周三，一名政治新人在一次意外的选举失利中击败了新泽西州资深州参议院主席，在为之前的反穆斯林推文道歉后，他会见了当地的一个伊斯兰组织。
商业卡车司机爱德华·杜尔在新泽西州第三立法区的州参议员竞选中击败了斯蒂芬·斯威尼。
获胜后不久，杜尔就因过去的社交媒体帖子而受到抨击，包括2019年的一条推文，他称先知穆罕默德为“恋童癖者”，称伊斯兰教为“仇恨邪教”
费城ABC站WPVI也没有被发现杜尔将疫苗授权比作大屠杀的声明。此后，杜尔删除了他的一些社交媒体页面。
“我是一个充满激情的人，我有时会在最激动的时候说一些话。如果我在过去说了伤害任何人感情的话，我真诚地道歉，”根据WPVI报道，Durr上周五说。“我支持每个人以自己选择的任何方式崇拜和崇拜自己选择的上帝的权利。我支持所有人，我支持每个人的权利。”
他当选后，美国-伊斯兰关系委员会新泽西分会(一个穆斯林倡导和民权组织)谴责了他的推文，但邀请杜尔与该组织的当地分会会面。
杜尔接受了该组织的提议，并会见了CAIR-新泽西州的成员。WPVI报告说杜尔在苏厄尔的阿尔明哈尔学院与当地伊斯兰领导人的会面持续了近两个小时。
“我认为我们进行了一次非常富有成效的谈话，我认为这将是希望的许多谈话之一，”said新泽西州执行董事塞莱丁·马克苏特在周三与杜尔的联合露面中说。
“我反对仇视伊斯兰教和一切形式的仇恨，我确实致力于此，”杜尔在媒体见面会上说。
马特·洛克/美联社
当选参议员爱德华·杜尔在新闻发布会上接受媒体采访...
“我们新泽西州分部与州参议员#EdDurr进行了富有成效的会谈。他承诺反对#伊斯兰恐惧症。我们欢迎这一结果，并希望在未来有更多富有成效的对话，”国家CAIR后来发了微博。
格洛斯特县共和党主席雅克西·义警上周五为杜尔辩护，称“埃德是一个充满激情的人。他当时有点像键盘手。他当然已经道歉了。他无意冒犯任何人的宗教，当然相信每个人都有权利实践自己选择的宗教。”
杜尔的对手斯威尼是新泽西州历史上任职时间最长的州参议院主席。直到星期三他才在比赛中认输。
“我当然接受这个结果。据当地新闻报道，斯威尼在州议会大厦的一次演讲中说:“我想祝贺杜尔，并祝他好运。“这是一个红色的波浪，”他补充道。
NJ state Sen.-elect Edward Durr meets with Islamic group after apologizing for anti-Muslim tweet
A political newcomer who beat New Jersey's veteran state senate president in a surprise election upset met with a local Islamic group Wednesday after apologizing for a previous anti-Muslim tweet.
Edward Durr, a commercial truck driver, beat Stephen Sweeney in the state senate race for New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District.
Soon after his victory, Durr came under fire for past social media posts, including a 2019 tweet where he called the prophet Mohammed a "pedophile" and Islam a "cult of hate."
Philadelphia ABC station WPVIalso uncoveredstatements from Durr comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. Durr has since deleted some of his social media pages.
"I'm a passionate guy and I sometimes say things in the heat of the moment. If I said things in the past that hurt anybody's feelings, I sincerely apologize," Durr said last Friday, according to WPVI. "I support everybody's right to worship in any manner they choose and to worship the God of their choice. I support all people and I support everybody's rights."
After his election victory, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim advocacy and civil rights organization, condemned his tweet but invited Durr to meet with the organization's local chapter.
Durr accepted the group's offer and met with CAIR-NJ members.WPVI reportedthat Durr's meeting with local Islamic leaders at Al-Minhaal Academy in Sewell lasted nearly two hours.
"I think we had a very productive conversation and I think it's going to be one of hopefully many," CAIR-NJ Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said in a joint appearance with Durr on Wednesday.
"I stand against Islamophobia and all forms of hate and I do commit to that," Durr said at the media appearance.
"Our New Jersey chapter had a productive meeting with State Senator #EdDurr. He expressed commitment to opposing #Islamophobia. We welcome this outcome and hope to have more productive dialogues in the future," the national CAIRtweeted later.
Jacci Vigilante, Gloucester County GOP chair, defended Durr last Friday, saying, "Ed is a passionate guy. He was a little bit of a keyboard warrior at the time. Certainly he's made an apology. He didn't intend to offend anyone's religion and certainly believes that everyone has the right to practice their religion of their choice."
Sweeney, Durr's opponent, was the longest-serving state senate president in New Jersey history. He did not concede the race until Wednesday.
"I of course accept the results. I want to congratulate Mr. Durr and wish him the best of luck," Sweeney said during a speech at the statehouse complex, according to local news reports. "It was a red wave," he added.
