Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

NbA Muslims

Home
Purpose

Home
Muslim
Senior Consultant Shares Johnson-Harrell Swearing-in Invocation Experience

Senior Consultant Shares Johnson-Harrell Swearing-in Invocation Experience

Last updated on: March 27, 2019 at 3:35 pm by NbAMuslims

Senior Consultant Shares Johnson-Harrell Swearing-in Invocation Experience 2019-03-27T15:35:56-04:00 NbAMuslims

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Credit: video capture of Movita Johnson-Harrell Swearing-in PA House Video

During her historic swearing-in ceremony on Monday, PA state representative, Movita Johnson-Harell became the target of a radical Christian rhetoric by Rep. Stephanie Borowicz during an invocation.

In her prayer, Borowicz constantly invoked the name “Jesus,” and praised Donald Trump and his support for the state of Israel.

Johnson-Harrell, an African American Muslim woman, said the invocation was, “a political radical statement masked as a prayer. It was offensive to me and my family and my visitors that came down here for a joyous day. We were looking forward to me being sworn in not just as the state representative for the 190th district but also as the first hijabi woman, the first Muslim woman to serve in the PA legislature.”

Image: Salima Suswell

Former senior consultant on the Johnson-Harrell campaign, Salima Suswell shared her experience with NbA Muslims.

Honestly, I was confused about what was happening. I was at first overwhelmed with emotion, and so very proud to stand with Representative Movita Johnson Harrell as she made history by being sworn into office as the very first Muslim woman elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

When the invocation happened, I watched this woman give this almost belligerent rant, which was very anti-Muslim and pro-Trump, and I felt personally disrespected. I also felt bad that Movita’s historical moment was interrupted by such blatant Islamophobia, but this is the reason why we all worked so hard to get Movita elected. She is the change that is necessary and she represents the need for inclusion and acceptance in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and in our Nation.

Weaponizing Religion

Suswell noted how Borowicz’s use of Jesus’s name was directly offensive.

“Borowicz’s words were offensive because she used Christianity as a weapon to insult Rep. Movita Johnson Harrell and make her and her guests uncomfortable. On the day that the state swore in its first Muslim woman Representative, the evangelical “prayer” was proof of the Islamophobia and hatred that is rampant among members of the PA Republican party. It was a shameful publicity stunt.

Jesus is a beloved prophet for Muslims and to hear his name being praised in the same sentence as a womanizer like Trump’s was awful and quite frankly cringe-worthy.”

Credit: video capture of Movita Johnson-Harrell Swearing-in PA House Video

Supporting Muslims Elected Officials

“Borowicz’s behavior must be addressed, and she should be censured. She should also offer a public apology to Representative Movita Johnson Harrell. This kind of disrespect will not be tolerated by any means.”

In support of Rep. Johnson-Harrell, we must speak out against Islamophobia and continue to stand in support of our representative and other Muslim American elected officials. We must send a clear message that Rep. Johnson-Harrell is supported by a large community; we believe in her ability as a legislator; we appreciate her bravery, and as Muslim American citizens, we demand fairness and respect.

On what should have been a historic day, as the Pennsylvania House of Representatives swore in the first Muslim woman to the Legislature, Representative Movita Johnson-Harell was instead met with divisive and disturbing actions. It was unworthy of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, one of the oldest deliberative bodies in the world founded on religious freedom. It was a missed opportunity to unify us in an increasingly hostile environment fraught with Islamophobia, racism, anti-antisemitism, homophobia and xenophobia.

This is compounded by the recent horrific execution of 50 Muslim worshipers in New Zealand. This is a sober reminder that while we have progressed as a Commonwealth, home to founders and supporters of religious liberty like Benjamin Franklin and William Penn, we still have work to do.

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus recently condemned the House Chamber invocation.

#nbamuslims 500

African-American Muslims

African American Muslim

religious intolerance

state representantive

Previous Post

March 21, 2019

MuslimARC Statement on New Zealand

Next Post

May 8, 2019 APAH Month - Rushan Abbas Raises Awareness about Uyghur Oppression

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #nbamuslims 500 #nbamuslims book review African-American Muslims Asian American Muslims Authors Speak Latinx Muslims Race/Ethnicity Sex and Gender Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 October 2019 September 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 October 2014 September 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many times did Elijah stretch over dead child?

Select your answer to see how you score.

5 2 3 4