Yes Virginia, there is a Koran
A brief update on an earlier story:
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn) was sworn in yesterday, together with all of the other members of the 110th Congress. As threatened, in an act of defiance some believe was deliberately crafted to undermine American civilization, he swore his oath with his hand on the Koran.
Not the Bible.
Because he's Muslim.
Please see my earlier post on this topic for a more detailed explanation of why this really shouldn't matter, and why the people who insist it does are nuts. Yeah, I could probably put some sort of magic link in here so you could jump to the post with a click, but seriously, how lazy are you? Scroll down like 8 inches and read the thing. Go ahead, we'll wait.
Ok.
To the best of my knowledge, American civilization has not collapsed. Well, not any more than it already had under the crushing weight of reality television, too much fast food, and whatever lapse in judgment is responsible for allowing Britney Spears out in public.
However, Ellison's swearing in may well have highlighted American decline in a way his detractors never intended.
In a move that was powerfully symbolic and politically brilliant, Ellison selected for his swearing in a copy of the Koran that came from the personal library of Thomas Jefferson. Who was one of the Founding Fathers. Who, in 1779, championed religious freedom and tolerance, authoring one of the nation's first laws protecting the right to practice, or not practice, the religion of our choice. The law declared:
As an article of the constitition of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
You see, when he wrote it, Thomas Jefferson was the governor of Virginia.
Ironically, of course, much of the outrcy over Ellison's swearing of an oath on the holy text of a minority religion came from the good people of modern Virginia and one of their elected representatives. So congratulations Rep. Goode and your constituents. American civilization may not have crumbled under the weight of religious freedom, but you've managed to prove that Virginian civilization has fallen a long way in 200 years.
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn) was sworn in yesterday, together with all of the other members of the 110th Congress. As threatened, in an act of defiance some believe was deliberately crafted to undermine American civilization, he swore his oath with his hand on the Koran.
Not the Bible.
Because he's Muslim.
Please see my earlier post on this topic for a more detailed explanation of why this really shouldn't matter, and why the people who insist it does are nuts. Yeah, I could probably put some sort of magic link in here so you could jump to the post with a click, but seriously, how lazy are you? Scroll down like 8 inches and read the thing. Go ahead, we'll wait.
Ok.
To the best of my knowledge, American civilization has not collapsed. Well, not any more than it already had under the crushing weight of reality television, too much fast food, and whatever lapse in judgment is responsible for allowing Britney Spears out in public.
However, Ellison's swearing in may well have highlighted American decline in a way his detractors never intended.
In a move that was powerfully symbolic and politically brilliant, Ellison selected for his swearing in a copy of the Koran that came from the personal library of Thomas Jefferson. Who was one of the Founding Fathers. Who, in 1779, championed religious freedom and tolerance, authoring one of the nation's first laws protecting the right to practice, or not practice, the religion of our choice. The law declared:
..no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.Actually, I shouldn't say "declared," as in past tense. The law is still in force today, more than two centuries later.
As an article of the constitition of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
You see, when he wrote it, Thomas Jefferson was the governor of Virginia.
Ironically, of course, much of the outrcy over Ellison's swearing of an oath on the holy text of a minority religion came from the good people of modern Virginia and one of their elected representatives. So congratulations Rep. Goode and your constituents. American civilization may not have crumbled under the weight of religious freedom, but you've managed to prove that Virginian civilization has fallen a long way in 200 years.
posted by CaS @ 6:59 PM
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