America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on
Townhall
By Dennis Prager
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Keith Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress, has announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran.
He should not be allowed to do so — not because of any American hostility to the Koran, but because the act undermines American civilization.
First, it is an act of hubris that perfectly exemplifies multiculturalist activism — my culture trumps America’s culture. What Ellison and his Muslim and leftist supporters are saying is that it is of no consequence what America holds as its holiest book; all that matters is what any individual holds to be his holiest book.
Forgive me, but America should not give a hoot what Keith Ellison’s favorite book is. Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don’t serve in Congress. In your personal life, we will fight for your right to prefer any other book. We will even fight for your right to publish cartoons mocking our Bible. But, Mr. Ellison, America, not you, decides on what book its public servants take their oath.
Devotees of multiculturalism and political correctness who do not see how damaging to the fabric of American civilization it is to allow Ellison to choose his own book need only imagine a racist elected to Congress. Would they allow him to choose Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” the Nazis’ bible, for his oath? And if not, why not? On what grounds will those defending Ellison’s right to choose his favorite book deny that same right to a racist who is elected to public office?
Of course, Ellison’s defenders argue that Ellison is merely being honest; since he believes in the Koran and not in the Bible, he should be allowed, even encouraged, to put his hand on the book he believes in. But for all of American history, Jews elected to public office have taken their oath on the Bible, even though they do not believe in the New Testament, and the many secular elected officials have not believed in the Old Testament either. Yet those secular officials did not demand to take their oaths of office on, say, the collected works of Voltaire or on a volume of New York Times editorials, writings far more significant to some liberal members of Congress than the Bible. Nor has one Mormon official demanded to put his hand on the Book of Mormon. And it is hard to imagine a scientologist being allowed to take his oath of office on a copy of “Dianetics” by L. Ron Hubbard.
So why are we allowing Keith Ellison to do what no other member of Congress has ever done — choose his own most revered book for his oath?
The answer is obvious — Ellison is a Muslim. And whoever decides these matters, not to mention virtually every editorial page in America, is not going to offend a Muslim. In fact, many of these people argue it will be a good thing because Muslims around the world will see what an open society America is and how much Americans honor Muslims and the Koran.
This argument appeals to all those who believe that one of the greatest goals of America is to be loved by the world, and especially by Muslims because then fewer Muslims will hate us (and therefore fewer will bomb us).
But these naive people do not appreciate that America will not change the attitude of a single American-hating Muslim by allowing Ellison to substitute the Koran for the Bible. In fact, the opposite is more likely: Ellison’s doing so will embolden Islamic extremists and make new ones, as Islamists, rightly or wrongly, see the first sign of the realization of their greatest goal — the Islamicization of America.
When all elected officials take their oaths of office with their hands on the very same book, they all affirm that some unifying value system underlies American civilization. If Keith Ellison is allowed to change that, he will be doing more damage to the unity of America and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9-11. It is hard to believe that this is the legacy most Muslim Americans want to bequeath to America. But if it is, it is not only Europe that is in trouble.
Wild Thing’s comment……
OK, I have checked around the internet to see if there is an actual quote by Keith Ellison (aka Keith Hakim, Keith X Ellison and Keith Ellison Muhammad) saying he will use the Koran and all I could find was an article saying that the Arab press is saying that is what he will do. So I will just say this, I was against Ellison from day one. He is part of the Islam agenda for America and no good thing will come from having him in any office. Hell I would rather send him packing right out of our wonderful country. Ellison is my enemy in every way!!
The write up by Prager is excellent nontheless, and perhaps saying something about it now, ahead of time will get the word out as to how vile this would be. I hope so!!
I don’t understand why people voted for him. Voting for him would be like voting for a member of the Nazi party in 1943.
BobF – certain people voted for him as a slap in the face for what America has always stood for, and what made us the greatest culture in history. These people live in America by choice, but want to change it so we all have to live their narrow, perverted, unsuccessful culture.
I hate them, and our sorry wimpy leadership that allows their subversion.
Yep, we have to keep Keith under the microscope.
Bob, there are a lot of people that may live in America but hate it at the same time. They don’t really appreciate how we came to be, and the why of how we live in the land of the free. What freedom has cost us and how important it is to keep us from being controlled by the enemy within that wants to destroy us.
Nick has relatives like this and it breaks out heart plus angers us big time. Those are the kind of people that vote for an Ellison, that also think Clinton and Carter are the best. grrrrrrrrrr It makes me sick to my stomach.
Tom I agree, I hate them too. I even have familyh members I try not to see or talk to anymore, I just can’t handle it. It is like I am done with them for good. So is Nick.
Jeremayakovka we sure do. He is very dangerous to our country.
Is this guy part of Calypso Louie’s bunch ? How can there be so many misfits in one district that would think that this guy could make a difference.
Mark…… haha, maybe it is in the water or something. Your right about “misfits”.
“Devotees of multiculturalism and political correctness who do not see how damaging to the fabric of American civilization it is to allow Ellison to choose his own book need only imagine a racist elected to Congress.”
Oh, but a racist WAS elected to Congress; his name is Keith Ellison; he is a Farrakhan nazi-in-blackface. But of course, some kinds of racism don’t count to the “multicultural” (i.e., multi-communist) and the “politically correct” (i.e., politically communist)….
Mark asks, “How can there be so many misfits in one district that would think that this guy could make a difference.”
Sadly, they are being bred and recruited daily in “academia”, much of the media, and even some of the bureaucracy. The multi-communist and politically communist Left is busy at work recruiting and making African Anti-Americans….
Confronted with Reagan’s shining city on a hill, the treasonous Leftist machine didn’t sputter to a halt, it just shifted gears.
The “No Nukes” appeasement and surrender to the Soviets movement failed, so the Left’s strategy changed to exploiting and reopening racial and ethnic wounds (some of which had just started to close) and pouring in as much salt as possible. It is no accident that “multiculturalism” and “political correction” began right when the nuclear freeze movement failed and the Soviet Union’s elaborate facade began to crumble.
I was a student at Berkeley right when the Left’s tactical gearshift took place. I saw it unfold.
There is one silver lining to this dark cloud; a lot of Jews, who were sadly steeped in Leftist doublethink, have started to wise up and have become “neocons”. For multi-communism is even more anti-Semitic than it is anti-Christian.
Microscope hell, the rifle scope!!!
Ellison is a black who is Muslim – obviously he is unaware of the fact that it is the Muslim culture which still allows blacks to be slaver, and in fact (in the Sudan) it is Muslims who are murdering blacks simply because of their ethnicity.
The use of the Quran for his oath establishes a precedent. The Bible has been kicked out of our schools – pretty soon the Quran will take its place. This country needs to repent and come back to God, before it is too late.
I think it is a sad day in America that we would even elect a muslim to office. I say to you this that if we do and continue down this road the day will come that we will be just like the middle east. I ask you to think when we put gays in office what do they fight for gay rights. so if we put muslim into office what do you think they will fight for more muslim rights. we allow people to come to our country to live and have a better life not to change America and what our founders died fore. I ask you to look at Ford motor company they are now supporting gays and now wal mart where will it stop. i guess when our Lord comes to judge the wrong.