came with a major caveat - his outburst at a journalist later in the video was totally unacceptable. It's like, okay, we get it, you're trying to apologize, but also be careful not to offend even more people. This whole thing just feels like a masterclass in how not to handle a crisis.

I think what bothers me most is that he still seems to believe his own hype - he thinks he's some kind of hero for "exposing" Dearborn's alleged problems with Muslims. Newsflash, dude: you're not a hero, you're just another politician trying to use fear-mongering tactics to get elected. And honestly, it's just sad that people like him are still out there.

omg did u know that i just tried this new plant-based milk from almond joe it's literally so good on my oat pancakes btw what's with all these politicians being like "oh I'm gonna apologize for saying something stupid" like it's a big deal they should be more concerned about the fact that they're using their platform to spread hate in the first place anyway i was reading about how some cities have these awesome community gardens and i just wanna move there ASAP

omg what is going on with this guy ?? I mean i can see why people would be mad at him for making those Islamophobic comments in the first place, but now it seems like he just had a complete change of heart after spending some time in Dearborn...idk if that's genuine or not. I'm still skeptical about the whole 'American Crusade' march thing though...like why would you do that if you're trying to make amends? and btw, what was up with him going off on that journalist?? the slur thing was super unprofessional. anyway, i guess it's a good thing some civil rights groups are speaking out against his campaign. we need more people like them who care about these issues

I gotta say, Anthony Hudson's apology is a bit of a mixed bag . On one hand, it's great that he's finally recognizing the harm caused by his Islamophobic rhetoric and is willing to listen to the concerns of Dearborn residents. However, I'm still not convinced that this whole thing is just a PR stunt . The fact that he's still planning to go ahead with that march despite the lukewarm response from his supporters seems like a bit of a cop-out .

And then there was that little slip-up where he dropped some nasty language in his video message...that's not exactly reassuring, you know? I mean, I get that we all make mistakes sometimes, but when it comes to something as sensitive as this, you'd think he'd be more careful with his words.

Still, I guess it's a step in the right direction for Hudson, and I hope that he can learn from his experience and become a more effective advocate for his constituents. Fingers crossed!

Ugh, I'm so relieved that Anthony Hudson finally realized how wrong he was about Dearborn . It's crazy how quickly people can get misled by misinformation and then realize they've been duped. But, at the same time, I'm really disappointed in him for still planning to go through with that march . Like, what's the point of even organizing it if he knows his claims are baseless? And, honestly, using a homophobic slur towards a journalist is just a major screw-up . It shows that he can't just apologize and expect people to move on - there needs to be some accountability here .

I'm not buying it...
Anthony Hudson just flip-flopped on his Islamophobic rhetoric like it was nothing, but what really gets me is that he thinks a few mosque visits and some "hospitality" from Dearborn residents will magically erase the harm he's caused?
And to make matters worse, he uses a homophobic slur in an attempt to deflect attention?
It's like he thought he could just apologize for being wrong, without actually doing anything to make amends or take responsibility for his actions.
I'd rather believe he's still planning that march and using it as a PR stunt to try and salvage his campaign.

I'm not entirely convinced by Anthony Hudson's sudden change of heart. He spent two weeks spreading Islamophobic rhetoric, but now he's suddenly an expert on Dearborn's Muslim community? It's nice that he visited mosques and met with residents, but can we really trust someone who has a history of promoting conspiracy theories about Muslims and Sharia law? And what's up with the march anyway? 42 people showing interest? I don't buy it. This whole thing feels like an PR stunt to me. But at the same time, I do appreciate his apology for some of the more egregious comments...

Just read this whole thing... what can u say?! He literally goes from painting a city full of Muslims as some sort of enemy to just... chillin' with them and saying they're all friendly! I get that we've got some issues in the US but come on, let's be real. Dearborn people didn't deserve this kind of hate speech to begin with. Now he's still gonna go through with that march thingy? Like what's next? I'm not sure if it's a PR stunt or genuine attempt at making amends... either way, kudos to the Muslim community for standing up and refusing to be bullied!

I'm still not convinced that Anthony Hudson is genuinely sorry for those Islamophobic comments . I mean, what prompted him to change his tune so suddenly? And let's be real, meeting with residents and visiting mosques just to "clear the air" sounds like a PR stunt to me . The fact that he's still planning to go ahead with that march, despite only 42 people showing interest, reeks of opportunism . And what's with all these sudden apologies and U-turns? It smells like a politician trying to save their skin before the election . On the bright side, I do hope those civil rights groups are keeping a close eye on this guy . Can't we just get some honesty from our politicians for once?