Texas Mayor Says She’s Been an Elected Official for 11 Years, and She’s ‘Never Seen This Type of Questioning’ From a Reporter

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Being called an islam-o-phobe in Texas earns you a merit badge. Good sense and good Americans will always survive in the face of the slimy face of radical islam.

Texas Mayor Says She’s Been an Elected Official for 11 Years, and She’s ‘Never Seen This Type of Questioning’ From a Reporter

DALLAS — Irving, Texas, Mayor Beth Van Duyne has been an elected official for nearly 11 years, but she’s “never seen this type of questioning” from a reporter.

The Texas mayor told TheBlaze she received an extensive list of questions from Dallas Morning News reporter Avi Selk for an upcoming profile piece. In addition to several questions about her resume and accomplishments as mayor, the reporter asked a number of personal questions that Van Duyne determined to be “out-of-bounds or unprofessional.”

“Do you have full custody of your children? (Are you a full-time parent, in other words?)” the reporter asked.

“I believe you’ve been in a relationship for a few years now. Could you tell me a little about your partner/boyfriend?”

Van Duyne said she was “absolutely” surprised to see the personal line of questioning.

“I hesitate to even question why that would be,” she added. “This reporter seems to like to write from a particular angle.”

The mayor didn’t elaborate further. Read the reporter’s full list of questions here, which Van Duyne published ahead of the DMN profile.

We reached out to Selk to see if he has any response to Van Duyne’s assertion that some of his questions were inappropriate, but hadn’t received a response as of publication time.

Van Duyne has seen a dramatic increase in press interest in recent months. After reports surfaced about an Islamic tribunal in Irving establishing its own “Sharia court,” Van Duyne penned a Facebook post informing her residents that the so-called Sharia court was not approved or enacted by the city of Irving.

“As Mayor of the City of Irving, I took an oath to uphold the laws of the State of Texas and the Constitution of the United States. I respect the freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment and believe that protecting fundamental constitutional rights and ensuring that individual rights are not violated or denied is essential,” she wrote.

Almost immediately after posting the statement, Van Duyne was accused of stirring up “Islamophobia” in the community. You can read the entire Facebook post here and decide for yourself.

The mayor told TheBlaze she recently met with members of the Irving Islamic Center to discuss the issue. She was again accused of “stirring up all kinds of Islamophobia” and asked a “dozen times” to issue an apology or retraction and publish a “full explanation” on what the Islamic tribunal actually is — requests she denied.

Officials with the Irving Islamic Center have claimed the tribunal helps resolve disputes between worshipers and adheres to state and federal laws.

Van Duyne has since offered her support for a Texas bill that would prohibit any judge from using foreign law in their rulings. Irving City Council joined her in endorsing the bill last week, which doesn’t even mention religion. She said the Irving Islamic Center refused to join her in supporting the bill.

“That mosque had an awesome opportunity to stand hand in hand, saying, ‘yes, we aren’t just telling you to your face that we are upholding Texas laws, but we are willing to support a bill and put it in writing.’ Not only did they miss that opportunity, but they opposed it,” she told TheBlaze.

When we asked the mayor if she was having any second thoughts about her position on the issue, she replied: “No. As an elected official, I took an oath that I would fight for and defend the constitutional rights of residents and I’m going to continue doing that.”

“I’m not going to be bullied into backing down by useless labels, unnecessary labels,” she concluded.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/03/23/texas-mayor-says-shes-been-an-elected-official-for-11-years-and-shes-never-seen-this-type-of-questioning-from-a-reporter/

[TBoneTX 43,022]

Good for her.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Van Duyne has since offered her support for a Texas bill that would prohibit any judge from using foreign law in their rulings. Irving City Council joined her in endorsing the bill last week, which doesn’t even mention religion. She said the Irving Islamic Center refused to join her in supporting the bill.

“That mosque had an awesome opportunity to stand hand in hand, saying, ‘yes, we aren’t just telling you to your face that we are upholding Texas laws, but we are willing to support a bill and put it in writing.’ Not only did they miss that opportunity, but they opposed it,” she told TheBlaze.

