Shaking the hand of the man who fought against what you believe in is the mark of a gentleman. Keith Ellison has started his term with a positive gesture. Let’s hope it is well received. The last thing we need is more bickering and wedge agendas involving religion.
On his first day in Congress, Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, the first Muslim elected to Congress, finally met the Republican who criticized him for his decision to use the Koran at his ceremonial swearing in.
Ellison asked another Democratic member to introduce him to Rep Virgil Goode, R-Virgina, who spoke out against Ellison in a letter to constituents last month. Ellison told CNN that he approached Goode on the House floor and the brief meeting went well.“I shook his hand and shook mine. We greeted each other.” Ellison asked Goode to grab a cup of coffee with him soon and Goode accepted.
It would be a delightful surprise to see our Congress act with maturity.
I really don’t see why this is such a big issue and take up “valuable” time of “busy” politicians. What is the national religion? Exactly.
It was a good gesture on Rep. Ellison’s part.
Ellison has handled this with dignity all the way down the line. He’s recognized that, even if he didn’t want to be, he was put in the position of speaking for all American Muslims. He carried himself well.
Goode was ridiculously out of line from the word go.
This could turn into the greatest love affair since Jerry Falwell and Larry Flynt kissed and made up.
I didn’t know they made up!
moss, didn’t you see the “If it will make Jerry feel any better, I apologize” on-stage occurrence (Falwell jumped up, ran over, and shook Flynt’s hand). The apology, as you would deduce, was for the cartoon involving Falwell’s mother. They also related having had dinners together and sharing a sort of friendship.
Or did Flynt and Falwell fall out of love again after all that and I didn’t hear about it?
People kiss and make up for only one reason: It is in their own self interest. No other reasons– ever.
Me cynical?
I just thought they liked kissing each other.
Tee-hee.
Har ! OK, you got me.
#8, Traax,
Why do you hate America so much?
he is acting according to his beliefs. as God says in the Koran “Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn aside from the ignorant”
yeah, if Eisenhower hadn’t reached out to that Quaker freak of a Vice President, the hippies and the war would never have happened. Stupid peace-loving religion.
And this is the same thing all over again. I mean, I can just see free love and flower power and naked chicks all over the Middle East. Someone has to stop the Muslims before they freak us all out, man!
Seeing how the laws of this country were based from the Bible, not the Koran, I see where this is a problem. You have a Muslim stating he will uphold our law, but is placing his hand on the wrong book our laws were based from. Almost like having one hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Yes, I see a problem here.
I’m gonna convert to islam and become a democrat.
They are just so much better than christian repulicans.
Seeing how the laws of this country were based from the Bible, not the Koran, I see where this is a problem.
[Comment edited, see guidelines – Ed.]
American laws were based on English common law, not the bible. Please feel free to cite any SPECIFIC examples to the contrary. (i.e. laws based on a biblical passage but not found anywhere in English common law.)
Whatever else Ellison is, he seems to be proving himself a shrewd politician.
As to what we may see from Congress – who knows? One thing I do know is every time I see Nancy Pelosi, she looks like she using every ounce of self restraint she has to keep from jumping off the stage and eating someone… I haven’t yet decided if she scares me more than Hillary.
Traaxx
Get thee to a spell checker!!
If this applies to any others, please follow suit.
If English is not your first language, work on it.
How can you respect a person’s writings if it is sprinkled with spelling atrocities?
Curmdgen
“How can you respect a person’s writings if THEY ARE sprinkled with spelling atrocities?”
I think this Muslim should be impeached right now!
He has no right to do this to our Christian Nation.
Aren’t we at war with the Muslims?
How can they let him be a congressman?
Isn’t it against some law, to have a person of such treasonous beliefs hold office?
What’s next, the Supreme Court?
I know that Strom Thurmond is turning over in his grave like this. He never would have allowed this to happen.
#15 mucous,
I couldn’t agree more about Pelosi. She also looks to be straining and working so darn hard to smile, like she is fighting a frown, snarl, or something else of that sort…
Picky,
If you think you embarrassed me………You did,
Mea maxima culpa.
Creek Critter.. I hope, for your sake, that your comment was satire.
