It should be interesting to see the comments flowing from Ellison's decision to be sworn in with a Kran rather than a bible.

Actually, we don't have to. Dennis Prager has given us an example of the hate emanating from the Right.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2006/11/28/america,_not_keith_ellison,_decides_what_book_a_congressman_takes_his_oath_on

Why does the Right hate the West so much? Every time a Prager/Malkin/Coulter goes off on one of their rants, or Kate posts one of her "Religion of Submission" posts, they are actually supporting Bin Ladin. He wants a polarized world between Islam and the West. By popsting their little rants, the West is aiding and Abetting this by driving the non-radical elements of Islam away from the West.

Time to stop the hate, people. It's as much on your heads as anyone elses.

The question is why does the left hate the West so much.

The left aids and abets the dismantling of our society all in the name of tolerance. Of course, the left never understands that they would be the first put down by muslim rule. This same left that advocates abortion, gay rights, feminism, multiculturalism, removal of religion from all aspects of our society.

Osama and his ilk want to take over. They want it all. Appease them all you want, you will lose.

The only way to stop the hate is to defend ourselves.
enough

Plus, somewhere a kitten dies. The Bin Laden's dont' want a "polarized world" - they want a uniform one. The one that has women peering out at the world through slits.

When the "non-radical elements of Islam" demonstrate they are stepping up to the plate to meet the "extremists" head on, you'll have a point.

Joseph Wheelan: Jefferson's War

"Two centuries ago, the ostensibly pacifist president Thomas Jefferson launched America’s first war on foreign soil—a war against terror. The enemy was Muslim; the war was waged unconventionally, with commandos, native troops, encrypted intelligence, and foreign bases under short-term alliances. For nearly two hundred years, Barbary pirates had haunted the Mediterranean, enslaving infidels and extorting millions of dollars from European countries in a holy war against Christendom. Newly independent, American ships became a target of piracy. Instead of paying tribute, after his inauguration Jefferson chose to fight."

w3.amazon.com/Jeffersons-War-Americas-Terror-1801-1805/dp/0786712325

Looks like that unless your are a Leftist, you're a "Hater"

Shores of Tripoli

I have seen the graves of the 3 (or 4?) US Marines who died in that raid. They are on the beach side of the main road along the Tripoli waterfront.

While Europeans fretted, wrung their hands and paid tribute to the Barbary pirates, the US took effective action.

The biggest laugh of all is the hype surrounding the oil produced by the arab states....it costs them, say, five bucks a barrell to pull it from the ground, and we are paying???????so, please moonbats, give me a f!@#$ng break....and as far as the alqaida/taliban/hamas crowd is concerned....the only good infidel, is a dead infidel....eat @#$% and die, terrorist scum!

Kingstonlad: And who is pulling that oil out of the ground. It isn't the muslims or arabs, it is contractors from canada and the USA. And who built all the infrastructure to pull that oil out. If and when the US leaves Iraq, it should also take all its contractors and expertise along with the troops. The ME would collapse it they had to do their own work.

Other than Keith Ellison being a Democrat and swearing on the Koran, there is no other evidence that this guy is an Al-Qaeda terrorist...Innocent until proven guilty as far I'm concerned, so I'm still prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

That doesn't mean I approve of him swearing an oath on the Koran though...

The question is why bother to have our politicians swear anything at all?

Swearing in on the Koran might mean something to Keith Ellison, but it means worse than nothing to the rest of us.

The largest majority of Americans are prepared to attach some significance to the Bible. Either because of faith or tradition.

We don't attach any importance to the Koran at all, and in fact because of our conflicts, we very well might see it as a less than benign influence.

So now we have a politician swearing on something that may mean something to him, but he hasn't sworn anything at all to the rest of us. And we are the citizens of the country that he is swearing to.

It is my understanding that the swearing on the religous book is a photo-op only. The actual swearing in ceremony does not provide for use of a Bible, just the raising of the right hand.
This from Glenn Beck.

