For Shame

TPM Muckraker posts a letter Representative Virgil Goode (R-VA) sent to certain supporters earlier this month.  The supporters apparently were inquiring about Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) who will become the first Muslim member of Congress in 2007.  Ellison has said that he will take his oath of office on his holy book, the Koran.   (Note: As the story at the link says, "House members are sworn in together on the House floor in a ceremony without any book, holy or otherwise."  However, "in an unofficial ceremony, individual members reenact an oath so it can be photographed.")  In conversations with two different publications (the C-Ville Daily (see below) and TPM Muckraker), Representative Goode has confirmed that the letter is indeed from him.

Here's the text of Goode's letter to his supporters:

Thank you for your recent communication. 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 Koran 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 Koran. 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.

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 Koran. 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 Koran is not going to be on the wall of my office.” Thank you again for your email and thoughts.

TPM Muckraker reports that "Goode's spokesman . . . refused to expand beyond Goode's comment to the [C-Ville]Weekly," the paper that initially posted Goode's letter.  The story in the C-Ville Weekly states: "Representative Virgil Goode (www.house.gov/goode) told us, through his press secretary, 'I wrote the letter. I think it speaks for itself.' ”

It's one thing when a right-wing columnist says things of this nature.  It's quite another when a sitting member of the U.S. Congress does so.   

Among other things, these ugly sentiments demonstrate that Goode doesn't even understand some of the constitutional guarantees he says he is so proud to support and defend.  Our founders wisely prohibited religious tests for public office.  Our Constitution requires the government to provide equal religious liberty for people of all faiths and none. 

Further, while Representative Goode beats his chest about his Christian beliefs, he turns his back on Biblical teachings such as this one:

When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.  The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

(Leviticus 19:33-34)

This matter calls for a swift response from Americans, American Christians in particular. 

NOTE:  Just in case there's any doubt, let me say that I have no problem with the fact that Representative Goode posts the Ten Commandments and "In God We Trust" on his office walls and does not put items from other faith traditions there with them.  And of course I support Goode's right to choose to carry the Bible with him when he takes his oath of office.  As noted above, however, I have a variety of problems with the rest of Goode's statement.