Louisiana congressman apologizes

The Associated Press
 
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A Louisiana congressman apologized Thursday after coming under fire from Arab-Americans for saying anyone with “a diaper on his head” should be stopped and questioned.
Republican Rep. John Cooksey, who is planning to run for Senate next year, made the comment Monday in a radio interview broadcast statewide.
“If I see someone come in and he’s got a diaper on his head and a fan belt around that diaper on his head, that guy needs to be pulled over and checked,” Cooksey said.
Ziad Asali, president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, called Cooksey’s remark “very unfortunate.”
On Thursday, Cooksey issued a statement, saying, “The man I had on my mind was Osama bin Laden and I never intended to disparage loyal Americans of Arab descent.”
But the congressman went on to say that extra scrutiny is necessary, and that a war on terrorism cannot be won “if we have to stop every five minutes to make sure we’re being politically correct.”