Chip Roy: “One last point, because I get it thrown in my face quite frequently that our Founders would be appalled that we are…”

“One last point, because I get it thrown in my face quite frequently that our Founders would be appalled that we are raising these issues and questioning people's ability to carry out and practice their faith. I know that the gentleman is a student of our history and the Constitution, and he is a student of military history. I am confident that he is well apprised of the engagement that Thomas Jefferson had with respect to the Barbary pirates and the Barbary wars. When posed with the question that Jefferson posed: Well, why do you make war with us? The response was, as the gentleman knows: Well, we are commanded to in the Koran. To which Jefferson was fairly appalled, as you would expect him to be, Mr. Speaker. We had to carry out wars to make sure our shipping lanes were open and so forth. I know the gentleman, who is a student of history, understands that that conflict was very clear and present even among our leaders as they were founding this Nation and the enlightenment that led to the First Amendment which we cherish, but the recognition of the direct conflict that the Islamic faith had, especially with respect to sharia law being carried out against our values and Western civilization? Does the gentleman agree? Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.”