#15 One thing I do know is every time I see Nancy Pelosi, she looks like she using every ounce of self restraint she has to keep from jumping off the stage and eating someone…
… yeah, and she’s not even hungry!
Forgive my igorance, I do know that the USA is a nation of (mainly) Christians but is it a Christian nation? I thought the constitution kept religion out.
We are as wide spersed as those in Any other religion…
Acknowledged versions of christianity, IO THINK is around 26+.
and there are even more NOT acknowledged.
We are as bad, as all the different factions of Muslim.
Smartalix: “It would be a delightful surprise to see our Congress act with maturity.
Amen! Forget the liberal vs conservative, Democrat vs Republican BS, if these people would act as adults and treat each other with respect, the quality of our government would significantly improve. And, as long as we are dreaming, wouldn’t it be nice if each and every representative actually read the bills before they vote?
#22 – “It’s not a good episode!”
A useful tip to the readers of Dvorak when referring to muslims or Islam:
Islam – the name of the religion, as revealed in Qur’an.
Muslim – someone who is supposed to be trying to practice it.
See in English, you add -er, as in play+er=player, work+er=worker, win+er=winner etc. In Arabic “mu-” is added in front of the word.So, mu+azan ( call to prayer) = muazzin ( caller to prayer). safar (travel) musafir= traveler etc.
That’s all i have to say about that.
@28.
Why would US be screwed? Most of us actually LIKE US just because of the fact, its not like Russia (USSR, or other small republics now)! And you heard from former cab drivers on this blog the driver has the right to refuse. ( although if its a seeing eye dog, i would take them in and afterwards wipe everything clean, would charge a nominal fee, and even volunteer for future rides)
Its interesting to note, that you can get away with a lot of stuff just stating ” personal preferences”, but if you say its for religious reasons, you get flamed and it turns to a bigger problem. Shows that people really are turned off by this thing called religion.
I remember the US how it was, so many nice people have helped me, they still do , not everything is black and white. The majority of the people are very generous, give their shirts off their back, you feel welcome when you travel here. ( At least I did) I thought “What a great country!” There are only a few ignorant ones as expected from among any nation that are finding followers. But nobody is out there to get you, Pedro. Don’t lose hope in humanity. If you wrote because you care and you are living abroad ( I think?), Im writing because Im living in US and I care about its people. Cheers.
Ellison’s involvement with the Nation of Islam (Farrakahn) is not the most offensive of his public associations and commitments. That distinction must belong to Ellison’s work with Minneapolis gang leader and murderer Sharif Willis following the 1992 murder of Minneapolis Police Officer Jerry Haaf.
Ellison’s February 2000 speech on behalf of domestic terrorist Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson picked up this reprehensible aspect of Ellison’s career and united it with his missionary work on behalf of the Nation of Islam. In that speech Ellison called for the release of Soliah/Olson and spoke favorably of cop killers Mumia Abu-Jamal and Assata Shakur. The Star Tribune has never gotten around to reporting what Ellison said on that occasion either.
The new issue of the Weekly Standard carries my article summarizing the most notable aspects of Keith Ellison’s public career: “Louis Farrakhan’s First Congressman.” As Power Line readers might guess, my preferred title for the article was “Who is Keith Ellison?” Thanks to Standard online editor Jonathan Last for making it accessible this morning and to Standard managing editor Claudia Anderson for her work on the piece.
Given the Star Tribune’s disinclination to examine Ellison’s public record.
1987–Ellison enrolls in University of Minnesota Law School
1989–Ellison publishes the first of two articles in the University of Minnesota Daily under the alias “Keith Hakim.” In the first such article, Ellison speaks up for the Nation of Islam.
1990–Ellison participates in the sponsorship of the anti-Semitic speech by Kwame Ture given at the University of Minnesota Law School (“Zionism: Imperialism, White Supremacy or Both?”). Ellison rejects the appeal of Jewish law students to withdraw sponsorship of the lecture. Ellison graduates from University of Minnesota Law School.
1992–Ellison appears as speaker at demonstration against Minneapolis police with Vice Lords leader Sharif Willis following the murder of Officer Haaf by four Vice Lords gangsters in September.
