California City Official Faces Ouster Calls for Posting Anti-Islam Message on Facebook

For supporting a call for a global ban on Islam, a city official in California found himself under fire and facing calls for his resignation even though he later retracted his statement and apologized.

El Monte, California Planning Commissioner Art Barrios, who is a former city council member, ignited a firestorm when he made a comment on an article titled "China Makes Major Moves to Ban Islam" in Facebook. He posted: "Sounds good maybe the rest of the world should do the same."

Later, Barrios claimed he meant no harm when he made the comment even as he apologized for his action. "I meant to say this would be a step forward if it pertained exclusively to Islamic extremists of the world, and not Islam the religion," he said, according to San Gabriel Valley Tribune. "I wrote hastily. My point was far off from my intended thought and I'd like to apologize for it."

Barrios said he is angered when he hears stories of people killed because of their belief.

"My blood reaches the boiling point hearing the stories of men, women and children being killed like animals because of belief. I am sorry if I offended anyone, particularly those that practice Islam. As an American, I welcome and encourage open discussion and do not wish to belittle that freedom that we have," he said.

Despite his apology, the Council on American Islamic Relations Greater Los Angeles chapter has demanded for his resignation for posting an "Islamophobic" comment on Facebook.

"While Mr. Barrios has the right to his bigoted views, it is unacceptable for a person who holds such views to be in a position of public trust and authority," said L.A. Council Public Affairs coordinator Haroon Manjlai.

The Council said if Barrios refuses to resign, the city council should vote to remove him from his post as planning commissioner.

"Discrimination against building of mosques is widespread and well documented, and therefore it is unacceptable that a planning commissioner of any city, who ought to be fair and neutral, would hold such hateful views. We urge Mr. Barrios to resign his post on the planning commission, or failing that, for the city council to vote to remove him at their next meeting," the Council said in a statement.

El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero likewise expressed concern about Barrios' post and urged the city council to remove him as planning commissioner.

"The comment he made was very insensitive toward a whole lot of people. He could have crafted whatever he wanted to say certainly more articulately than he did," Quintero said. "It's not appropriate for an appointed official of the city to say we should essentially ban a religion altogether."