Dismissing Al Qu'ran, Or Why Racist Neocon Nutjobs Need to Shuddup

Just when things are dying down about how Americans don’t really hate Muslims, out comes “The Ellison Controversy”.

Newly elected Congressman Keith Ellison, an American who has converted to Islam, wants to be sworn into office with his hand on Al Qu’ran. Not in the official swearing in ceremony mind you, the one where everyone stands in the same room with their hands in the air, a private ceremony that is common practice. They usually use a family Bible, or maybe even a Torah.

Being Jewish is OK now – Israel and Armageddon and all that - so they can have a Torah in their ceremony.

But Keith Ellison is the first Muslim elected to Congress, and he wants to use the symbol of his faith. So now all of the neocon crazies that I thought we had sent to the corner last November come back to scream bloody murder.

Dennis Prager – a right wing radio commentator (a Jew by the way):

"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."

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore (removed from the bench for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from the state’s supreme court building):

“In 1943, we would never have allowed a member of Congress to take their oath on 'Mein Kampf,' or someone in the 1950s to swear allegiance to the 'Communist Manifesto.' Congress has the authority and should act to prohibit Ellison from taking the congressional oath today!"

And most recently, Virgil Goode – Virginia Congressman

“The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.”

How in the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks are we ever going to convince the Islamic world that America isn’t just a seething pit of Islamophobic racists? Well nigh to impossible if you listen to what’s being said and watch what is being done in Iraq.

And you know, it really is ignorance rearing its ugly head once more. Al Qu’ran contains many parts of the books of the Old Testament within its pages, and even some of the books of the Apocrypha.

But all of that really doesn’t matter, does it? There is one document that covers the whole “Controversy” and tells all of those Islamophobic racists to crawl in a hole.

The Constitution of the United States:

Amendment 1.

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

Amendment 14.

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

You know, I just looked and looked, but I just couldn’t find the part about how people of non-Christian faiths can’t use their holy book in a swearing in ceremony.

Yes, we are involved in an immoral war with people of the Islamic faith. Yes, Muslims drove 727s into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

But do you want to know who is our greatest enemy in the War on Terror? These neocon racist nutjobs.