Most people who have come here have accepted our views and ,I hope that is their take.I can accept their wanting to give credit to their
heritage as do we all in Canada.Irish\Scottish etc....
I assume the purpose of some one coming from a screwed up regime is to (first-get out ,2nd-adjust(assimilate-dam it)
The problem I see ,which was not ,or did not seem to be a problem ,when the people came from Eorope after the war was that they were glad to be away from the mayhem and settled in.
So when I see people,bitchin about their rites an carryin on ,I have to ask meself wot ar there credentials . My answer is acept wot ye git an if ye donna like it git involved an change it .Don't sit and bitch.
Git er dun
Later Peter

Someone recently pointed out that the Qur'an counsels deceit ["war is deceit"] and dissembling when the Muslims aren't quite strong enough to conquer and that it is therefore a unreliable basis for an oath. Just as treaties between Infidel and Muslim countries are pointless.

As I recall it, their word for strategic deceit is tiqqya.

They all should be swearing on the US Constitution.
Period.

I'm really unsure how the First Barbary War (in which President Jefferson was involved) is at all relevant to Keith Ellison, but in reply to the comments above, I will point out that the war ended without a conclusive victory for the US; they signed a treaty with the foreign states involved, paid a random for their captured men, and continued to pay a yearly tribute to the barbary states until the Second Barbary War. It's inaccurate to say that "[w]hile Europeans fretted, wrung their hands and paid tribute to the Barbary pirates, the US took effective action."

Regarding Kieth Ellison, I will only supply some facts:
- the congresspersons swear en masse, without reference to a holy text; the personal swearing ceremony is done at option, later, and is mostly a photo opportunity
- congresspersons are allowed, under the Constitution, to swear or affirm, and are specifically not to be held to a religious test to hold office
- a number of congresspersons have affirmed or sworn on religious texts other than the bible, mainly the Torah
- in addition, some presidents have not sworn on the bible upon taking office

Further to SandraK's remark that they should be swearing on the US Constitution. They should be swearing ON the Bible to UPHOLD the US Constitution ( The one not as yet completely ruined by the Supremes!)

Did you happen to see the very unflatering pic of Nancy Pelosi on page FP5 of the Jan 4th edition of the National Post? She's mad, I tell you!!

It's inaccurate to say that "[w]hile Europeans fretted, wrung their hands and paid tribute to the Barbary pirates, the US took effective action."

- Rumour

Did somebody whisper that in your ear?

The barbary muslim reign of terror was ended by Jefferson, Adams and the US navy. And yes, in fact, the Europeans were fretting about what to do. Between the early 18th century until the early 19th century, the Barbary Muslims captured and enslaved between 1 - 1.2 million white Europeans and Americans. They often wiped out whole coastal regions in their attacks. They went as far north as the coasts of England and Ireland, in fact all the way to Iceland where they either killed or took into slavery a village of 400 people.

This reign of terror, slavery and piracy was finally ended by the US navy, while Europe fretted.

The problem with Islam and Ellison's swearing in on the Quran is that Islam as chiefly a political ideology, and to that end it has its own constitution. The Quran is the written part of their constitution. Therefore, to what does Ellison owe his first allegiance - Islam, or America?

It may have been ended by the US, however, it was ended in the second Barbary war. During the first war (which is where the USMC got the shores of Tripoli bit) the USMC may have done an awesome job and achieved some amazing victories, but WHILE they were doing that, US politicians were playing their usual games. By the time Lt Presley O'Bannon had finished wiping out his opposition, US politicians had negotiated a settlement, and agreed to pay a tribute to the Barbary states. They then sent a dispatch to O'Bannon ordering him to abandon their newfound Muslim allies, who were subsequently, much like the Kurds in '91, slaughtered. While the US military has a glorious streak of amazing victories, US politicians have a horrid record of abandoning their military, and abandoning their allies. I've been hoping that at least this time in Iraq they'll stay and finish they job, but it looks like history just keeps repeating itself.