Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The current contest taking place in the 1st Congressional District between Rob Wittman and Qasim Rashid is interesting. While Congressman Wittman discussed issues and possible or proposed solutions to problems occurring to citizens within the district, state and nation, Mr. Rashid often centers his attention on matters in the Middle East and especially the Muslim population of that area.

For example, Mr. Rashid has sent numerous tweets over many months in which he has said there is no such thing as Muslim terrorism; he has alleged that the United States is to blame for the creation of Hamas and ISIS; that in a recent year, America has lost more citizens to its own Ikea furniture than occurred at the hands of Muslim extremists, and accused American soldiers of mass rape and sniping Muslim citizens for sport.

These claims are beyond disturbing and I appreciate Representative Wittman bringing them to our attention. For Rashid to say that by making us awa...