Virgil Goode, Republican Congresscritter

[Paul in Saudi2]

Republican Congresscritter Virgil Goode has written a letter to constituents taking exception to Keith Ellison (Congresscritter elect from Minnesota) wanting to take his oath of office on his holy book, the Quran.

Wiki Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Goode

Quote from the letter:

Goode's office released the letter to CNN Wednesday.

In it, Goode wrote, "When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Quran in any way.

"The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Quran.

"We need to stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country.

"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."

He added, "The Ten Commandments and 'In God We Trust' are on the wall in my office. A Muslim student came by the office and asked why I did not have anything on my wall about the Quran.

"My response was clear, 'As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, the Quran is not going to be on the wall of my office.' "

This unAmerican maroon is in the Freakin' Congress!

[shocker1]

When I was in high school, one of my science teachers was Muslim. He was from India and a great teacher. He had a storage room in the class that he used as a prayer room. Back then nobody had any problem with this, we had Christian clubs at this school then. I wonder how he and the Christian activites faired in this new enviroment of religious paranoia. If a muslim gives his oath to serve America in front of Allah thats just as reliable as a Christian oath. I thought it was ok to use the holy book of your choice anyway. Live and let live I say.

[NewsMan]

I've been working on this since yesterday morning. Here's our coverage with more due today:

http://www.wsls.com

[ElHombre]

Did he see Allen's loss and see a unfulfilled need for bigotry from a Virginian? ;-)

[Mastermind]

One has to wonder...what if the majority in Congress were actually Muslims....what right then would you have to be sworn into that house by holding your hand on a Christain Bible?....I strongly suspect there might be a saw in the future of your neck should you even try!

Calling this brave Senator who defends the American heritiage a bigot is the height of ignorance. We need a lot more just like him. MM

[ElHombre]

One has to wonder...what if the majority in Congress were actually Muslims....what right then would you have to be sworn into that house by holding your hand on a Christain Bible?....I strongly suspect there might be a saw in the future of your neck should you even try!

Calling this brave Senator who defends the American heritiage a bigot is the height of ignorance. We need a lot more just like him. MM

Then all concerned could take a look at the rules. There's no requirement for any book, scroll, picture, idol, etc. to be used at the swearing-in ceremony. Those laws were put into place for a reason.

[Mastermind]

Have you ever heard of tradition?! Have you ever heard ot heritage? When these traditions are finally all eroded, you will have nothing left that ever resembed the United States of America. MM

[Jobu]

His reflexive anti-Muslim reaction makes up for the reflexive anti-Christian reactions of the Democrats.

[NewsMan]

Have you ever heard of tradition?! Have you ever heard ot heritage? When these traditions are finally all eroded, you will have nothing left that ever resembed the United States of America. MM

Don't you realize that traditions and the such created by white christians, for white christians typically serve white christians? This country is for everyone... not just the ones with the power when it was formed.

[Ordie]

Have you ever heard of tradition?! Have you ever heard ot heritage? When these traditions are finally all eroded, you will have nothing left that ever resembed the United States of America. MM

Hmmm.

slavery

Denying women the right to vote

Segregation

Child labor

Yeh....those were the good ol days....:cantbeli:

[ElHombre]

Have you ever heard of tradition?! Have you ever heard ot heritage? When these traditions are finally all eroded, you will have nothing left that ever resembed the United States of America. MM

Which tradition? Whose heritage? One of my ancestors arrived on the Mayflower. It doesn't mean I wear a big, ugly hat to hide my face from the Almighty. The US is always going to change with its people. As long as everyone respects the Constitution and doesn't interfere with my life, I'm not going to have a panic attack every time someone does something different than the way my grandparents did things.

This Virgil Goode guy is just being a bigot. Hopefully, Virginians will remember this next election time.

[Jobu]

The US is always going to change with its people. As long as everyone respects the Constitution and doesn't interfere with my life...


That's the problem people see facing America.

When Scotland Yard says they are tracking 1600 British Muslims and expect a major attack over the next few days by their own citizens, it gives you something to think about as far as immigration is concerned.

Maybe congressman Goode is a bigot, maybe not, but when people like CAIR and Nation of Islam supporter Keith Ellison gain influence, it's not a stretch for many to believe it's not a good thing.

[ElHombre]

And there's just as many who note that there are Christian groups that demand for many of the same types of freedom-restricting laws as the worst Muslims. They've both got to be beaten back from doing anything stupid.

[Red]

One has to wonder...what if the majority in Congress were actually Muslims....what right then would you have to be sworn into that house by holding your hand on a Christain Bible?....I strongly suspect there might be a saw in the future of your neck should you even try!

