We’ve been watching with more than a little amusement as the DNC seems poised to elect terror-apologist and member of an organization that collaborates with Middle Eastern terrorists as chairman. That would be black supremacist and Minnesota Democrat Representative Keith Ellison. It is a shame to see a major political party go that route but it will be a pleasure to pin Ellison to every Democrat running… but I digress. Ellison does have opposition but none of them seem particularly viable. And after today, he has one less:

The Democratic National Committee is kicking a candidate out of the chairmanship race after he told The Hill that Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) should not be the party’s next leader because he is a Muslim.

In a Jan. 5 email to The Hill, Vincent Tolliver, a former House candidate in Arkansas, said that Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, should not be chairman because of Islamic positions on homosexuality.

“His being a Muslim is precisely why DNC voters should not vote for him,” Tolliver wrote. “Muslims discriminate against gays. Islamic law is clear on the subject, and being gay is a direct violation of it. In some Muslim countries, being gay is a crime punishable by death.”

“Clearly, Mr. Ellison is not the person to lead the DNC or any other organization committed to not discriminating based on gender identity or sexual orientation,” Tolliver continued. “I’m shocked [the Human Rights Campaign] has been silent on the issue. A vote for Representative Ellison by any member of the DNC would be divisive and unconscionable, not to mention counterproductive to the immediate and necessary steps of rebuilding the Democratic Party.”

A spokesperson for Tolliver said he stands by the statement.

The Hill did not report on the remarks in early January because it was unclear whether Tolliver would be an active candidate for chair.

However, on Saturday, Tolliver participated in the DNC-sanctioned candidates forum in Houston.

The DNC announced on Tuesday that Tolliver would also be one of 11 candidates participating in the next forum in Detroit on Feb. 4.

But Tolliver is no longer invited to participate in the event.

“The Democratic Party welcomes all Americans from all backgrounds. What we do not welcome is people discriminating against others based on who they are or how they worship,” interim Chairwoman Donna Brazile said in a statement to The Hill.

“We expect candidates for Chair of the Party to conduct a respectful campaign based on issues. To assure that, we ask all our Chair candidates to pledge ‘to uphold the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party of the United States,’ and to participate in the process ‘in good faith.’ Mr. Tolliver’s disgusting comments attacking the religion of a fellow candidate fall far short of that standard. Accordingly, Mr. Tolliver is no longer a candidate for DNC Chair.”

This is why the Democrat party has never stood for diversity in any meaningful way. They are all for the right mix of skin colors (unless you are Asian and there are just way, way too many of those people around, amirite?) but they are against diversity of either views or backgrounds, which is really the only part of the whole diversity argument that makes any sense.

It is damned odd that the DNC allows a man who is at least philosophically sympathetic to Islamic terrorism and who is a garden variety anti-Semite and racist to run to lead it, but if someone actually quotes the religious texts Ellison adheres to, they are beyond the Pale (can we still say that?).