Running for governor is a competitive business but Missouri Republican candidate Eric Greitens has found a quirky way to bolster his popularity - leading a crusade to defeat Daesh (ISIS) in Missouri by issuing out “ISIS Hunting Permits.”
Eric Greitens, one of the four Republicans running for Missouri Governor, has started selling bumper stickers for $10, imprinted with the words: "ISIS HUNTING PERMIT 2016"
“No bagging limit. No tagging limit,” the bumper sticker says. It will expire, "when we defeat evil."
And, for an extra $90, donors can get stickers signed by a former Navy SEAL who claims he killed Osama bin Laden.
A GOP gubernatorial candidate issued himself an "ISIS hunting permit".
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 30, 2016
Becuase... why not? https://t.co/i6PmdqywxU pic.twitter.com/6hAG9mg0V5
"All of these people who are out there, they want to join our mission," said Greitens. "They want to become part of the team- part of the campaign- and we thought this would be a fun way to let people know about my biography and that we all need to stand together against terrorism," Greitens told Fox news.
"We've gotta take this fight to [them]." -@EricGreitens has issued an 'ISIS hunting permit' as part of his campaignhttps://t.co/y6aAw2A0j6
— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) July 1, 2016
As an ex-Navy seal, Greiten is keen to play on his overtly macho patriotism, and famously aired a political ad of himself randomly shooting and blowing things up after declaring he will "take dead aim at politics."
However the prospect of right-wing Missourians, patrolling the streets with ISIS Hunting permits, has rattled the local Muslim community.
The Executive Director for the Counsel on American Islamic Relations in Missouri, Faizan Syed, says the group stands against Daesh but is concerned Greitens' message may put Missouri Muslims in danger if it ends up in the wrong hands.
"The problem is with his target audience. Amongst them are radicals in this country who don't know the difference between the two [Muslims and radical Islamists]," said Faizan Syed.
While there has been no reaction from Greitchen's political opponents, the campaign is expecting some backlash. In a statement, they said: “Liberals will go crazy when they see these, but remember, this isn’t an official government issued hunting tag."
Official or not, seems like Daesh cells in Missouri should be wary of local Republicans, armed with bumper stickers and out to 'defeat evil.'
AM
