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PALOS HILLS, Ill. -- Palos residents are calling for the resignation of a township trustee after she wrote posts on social media that are being called anti-Muslim. <\/p>\n
Trustee Sharon Brannigan says she was just exercising her First Amendment rights to free speech. <\/p>\n
In one post she asks, Why are all our schools filling with Middle East students without proper documentation? <\/p>\n
In another she says Muslims dont integrate and keep their activities hidden. <\/p>\n
And in yet another she applauded the First Lady for not wearing a headscarf while she was overseas. <\/p>\n
Brannigan says she was forced to delete her Facebook page because of all the hate mail she was receiving. She says her florist business has also been targeted. <\/p>\n
But she says is not ashamed of anything she posted and does not plan to resign her position. <\/p>\n
Everything I posted is covered under the 1st Amendment, she says. I think its the 85 pound gorilla in the room. You know theres an issue here and now its coming down to us being taxed even more. <\/p>\n
Branngian has been an elected Palos Township trustee since 2013. <\/p>\n
But Muslim residents say her views on taxation are just a front for her real feelings and that she doesnt like people who are different. <\/p>\n
No elected official should be speaking about her constituency her residency in such language, says Nareman Taha, co-founder and director of Arab American family services and Palos Township resident. <\/p>\n
Its clearly racist. Its clearly anti-Arab and Islamophobic, says Hatem Abudayyeh, Executive Director of Arab American Action Network. And shes emboldened because we have a racist, and a homophobe and a sexist in the White House. <\/p>\n
Brannigan says she has been posting similar sentiments for the last five years. And while illegal immigration might be a sensitive topic, it needs to be discussed openly. She says she is not anti-Muslim. She is \"an advocate for the taxpayer. <\/p>\n
They are taking services from the taxpayer that is and always has been an issue, Brannigan says. <\/p>\n
Brannigan says she will be here to make a statement at a board meeting tonight. Protestors say they will also be there to greet her. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\nSuburban trustee defends anti-Muslim Facebook posts, says its her First Amendment right - WGN-TV<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"