1993–Ellison leads demonstration chanting “We don’t get no justice, you don’t get no peace” in support of Vice Lords defendant on trial for the murder of Officer Haaf. Ellison attends Gang Summit in Kansas City with Willis.
1995–Ellison supports Million Man March, appears at organizing rally with former Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Muhammed at University of Minnesota. Ellison acts as local Nation of Islam leader in march at office of U.S. Attorney in Minneapolis protesting indictment of Qubilah Shabazz for conspiring to murder Louis Farrakhan. Ellison charges FBI with conspiring to murder Farrakhan. Ellison writes article under alias “Keith X Ellison” attacking Star Tribune for criticizing Louis Farrakhan. Here it is; click to enlarge:
1997–Ellison appears under alias “Keith Ellison-Muhammad” at Minnesota Initiative Against Racism hearing in support of Joanne Jackson. Ellison defends “the truth” of Jackson’s statement that “Jews are the most racist white people.” This is the Star Tribune’s article on the controversy, which refers to Ellison’s statement:
This is the statement that Ellison read, as described in the Star Tribune article, and published in the Minneapolis Spokesman-Recorder; click to enlarge:
1998–Ellison first runs for DFL endorsement for state representative. Ellison identifies himself as member of Nation of Islam in Insight News article on his candidacy. Ellison runs for endorsement under alias “Keith Ellison-Muhammad.” This is the Insight News article; click to enlarge:
2000–Ellison gives speech supporting Kathleen Soliah/Sara Jane Olson at National Lawyers Guild fundraiser. Demands Soliah/Olson’s release. Asks audience to recall time when “Qubilah Shabazz was prosecuted in retribution against Minister Farrakhan.” Speaks favorably of cop killers Mumia Abu-Jamal and Assata Shakur.
May 2006–Ellison writes letter to JCRC asserting involvement with Nation of Islam limited to 18 months supporting Million Man March.
August 2006–Ellison appears at unpublicizied fundraiser with CAIR executive director and Hamas supporter Nihad Awad among featured guests.
——————————————
The Nation of Islam Exposed
By. A. I. Palmer (Society for Adherence to the Sunnah)
Louis Gene Walcott Farrakhan is not a Muslim, nor is his doctrine Islam. Farrakhan is the leader of a black racist cult called “the Nation of Islam,” (NOI) founded in Detroit, Michigan in the 1930’s. While the group calls its followers Muslims, in reality, they have very little to do with the faith of Islam. Islam believes in the total transcendance of almighty God (called in Arabic, Allaah), the NOI teaches that black people are angelic gods. Islam maintains universal brotherhood, the NOI says that Islam is for blacks only. Islam teaches that prophethood ended with Muhammad ibn Abdullah, more than 1400 years ago. The NOI teaches that Farrakhan’s teacher, Elijah Muhammad, is the last prophet. Islam teaches principles of spiritual and moral decorum such prayer, fasting, charity, pilgimage, etc., Elijah Muhammad cast these out or altered them beyond recognition.
Yet, it is an error to oversimplify the issue by denouncing Farrakhan’s racist diatribes while playing down Farrakhan’s God-is-a-man and Prophet-after-Muhammad beliefs. Racism has very little to do with the issue. Sure, racism is contrary to Islamic principles and Islam rejects it. However, the deviation of Elijah Muhammad and Louis Farrakhan are MUCH more serious than racism. It is the sin which Allah DOES NOT forgive. If Farrakhan would leave his man-is-god and prophet-after-Muhammad beliefs, but was still a raving racist, he would be much better off than the other way around! Let me say very clearly, that there is NO ideology on the face of this earth which could be farther from Islam than that of Louis Farrakhan. NONE!
The NOI’s origins are found in
(a) two black self-improvement movements that began shortly before World War I: the “Moorish Science Temple of America,” founded in 1913 by Timothy Drew, and the “Universal Negro Improvement Association,” founded in 1914 by Marcus Garvey.
(b) the NOI was also shaped by a Depression-era con-man, and convicted drugdealer, Wallace Dodd Ford. Upon Ford’s 1929 release from California’s San Quintin Prison, he moved to Detroit to start a new life. Ford used a number of names, including Wali Farad and Master Fard and claimed to be from Mecca, Arabia. Being that Ford’s parentage was a mixture of white and South Pacific Maori, he used his skin color and his prison con skills to pass himself off to blacks as a “mystic” and a “prophet” from the Middle East.
