Overview
- Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith said on the FlashPoint talk show that he “hates Islam,” called the religion a “death cult,” and urged people to “be OK with hating again.”
- He later posted on social media near the close of Eid al-Adha saying he loves Muslims but hopes they will become Christian, a message critics say doubled down on his comments.
- The Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network and the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the remarks as dehumanizing, and CAIR invited Beckwith to visit local mosques for dialogue.
- U.S. Rep. André Carson called the comments “outrageous and unacceptable,” while Beckwith’s office defended the statements as rooted in his religious beliefs and warned about Sharia law.
- Advocates say the episode could increase fear and hostility toward Indiana Muslims and raises questions about how statewide officials should balance personal faith with duties to protect religious freedom and public safety.