Calling this brave Senator who defends the American heritiage a bigot is the height of ignorance. We need a lot more just like him. MM

But why are you flipping the script? right now Keith is being hounded for using the koran which suggest that the christian extremist mongs are the same as the muslim, jewish,liberal,conservative,greenpeace etc mongs.
A mong is a mong is a mong...

[gaijinsamurai]

X2. Well said, Red.
Goode is an idiot. If the Senator-elect from Minnesota wants to use a Koran, because it means more to him than a Bible, why should I care?
My family has been in the US and Canada since the 1600s and before. They have fought in the American Revolution, both sides of the Civil War, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and both Gulf Wars, and I refuse to be treated like a second-class citizen just because I don't define myself as a Christian.
My son is half-Japanese, and if he chooses, when he is old enough to decide for himself, that he wants to follow his mother's Buddhist/Shinto faith, I hope his religion is respected.

[Mastermind]

Step by little step, they descend. You guys have not a single clue as to the threat facing you...not a clue.MM

[Red]

Step by little step, they descend. You guys have not a single clue as to the threat facing you...not a clue.MM
The threat is in your mind my friend.

[Paul in Saudi2]

Step by little step, they descend. You guys have not a single clue as to the threat facing you...not a clue.MM

Well, I suspect I know a thing or two about it. But as a man, I am not as worried as some. Western culture is stronger than Islamic culture. In a clash we will win. We do not need to hide behind walls. We need to tear down wall, encourage the battle, for it is battle that brings victory.

I see you are scared, get behind me little lady, I'll protect you.

[ElHombre]

Step by little step, they descend. You guys have not a single clue as to the threat facing you...not a clue.MM

A lot of people are quite aware of the threat extremisits use when they cloak their disrespect for the Constitution in religious terms. In the US, a good deal of that comes from Christianist groups, due to the fact that the vast majority of Americans are Christian. Islamist groups are kind of farther down the threat scale.

[Mastermind]

Well, it is unfortunate the culmination of events are further away in time than I will live. That is fortunate for me, personally...but the sooner it comes to a head the better. But, I see my grand kids having to suffer for the liberals idiotic failures today. The threat is very real, it is not going to stop. It is insidious, deliberate and deadly to our culture and to our future. Eventually, regardless of wonderful thoughts of multi-culturalism and fanciful hopes for peaceful co-existance with Islam, someone will have to bring this to real blood. MM

[shocker1]

A lot of people are quite aware of the threat extremisits use when they cloak their disrespect for the Constitution in religious terms. In the US, a good deal of that comes from Christianist groups, due to the fact that the vast majority of Americans are Christian. Islamist groups are kind of farther down the threat scale.
It is getting old with the "Christian Threat" comparisons with Islamic extremism. Don't give me that abortion bombing example because it does not fly. Show me where in the Gospels it says for man to kill those who oppose God's teaching. Ahh but the KKK was church based. Bologna, where in the Bible does it say whites are supreme while your Lord is a Jew.

Sure there are those who will paint Christian on themselves and do evil in it's name. Those who follow Jesus in truth are your best friend in times of need, because we love our neighbor. True Christianity does not convert people with human laws but with the spirit inside us and our life example.

So please clarify that you mean extremists abusing religion as an excuse. If one truly studies the fundamentals of the excuse then one will see the guilty are at odds with Christianity. If you do not do this I will bomb your house with Bibles.p-) However I am aware of obnoxious Christians, we are all human.

[Ordie]

Would it matter if Senators Robert Bennett, Mike Capro Orrin Hatch, Harry Reid and Gordon Smith swear by the Book of Mormon?

Or

Senator Barbara Boxer, Norm Coleman, Russ Feingold, Dianne Fienstein Herb Kohl, Frank Lautenberg, Carl Levin, Joseph Lieberman, Charles Schumer, Arlen Specter and Ron Wyden swear by the Torah?

Or

Incoming Congressmembers Mazie Hirono and Hank Johnson swearing by the Tripitaka (Buddhist Scriptures)?

Bottom line:
We are a nation of many nations, we are a nation of many faiths, we are a nation of the world, but most importantly we are one nation. We elect our leaders to do what is best for our communities. These are Americans who are willing to serve thier country first. What scripture they swear by is between the person and the Supreme being.

