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January 3, 2007
Ellison Will Take Oath Of Office on Thomas Jefferson's Copy Of The Koran
Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.
"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.
I haven't gotten why this was such a big deal for the Neo-cons/christians given this country is supposed to be all about religious freedom, but they are all up in arms about the whole thing. And it's not as if the oath of office hasn't been given on books other than the Bible before. Swearing an oath on the Bible means nothing for him, but swearing an oath on the holy book of his religion does. As a Christian this does not offend me at all, but then again I'm not a Neo-christian. I just don't get their thinly veiled, or as it may be in this case not veiled at all, racism. It just goes to show how out of touch Neo-cons/christians really are with reality. In my house alone we have a copy of the Koran, the Bible, the Mormon bible, a Kabblah book, a few Jewish books, several new age books, etc. I think it's important to study and understand all religions in an effort to coexist and get along.
This recent turn of events is brilliant on Ellison's part! He's going to use one of Thomas Jefferson's copies of the Koran to be sworn in upon! Now that's thinking! That is about as American as it gets! Goode should be shamed of himself and his racist rants!
Found via Bring It On and the Washington Post!
Posted by Dianne at January 3, 2007 1:46 PM
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Comments
i think it is great why shouldnt he be able to use the koran after all it is a holy book like the bible and any jewish book we all believe in God and therefore he will now judge on his belief and uphold his word congrads
Posted by: sara at January 7, 2007 10:59 PM
Exactly. :O)
Posted by: Dianne at January 8, 2007 10:23 AM