Iowa senator receives ‘hateful’ messages after reading opening prayer by Muslim constituent

(Des Moines Register) When the Iowa Senate gaveled in Feb. 8, Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Windsor Heights, stood to offer an opening prayer asking God for inspiration, guidance and peace.

The prayer was written by one of her constituents, a young Muslim woman. A few days later, Trone Garriott said, she began receiving “hateful” messages on social media.

“Some of the people who were making comments, they were saying just horrible things about our Muslim neighbors — that they hate freedom and that they’re trying to take over the country and they want to hurt Christians — and all of these terrible things that aren’t true,” she said.

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