[Ordie]

Well, it is unfortunate the culmination of events are further away in time than I will live. That is fortunate for me, personally...but the sooner it comes to a head the better. But, I see my grand kids having to suffer for the liberals idiotic failures today. The threat is very real, it is not going to stop. It is insidious, deliberate and deadly to our culture and to our future. Eventually, regardless of wonderful thoughts of multi-culturalism and fanciful hopes for peaceful co-existance with Islam, someone will have to bring this to real blood. MM

By allowing such negative attitudes towards Muslims, we essentially accepting the Osama Bin Laden's vision of the world. Therefore the 9/11 attacks have achived its purpose.

[Red]

It is getting old with the "Christian Threat" comparisons with Islamic extremism. Don't give me that abortion bombing example because it does not fly. Show me where in the Gospels it says for man to kill those who oppose God's teaching. Ahh but the KKK was church based. Bologna, where in the Bible does it say whites are supreme while your Lord is a Jew.

Sure there are those who will paint Christian on themselves and do evil in it's name. Those who follow Jesus in truth are your best friend in times of need, because we love our neighbor. True Christianity does not convert people with human laws but with the spirit inside us and our life example.

So please clarify that you mean extremists abusing religion as an excuse. If one truly studies the fundamentals of the excuse then one will see the guilty are at odds with Christianity. If you do not do this I will bomb your house with Bibles.p-) However I am aware of obnoxious Christians, we are all human.

If you read the bible you will know that God is not all cudles and teddy bears, he kills and he kills well. Why a lot of people react the way they do to Christians is because of the in your face way the force issues thinking that everyone in this country believes what they believe. Everyone gets all riled up when Muslims claim religious superiority but Christians do the same thing. Christianity as far as i am concerned is a personal relationship with God that i don't need to broadcast to the whole world. People should be able to tell you apart from the way you live your life but sadly a lot of Christians have missed that part. Instead they have injected politics and patriotism into Christianity. God is a God of all and he loves everyone equally. That means he loves Osama Bin Laden as much as he loves Bush.

You miss the whole point. The problem is not the text but the human beings interpreting the text. I am as Christian as they come but a lot of the folks who have that evangelical label are nuts.

[Jobu]

I don't see Evangelicals these days cutting off heads on tape screaming "praise Jesus".
I don't see secret cells of Baptists today flying jetliners into office buildings or blowing up commuter trains in the name of Jesus.

When they do start doing these things, then your comparisons between Islamists and Christians will make some sense.

[Red]

I don't see Evangelicals these days cutting off heads on tape screaming "praise Jesus".
I don't see secret cells of Baptists today flying jetliners into office buildings or blowing up commuter trains in the name of Jesus.

When they do start doing these things, then your comparisons between Islamists and Christians will make some sense.

But you see a few muslims who commict acts of terrorism as well as muslims who work to stop them. I doubt the IRA could be considered muslims but they sure knew how to terrorise. Or ask the Brits how they felt about the zionist back in the days of British run palestine. Even our lofty christians are not above killing in the name of God. Look up history and you will find a lot of people not just muslims kill in the name of God. All i said was the issue will always be about human interpretation of Holy Texts.

[ElHombre]

It is getting old with the "Christian Threat" comparisons with Islamic extremism. Don't give me that abortion bombing example because it does not fly. Show me where in the Gospels it says for man to kill those who oppose God's teaching. Ahh but the KKK was church based. Bologna, where in the Bible does it say whites are supreme while your Lord is a Jew.

Beats me, but it's an excuse they've used before. Something about one of the kids of Noah, IIRC. :lol: Anyway, to the main question of your post...


So please clarify that you mean extremists abusing religion as an excuse. If one truly studies the fundamentals of the excuse then one will see the guilty are at odds with Christianity. If you do not do this I will bomb your house with Bibles.p-) However I am aware of obnoxious Christians, we are all human.

The biggest threats to US freedoms aren't bomb-wielding morons, but those who seek to use the power of a gov't for their own ends. There are far too many groups with undue influence in the gov't, by which I mean money. Take a look at the Terry Schiavo fiasco. That was a ridiculous intrusion into the privacy of a family by levels of gov't reaching up to the POTUS (who broke off a vacation for the first time to sign the law allowing Federal interference into the situation).

[Jobu]

We're not talking about history, we are talking about the present.

Christians, Jews, Hindus, and everyone else may have done these things in the past but they no longer are.

[Ordie]

I don't see Evangelicals these days cutting off heads on tape screaming "praise Jesus".
I don't see secret cells of Baptists today flying jetliners into office buildings or blowing up commuter trains in the name of Jesus.

When they do start doing these things, then your comparisons between Islamists and Christians will make some sense.

Well let's see...


