Ellison To Take Ceremonial Oath With Quran

[Northern Sod Breaker]

When I said some people would vote for a terrorist if he ran on the DFL ticket......




I did not mean that literaly
Bear in mind this is the same person who had proven ties to a radical Islamic group.

Ellison To Take Ceremonial Oath With Quran
(AP) WASHINGTON Keith Ellison's incoming top aide on Friday dismissed the brouhaha over the congressman-elect's plan to takes his ceremonial oath of office with a Quran next month.

"I think the criticism is being flamed by the politics of division that were rejected in the '06 election cycle," said the incoming chief of staff, Kari Moe, who worked for 10 years for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn.

Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat and the first Muslim elected to Congress, was unavailable for comment Friday, Moe said.

Ellison's decision to use the Quran for the ceremony, rather than the Bible, triggered an angry column by conservative talk radio host Dennis Prager on the Web site Townhall.com this week.

Headlined, "America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on," Prager argued that using the Quran, rather than a Bible, "undermines American civilization."

"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," he wrote. "If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress."

Conservative bloggers have picked up the criticism and run with it.

Moe, speaking in a telephone interview, noted that the tradition is for all members of Congress to be sworn in together on the House floor. It's in the photo-op ceremony that a Bible is used -- or in Ellison's case, the Quran.

But Prager argued in a telephone interview that the ceremony was no less significant than the actual swearing-in.

"Oh, that's the whole point -- it's exactly because it's ceremonial that it matters to me," he said. "Ceremonies matter. Ceremonies are exceedingly important. That is the way a society states what is most significant to it."

Prager argued that the issue wasn't about freedom of religion.

"I want Jews like myself to take the oath on the Bible, even though the New Testament is not our Bible," he said.

Asked if it would be a problem for a Jewish lawmaker to take the oath on a Bible that included only the Old Testament, Prager responded, "Yes, it would," because he said the point is to honor the Bible of this country.

But despite writing that Ellison shouldn't serve in Congress if he doesn't take an oath with the Bible, Prager said he didn't think Ellison should be banned from serving.

"I don't think anything legal should be done about this," he said.

So now he wishes to change many years of tradition. But with that said a DFL out of the cities I'm not the least bit surprised.

 

[Northern Sod Breaker]

One more thing about him.


http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=74651

Contact: Peter Hamm of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 202-898-0792

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's leading gun violence prevention organization, along with its Minnesota Million Mom March Chapters, today announced support for Keith Ellison in Minnesota U.S. Congressional race.

"We're very pleased that Minnesota has such strong supporters of gun laws running for office," said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign. "Congresswoman Betty McCollum has been a champion of gun laws and Keith Ellison wants to fight for gun laws if he's elected. These candidates know how important it is to keep illegal guns off the streets and they're committed to fighting the good fight to keep our families and our communities safe."

 

[Marko Kloos]

I don't get it.

Because he wants to swear his oath on a Qu'ran (which he believes in) rather than a Bible (which he doesn't), he's a terrorist?

Sheesh. No wonder the Conservatives got their butts kicked in the election, if the biggest lather they can work up is about which Holy Book someone uses for their oath of office. Western Civilization will fall if we don't make everyone swear on the Bible and just let folks exercise their heathen beliefs!

Headlined, "America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on," Prager argued that using the Quran, rather than a Bible, "undermines American civilization."

"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," he wrote. "If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress."

Dennis Prager is a blathering idiot. America is about freedom to believe as you please. I don't care what kind of holy book a member of Congress uses to affirm their oath of office; I'm only interested in how well they adhere to that oath.

 

[Northern Sod Breaker]

There's more to then just what book he chooses to take an oath with.

Start here.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=24954

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/015545.php

 

[Al Norris]

SM, you and your sources need to get their collective facts straight. An oath (or affirmation) of office need not be taken on a bible let alone any religious text.

Case in point: John Quincy Adams was a very religious man. So religious, that he refused to take the Oath of Allegiance on a Bible. "[H]e said that he thought the Bible should be reserved for strictly religious purposes. So he took the Oath of Office on a book of laws, the Constitution and American laws. That's really what he was swearing allegiance to was the Constitution, so he didn't use the Bible." Thanks to The Volkh Conspiracy for the quote.

Also noted that Justice Arthur Goldberg swore his Oath of Office on the Torah.

So, SM... What again was your point?

 

[Northern Sod Breaker]

Antipitas, please read my above post. It is not about what book he chooses to the oath with. I screwed up when I mentioned that. It is about his ties to radical Islamic Groups. Be they official or unofficial.

 

[Sgt Snafu]

I missed the part about "his ties to radical Islamic Groups. Be they official or unofficial."

 

[Al Norris]

SM, so because some (not all by a large margin) of the officials of CAIR have had ties with terrorist organizations, therefore CAIR itself is a Front for terrorists?

Widespread allegations of conspiracies without factual proof are... Conspiracy Theories!

But that's not what poeple like Prager and his ilk are saying. They are taking exception to the "BOOK" that is being used in the ceremony. Period.

Sgt... You missed it because it wasn't there....

