Conservative media pundits are working themselves into a lather over the announcement that Minnesota Rep-elect Keith Ellison will take his oath of office next month using a Quran.
Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, has found an unlikely ally in Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo who once hypotethically suggested that bombing Islamic holy sites would be an appropriate response to a domestic nuclear attack by “extremist, fundamentalist Muslims.” In a column this week, right wing talk show host and author Dennis Prager called Ellison’s decision not to use a Bible to swear his oath to uphold the Constitution “an act of hubris that perfectly exemplifies multiculturalist activism.” Prager went on to state that Ellison “will be doing more damage to the unity of Americans and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9/11.”
Tancredo, who has indulged in wildly anti-immigration rhetoric to fuel his darkhorse presidential ambitions, was quoted in a McClatchy Newspapers report:
“He wants to take his oath on the Quran, that’s fine,” Tancredo said. “I think whatever you believe is necessary for you to uphold your obligations to the Constitution, that is fine with me.”
However, the Littleton Republican’s theologically-enlightened comment resonates quite a bit less when contrasted with his ongoing public feud with the Bible-thumpin’ Catholic Church and mainstream Christian denominations whom he claims are radical activists who employ smear tactics and impugn the motives of his anti-immigration-border-sealing-fence-building supporters with ties to white supremacist groups.
Comments are closed.