Northern Ireland & UK: 3,000 dead over 30 years of terrorist actions.
1983 Posse Comitatus mudered two Federal Marshals.
1996 Christian Identity terrorist Eric Robert Rudolph bombs Atlanta Kills 1, wounds 111. And in 1997 bombs a gay nightclub.
Branch Davidians (Former Seventh Day Adventist) Waco, Texas
And here's the Anti-Abortion list


According to statistics gathered by the National Abortion Federation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Abortion_Federation), an organization of abortion providers, since 1977 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977) in the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) and Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada), there have been 7 murders, 17 attempted murders, 3 kidnappings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidnappings), 375 death threats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_threat), 655 anthrax (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthrax) threats, 41 bombings, 173 arsons, 89 attempted bombings or arsons, 1347 incidences of trespassing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trespassing), 1213 incidences of vandalism, and 100 attacks with butyric acid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butyric_acid), in addition to other disruptive and violent occurrences. [4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-abortion_violence#_note-naf)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-abortion_violence

[Jobu]

None of those things you listed are comparable to the Islamists' agenda today.

Northern Ireland was not about spreading Catholicism.
Nor are any of those even active today. Hell, Posse Comitatus wasn't even about religion, I have no clue why you listed them at all.

As for abortion violence, all of it combined doesn't come anywhere remotely near reaching the level of a 9/11 or Bali-type attack by Islamists. Anti-abortion violence tends to be one-person criminal actions rather than cells of religious nutters getting together to kill thousands of people. There is no equating the two.

[shocker1]

If you read the bible you will know that God is not all cudles and teddy bears, he kills and he kills well. Why a lot of people react the way they do to Christians is because of the in your face way the force issues thinking that everyone in this country believes what they believe. Everyone gets all riled up when Muslims claim religious superiority but Christians do the same thing. Christianity as far as i am concerned is a personal relationship with God that i don't need to broadcast to the whole world. People should be able to tell you apart from the way you live your life but sadly a lot of Christians have missed that part. Instead they have injected politics and patriotism into Christianity. God is a God of all and he loves everyone equally. That means he loves Osama Bin Laden as much as he loves Bush.

You miss the whole point. The problem is not the text but the human beings interpreting the text. I am as Christian as they come but a lot of the folks who have that evangelical label are nuts.
Hey, I agree including the bit about God's love for OBL. I did not miss the point, my point was do not lump all Christians in with those who do evil in it's name. Neither should Muslims be subjected to such blanket judgment.


Beats me, but it's an excuse they've used before. Something about one of the kids of Noah, IIRC. :lol: Anyway, to the main question of your post...



The biggest threats to US freedoms aren't bomb-wielding morons, but those who seek to use the power of a gov't for their own ends. There are far too many groups with undue influence in the gov't, by which I mean money. Take a look at the Terry Schiavo fiasco. That was a ridiculous intrusion into the privacy of a family by levels of gov't reaching up to the POTUS (who broke off a vacation for the first time to sign the law allowing Federal interference into the situation).
Your stretch to compare bomb welding morons to Terry Schiavo pro-lifers is ridiculously unreasonable. I think the bomb weilding morons are by far the biggest threat. I swear we could be talking about watercolor painting and you would blame Bush for your paint being to wet.

[BloodyTalon]

Step by little step, they descend. You guys have not a single clue as to the threat facing you...not a clue.MM
:cantbeli: You people are acting as if Ellison is trying to push a bill that will require all women to wear veils! Do you even know anything about Ellison's background, like how he was born into a Christian family here in the US, or that he is a supporter of same *** marriages (not exactly a stance that a Jihadist would take), or that Jihadists consider him in league with the infidels? Didn't think so.

[Mastermind]

Regardless of your belief system...it is still a system...it is what makes the person what he or she actually is. So, that said, we have to think a person who calls himself a Christian is thus devoted to the principles the Christian faith exhibits...likewise with a person who calls himself a Muslim. So far, I have not seen or heard of any Christians detonating bombs in crowded market places or flying airplanes filled with innocent people into buildings filled with innocent people or sawing people's heads off on TV. Now, if I was to hear this "Muslim" congressman come out and actually condemn Muslims who do such things, I might think a bit differently. But, until I hear that and believe they mean it, I consider they are exactly of the same belief system as those who do such things. He calls himself a Muslim, then he has to carry that baggage! Are there "good Muslims" and "bad Muslims"? I have not actually heard of those two denominations of Islam...but, I may be wrong. I only hear of Muslims who declare they want to kill all who are not Islamic on this planet and the Muslims who continue to remain silent on that issue, as if they are waiting for some sort of "call from God" before declaring themselves on one side or the other. MM