 

[Northern Sod Breaker]

I screwwed up big time. I quess this thread will forever be about what book he chose?.. It's late but I will dig up more sources and post them tomorrow

 

[gc70]

Hmmmm.
Ellison has ties to a group which has some association with some terrorists.
Ellison is a member of the Democratic Party.
Wow! Now I can start a thread about the Democratic Party having ties to terrorists.

 

[JuanCarlos]

Asked if it would be a problem for a Jewish lawmaker to take the oath on a Bible that included only the Old Testament, Prager responded, "Yes, it would," because he said the point is to honor the Bible of this country.

Hold on, I'm trying to think...give me a second...oh yeah, here it is!

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

So that part of the thread is pretty much over. Our tradition should not trump somebody's religious freedom, and there is certainly no official Bible of this country.

As far as his "ties to terrorist groups" goes, I'd be interested to see some actual support on that one. And it had better not be some six (or even two or three) degrees of separation crap either. Because if that's the game we're playing, I'm sure somebody who was determined to could link President Bush to terrorist groups, through his ties to Saudi oil companies/families.

There's a Muslim in Congress. Deal with it.

 

[tlm225]

JuanCarlos you beat me to it. If a person choses to take the oath of office on a religious text, it should be one of their faith.

Antipitas wrote:

Case in point: John Quincy Adams was a very religious man. So religious, that he refused to take the Oath of Allegiance on a Bible. "[H]e said that he thought the Bible should be reserved for strictly religious purposes. So he took the Oath of Office on a book of laws, the Constitution and American laws. That's really what he was swearing allegiance to was the Constitution, so he didn't use the Bible." Thanks to The Volkh Conspiracy for the quote.

Of all the options, that seems to be the most appropriate.

 

[GoSlash27]

Of all the options, that seems to be the most appropriate.

I wish more of our legislators revered the Constitution at that level.

 

[Eghad]

Antipitas, please read my above post. It is not about what book he chooses to the oath with. I screwed up when I mentioned that. It is about his ties to radical Islamic Groups. Be they official or unofficial.

OH NO! The FBI and George W Bush have ties to CAIR

“The Washington Field Office of the FBI praises CAIR’s dedication in representing the heart of the Muslim American community.”
-Congratulatory letter from the Washington Field Office of the FBI

"Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the Los Angeles FBI has worked closely with CAIR, and a multitude of other community based organizations, to develop and foster relationships that encourage an open exchange of ideas and concerns relative to the FBI's mission. In order to prevent another act of terrorism from occurring on American soil, government agencies and communities must work together, and the FBI is extremely pleased to be partners with CAIR, and the other members of the Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee, in pursuing this mission."
-J. Stephen Tidwell, Assistant Director in Charge, Los Angeles Field Office of the FBI

"I wanted to say that we really appreciate the effort of Ahmed Bedier [Executive Director, CAIR-Tampa] here in Florida and all the good work that he does on behalf of CAIR in the community in the area of civil rights…Mr. Bedier has done a great job in reaching out to law enforcement, establishing open forums for us to exchange information in order to keep the nation safe.” -Carl Whitehead, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa Bay Field Office of the FBI, speaking at the CAIR 2006 Tampa Banquet

“Like the good folks standing with me, the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesday's attacks…This is a great country. It's a great country because we share the same values of respect and dignity and human worth. And it is my honor to be meeting with leaders who feel just the same way I do. They're outraged, they're sad. They love America just as much as I do.” (To view a picture of President Bush's visit to a mosque with CAIR officials click here)
–President George W. Bush, September 17, 2001

 

[aspen1964]

..it seems I heard recently that Islam justifies itself in telling lies to those it wishes to oppress...having watched enough muslim 'clerics' answering questions with fairly obvious lies to mislead has proven that lies and deception are no sin to many muslim leaders....and I condemn anyone who knowingly tells lies..

 

[Eghad]

So there have not been any Christian leaders that have lied?

 

[Sarge]

I look at it like this- the oath of office is to uphold the office and the constitution; not to the book it is sworn upon. I suppose I'd rather have him swear his oath upon the Detroit Yellow Pages, and mean it, as opposed to swearing it on anything else, and not mean it- and have a primary agenda, like furthering Islamic terrorism.

It will be interesting to see if freshmen politicians in New Iraq are afforded the same tolerance- the ability to swear on a Bible, as opposed to a koran. Or Detroit Yellow Pages.

The idiots have spoken, either way. There is nothing left to do now except remain vigilant, and see what develops.

 

[FirstFreedom]

Well, since the politicians that swear on the bible not to undermine the constitution, do nothing but attack and destroy the constitution, maybe the Quran will cause them to start respecting the Constitution - it's worth a try!

 

[Ausserordeutlich]

The bound paper on which the guy rests his hand during his swearing-in has absolutely nothing to do with the intentions of his constituents. I think that people who'd elect Hillary Clinton are nuts...just as nuts as the people who elected Ellison.

 

[cuate]

US at War With Muslims

I couldn't tell you by looking whether a muslim is a shiite, sunni, wahabi, or whatever. I believe I can identify a Black muslim but that is beside the point.
The bombings of US Embassies for the past several years and a bombing in New York before the 9/11 bombing indicates that Islam is and has been at War with our Country for a long time.

Since we are not mind readers and know not Ellis or Ellison or whatever his name is concerning loyalties to the US vs. loyalty to Islam ? I rather place him and his ilk under a cloud of suspicion.