This is indicative of ignorance of how the law works in this country. There is no obligation under US law to follow the laws of other countries. Decisions from other common law jurisdictions can be persuasive, but they cannot be relied upon as the law of this country. This is not even up for debate. These tribunals are essentially private arbitration of religious matters, to which parties can elect to submit. We already have these in secular matters, and there is nothing controversial about parties choosing to resolve legal issues through arbitration rather than courts of law. Further, there is a similar system -- Beth din -- which exists for the adjudication of family and commercial Jewish matters, essentially a rabbinic court. Does Van Duyne suggest that there should be no more access to Beth din for Jews who wish to submit to adjudication through that path?

She's an elected official. You put yourself out in the public eye by choice, you should expect to be asked questions from time to time that make you uncomfortable, or that you think are out of bounds. Especially if you make statements that are potentially inflammatory to certain groups within the population you purport to represent. Is it okay to express these opinions? Sure! But she's stuck her head above the parapet, and there are consequences for doing so.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

This is indicative of ignorance of how the law works in this country. There is no obligation under US law to follow the laws of other countries. Decisions from other common law jurisdictions can be persuasive, but they cannot be relied upon as the law of this country. This is not even up for debate. These tribunals are essentially private arbitration of religious matters, to which parties can elect to submit. We already have these in secular matters, and there is nothing controversial about parties choosing to resolve legal issues through arbitration rather than courts of law. Further, there is a similar system -- Beth din -- which exists for the adjudication of family and commercial Jewish matters, essentially a rabbinic court. Does Van Duyne suggest that there should be no more access to Beth din for Jews who wish to submit to adjudication through that path?

She's an elected official. You put yourself out in the public eye by choice, you should expect to be asked questions from time to time that make you uncomfortable, or that you think are out of bounds. Especially if you make statements that are potentially inflammatory to certain groups within the population you purport to represent. Is it okay to express these opinions? Sure! But she's stuck her head above the parapet, and there are consequences for doing so.

Now, now. Don't try being rational around here.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Now, now. Don't try being rational around here.

I know. My comments are likely to be ignored by those who know squat about this but it's enough for them that she has an ® after her name to demonstrate that she must be correct in her analysis.

[Boiler 43,401]

I feel a fatwa coming....

[JohnR! 5,495]

Absolutely not!!!! She meant it only regarding Islam because there is a fatwa in circulation calling for the creation of a Caliphate in Texas... or do I have it confused with Ted Cruz's campaign platform?

... Does Van Duyne suggest that there should be no more access to Beth din for Jews who wish to submit to adjudication through that path?...

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I know. My comments are likely to be ignored by those who know squat about this but it's enough for them that she has an ® after her name to demonstrate that she must be correct in her analysis.

The Blaze celebrates her - that's all it takes from them right wing nutters to know that she must be a hero.

[Teddy B 17,251]

The Texas mayor told TheBlaze she received an extensive list of questions from Dallas Morning News reporter Avi Selk for an upcoming profile piece. In addition to several questions about her resume and accomplishments as mayor, the reporter asked a number of personal questions that Van Duyne determined to be “out-of-bounds or unprofessional.”

“Do you have full custody of your children? (Are you a full-time parent, in other words?)” the reporter asked.

“I believe you’ve been in a relationship for a few years now. Could you tell me a little about your partner/boyfriend?”

Somebody oughtta clue this Mayor in on what a profile piece consists of. Those are basic questions anyone who was writing a profile piece would want to know. Geebus the stupid, it burns!!

Edited March 24, 2015 by Teddy B

[Darnell 8,478]

Irving is becoming the largest muslim area in the usa. Just sayin..

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Being called an islam-o-phobe in Texas earns you a merit badge. Good sense and good Americans will always survive in the face of the slimy face of radical islam.

Since the Mayor and her constituents aren't surviving in the face of the slimy face of radical islam, your comment, intended no doubt to support the Mayor, is roughly as idiotic as the measure the Mayor tried to pass.

Danno you are a wonder.

Edited March 25, 2015 by ready4ONE

[decocker 7,198]

I know. My comments are likely to be ignored by those who know squat about this but it's enough for them that she has an ® after her name to demonstrate that she must be correct in her analysis.

making the rounds on the ol fb this am...lol. idiots.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Irving is becoming the largest muslim area in the usa. Just sayin..

Irving is the new Dearborn.

[Darnell 8,478]

Beth had some new issues last week on that sharia law thingie there in Irving. Go Get Em, Beth !