1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to you today to express my profound outrage regarding the recent public statements and proposed legislation of Representative Andy Ogles. On March 9, 2026, Representative Ogles stated that "Muslims don't belong in American society" and declared that "pluralism is a lie." These statements are not merely offensive; they are a rejection of the core tenets upon which the United States was founded. Furthermore, his proposed bill to ban immigration from specific Muslim-majority countries is a discriminatory measure that betrays our history as a land of religious freedom. Our founding documents explicitly repudiate the idea that any religious group "doesn't belong" here: -- The First Amendment: The very first right protected in the Bill of Rights is the "free exercise" of religion. It does not contain an asterisk excluding Islam or any other faith. -- Article VI of the Constitution: Explicitly states that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States." This foundational law ensures that citizenship and service are based on merit and loyalty to the Constitution, not on one’s creed. -- George Washington’s 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport: Our first President wrote that the U.S. government "gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance." He envisioned a nation where everyone shall "sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid." The "pluralism" that Rep. Ogles calls a lie is, in fact, the very engine of American success. Our ability to integrate diverse backgrounds into a single national identity—E Pluribus Unum—is what made us the most prosperous and innovative nation in history. To abandon this now is to spit on the legacy of the generations who fought and died to build and defend a free, open society. I demand that you: 1.. Publicly denounce Representative Ogles’ rhetoric as un-American and contrary to our values. 2.. Commit to voting AGAINST his discriminatory "Halt Immigration" bill or any legislation that targets individuals based on their religious identity. 3.. Vigilantly speak out against religious bigotry as a fulfillment of your oath to support and defend the Constitution. The Constitution is an inherently anti-bigotry document; to remain silent in the face of such rhetoric is to fail in the duty to protect the pluralistic foundation of the Republic. We cannot allow the fear-mongering of a few to dismantle the constitutional protections that define us. I look forward to hearing your position on this critical matter.