Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who became the first Muslim[1][2] to be elected to the United States Congress when he won the vacant seat for Minnesota's 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota. He is also the first African American elected to the House from Minnesota.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_EllisKeith Ellison - Is America Really Changing?I did find it interesting that most of the articles about him focused on what book he was going to use. Even though that shows our religious intolerance, in a backwards way it is a step forward that no one focused on his race.
What I really, really, love though is that they found Jefferson's copy of the Quran for him to use at the ceremony. I'm hoping that will send a message to all the people who state that this country was founded only on Christian values, as if our forefathers were that narrowminded. One of the fathers of our country owned a Quran! Tee hee hee. :dance of joy:Keith Ellison - Is America Really Changing?Jefferson owned a Koran/Quran because he was STUDYING it to use it as a resource against ISLAMIC ENEMIES.
He didn't own it because he was religiously tolerant.
Report Abuse
Keith Ellison - Is America Really Changing?Not sure if I would call it refreshing. I believe all people should be able to hold office regardless of race or religion. I thought it was great he was elected for both reasons. I read a disturbing article on thesmokinggun.com this will show you how flawed the people who are running our government still are.That article shows how ignorant the man who wrote it is. The scary thing is there are more people like him.Keith Ellison - Is America Really Changing?I think we'll look back upon the furor in ten or twenty years and see it the same way we do Governor Wallace's %26quot;standing in the schoolhouse door%26quot; of the University of Alabama in 1963.
There never should have been any furor, not in a country that truly cherishes religious freedom and whose constitution forbids religious tests for its officials. This was simply a case of an American, born in America, duly elected by Americans, taking the same oath as all the other newly elected members of the House of Representatives.
But you're right that it says something that little attention was paid to his being the first African-American elected to the House from Minnesota.
