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…but apparently it better be the right one.

There’s been something of a dust-up since the election of Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison.  Mr. Ellison has the dubious fortune to be doubly of note in Congress – first, because he is African-American (and the term “under-represented minority” is as true of Congress now as ever), and secondly, because he is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress.  He’s been something of a magnet for the kind of negative comments, death threats, and harangues that one would expect from the more rabid fringe of society.  Unfortunately for him, he’s also the subject of mail from the more rabid fringe of the other side of the aisle.

One of his fellow representatives, Virgil Goode from Virginia, felt so inspired to send out a letter to voters regarding Mr. Ellison’s election.  He was apparently so incensed by the fact that a Muslim would choose to swear his oath of office on his own religious text (the Koran) rather than the Bible that he told his constituents that they had better “wake up” or more Muslims would be elected to office and “demand” to use the Koran.

First off, so much for religious freedom, eh?  I guess the new reading of the Constitution is that you can be any sect of Christianity that you want.  God knows, there are plenty to choose from.

Secondly, it’s good to see this level of tolerance from a sitting (and re-elected) Congressman.  Clearly, the Democratic propaganda about Southern Republicans being strident, overly-religious and intolerant fear-mongerers intent on keeping the country in their own particular mold of what they consider to be “American values” is completely unfounded. 

Thirdly, and probably my favorite part, is this quote.  “I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped.”  Aside from the fact that as text it reads poorly, it is oblivious to the fact that Mr. Ellison is, in fact, native-born. 

There’s a lot of pearl-clutching about “American values,” and most of it seems to be fairly intent on ignoring the diversity of the US and its changing demographics.  WASPs do need to find a new way to live in a world in which they are not the majority.  Not insulting your peers in public office and describing how they personally are a threat to American values might be a good start.  Recognizing that anyone who is The First at anything positive (especially when they are also from a minority) is in fact more of a shining example of American values might be an even better one.  Happy Inauguration Day!