Working as a door-to-door rug salesman by day, Ford blended the ideas of Garvey and Drew along with a smattering of Islam, to form what would later become the Nation of Islam. Among his first students was an unemployed Georgia migrant worker, Elijah Poole, who Ford renamed “Elijah Muhammad.” In later years, Ford disappeared and Elijah assumed leadership of the NOI which he held until his death in 1975.
Elijah developed an convoluted belief system based on ideas extracted from everything from Christanity to Masonry to Islam. He elevated Ford’s status to that of the Creator of the heavens and earth, and he developed a myth which he dubbed, “Yacub’s History.” This racist doctrine is still maintained by Louis Farrakhan.
In brief, the doctrine states that the first humans, a race of black people, whom the NOI calls ‘the Original Man,’ created white people in a genetic experiment 6,000 years ago. Elijah claimed that they (the whites) would rule the world for 6,000 years and then be destroyed at the ‘end of their time’ by the blacks. He said that ‘Judgement Day’ means that at the ‘end of time’ the Gods (i.e., blacks) would destroy the entire white race (devils) and then establish a Paradise (nation) on this earth ruled forever by the blacks (i.e., Gods).
For a number of years, Farrakhan has managed to present himself as a champion for the oppressed masses, this also is a distortion. Like his teacher, Farrakhan has for more than 35 years engaged in hoodwinking blacks out of money in the name of black self improvement. The only self-improvement however, that has taken place has been for Farrakhan’s family and their associates.
Additionally, his entire inspiration for the “Million Man March” is based on his alleged, “vision of being swept into a UFO that took him to a larger mothership.” While in the UFO, he claims to have spoken to the late Elijah Muhammad before being beamed back to earth. (The Washington Post, Sept. 18, 1995, p. D3).
What many do not realize, is that Farrakhan has repeated this doctrine for more than 35 years! Indeed, Farrakhan’s UFO “vision” is an inseparable, doctrinal link to the heretical claims of Elijah Muhammad. Elijah explained that blacks were originally, “moon people” and that the UFO “mother wheel” was piloted by 13 youths who perpetually orbited the earth, waiting to unleash global destruction on whites, while rescuing all blacks. Farrakhan to this day, teaches this same doctrine- his inspiration for the Million Man March. The Million Man March in fact, was planned with the following goals in mind:
(a) To hold it in Washington, and aim for a turnout of one million, so as to surpass the number of attendees at Martin Luther King’s 1963 March on Washington, and thereafter be promoted as being greater than Dr. King and Malcolm X.
(b) By being mentioned in the same context with Dr. King, Farrakhan hopes to be remembered likewise as a charismatic, messianic black figure who commands a large and politically significant following among US blacks.
(c) To remove the cloud of suspicion which still surrounds Farrakhan regarding his involvement in Malcolm X’s assassination.
(d) Most importantly, Farrakhan has to find a new way to pay for his and his family’s ornate palaces in Chicago and Phoenix, his Lexus, Mercedes, Rolls Royce and Lincoln Town Cars, a Mexican villa, a new 77-acre Michigan estate and over $1.5 million dollars in unpaid back taxes. This is the reason he had an $11 registration fee, a $3.99 per minute 900 number for call-in registration (Average call is three minutes), a $700 vendor’s fee, (reduced from $1000), and even ads in his newspaper soliciting for “donations” to “help defray the astronomical costs of the march,” in exchange for listing the donor’s name and city under appropriate categories (Platinum, Gold, etc.): $1000 or more (Platinum), $500 or more (Gold), $100 or more (Silver), $25 or more (Patron) not to mention $2 “special issues” of his ‘Final Call’ newspaper. Louis. A true high-tech con-man. You want to see Louie’s real vison?: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
It is thus impossible for anyone to try to make a distinction between Farrakhan and his UFO inspiration, or “endorse the goals of the march without endorsing Farrakhan,” or say that Farrakhan is greater than Malcolm X. Malcolm’s greatness was as a result of his renouncement of Elijah’s false teachings, and his acceptance of true Islam, factors which Farrakhan has yet to achieve.