Breitbart has video of Rep. Andre Carson at the Islamic Circle of North America – Muslim American Society 2012 Convention where he gave what some called a “motivational speech.”

In it, Carson boasted about how he worked to get American taxpayer dollars sent to their “brothers” in Palestine.  That was me with applause, as was this line:

America, will never tap into educational innovation and ingenuity without looking at the model that we have in our madrassas, in our schools, where innovation is encouraged, where the foundation is the Koran.

Yep.  That’s a sitting Congressman saying American education won’t be decent until we implement a system of education “where the foundation is the Koran.

I took the liberty to download the video, snip that section out and upload it to YouTube.  I like Breitbart, but their videos are auto-starters.  I don’t like auto-starters.  I don’t think you do either.

Anyway, see for yourself:

I have spoken with Rep. Carson’s office and his press secretary about the speech and asked for clarification on what he was saying exactly.  When I have that, I’ll share it with you.

Here’s the full speech, in case anyone wants to start with the whole, “YOU TOOK THAT OUT OF CONTEXT AND BLEAARGH…” line of defense.

Here’s the statement from the Carson campaign:

Thanks for reaching out regarding Congressman Carson’s remarks at ICNA, and I’m happy to provide some clarification. The way the clip is cropped seems to dilute some of the context.

Congressman Carson’s comments refer to a school model that is focused on addressing the different learning styles that enable success for our children, including the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners that often miss out in a one size fits all pedagogy. This model is being championed by many public magnet programs, charter schools, and a significant number of faith-based private schools throughout this country – Christian, Jewish, and others. The Congressman does believe that, like many other faiths, the American Muslim community is fortunate to have schools that follow a model that empowers these learning styles.

These remarks are not a proclamation that any faith should take precedence in our education system, but a call to look at what models of instruction are working in the classroom and replicate them.