"The recent election of the first Muslim to Congress posed a serious threat to the nation's traditional values".
I read the quote couple of times, I went back and looked at the picture of Representative Virgil H. Goode Jr., Republican of Virginia; he had a big smile and seemed like a reasonable man.
I thought probably he is referring to Osama, Ayman or maybe the dead guy from Al-Qaeda in Iraq, we all make mistakes. That is impossible Representative Virgil was referring to a new elected representative to the US congress.
I am confident that a person with such a big smile might not know the difference between Sunnis and Shiite after five years of war, but sure, he understands that only American citizens can run for US congress.
He probably understands as well that representation and taxation go together, so any Moslem, Christian, Jew, Hindu or atheist that holds the American citizenship have the right to elect his representatives without consulting with Mr. Goode, and to be a representative to other Americans without hurting Mr. Goode's traditional values.
Then I began wondering how many ugly events in our world history started by smiling and decent looking people like Mr. Goode.
Is it possible that somebody seventy years ago representing the good German people in the Bundestag (German Parliament) sent a letter to his constituent warning them about the threat imposed on the German traditional values?
Is it possible that the German traditional values in the processing of cleansing itself forgot or ignored that people with different religions and races are part of this tradition?
Is it possible that the good German representative defending his nation's values, refused to apologize for his racist comments?
Is it possible that the rest of the good German people did not object, they chose silence and prayed that somebody else will stop the young patriotic representative?
Everything is possible!
I am an Egyptian American born in Alexandria. I immigrated to the US in the late eighties, during this time lived in many places in US and Europe. I work as an IT manager and love it. I love to travel, it makes me feel young, and it awakes in me sense of adventure and curiosity. I love knowing people from different cultures; it never fails to amaze me how we all live in our little worlds that never meet. History is my second amazement, it always differ depending on who is winning, that leads me to my third hobby, politics is it history or human nature that is the culprit?
Freedom of Religion is one of this country's most basic values, and one we disregard at our peril.
The comparison to Nazi Germany is apt. Ability alone should decide who we vote for, not ethnicity, religion, sex, disability, or any other suspect category. Franklin Roosevelt had to hide his disability from the American people so that they would not prejudge his abilities.
Everything is indeed possible if we just stop looking at the labels and instead respect the individuals.
--Mark
by
Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 30 quicklinks, 100 diaries, 1325 comments)
on Sunday, December 24, 2006 at 8:47:06 PM
I wonder how long we need to relive the prejudice and bias around us before more of us speak up and expose the ugliness for what it is. It is the fear of that which is different among us. Religion generally has common roots in basic beliefs. When we forget to practice humility we open the door to fear and hatred based on falsehoods.
by
Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 276 comments)
on Sunday, December 24, 2006 at 10:12:36 PM
Remember Iraq - [The Real 2006 'Iraq Body Count':
Iraqi civilians killed this year by ISLAMIC Terrorists
16,548
Iraqi civilians killed collaterally in incidents involving Americans
(and Islamic Terrorists)
153*
Iraqis aren't
dying from war.
They are being murdered by
Islamic terrorists.
*Source: IraqBodyCount.net (includes civilians caught in crossfire who may have been killed by the terrorists)]
Interesting comment by "GJ Klaver". I didn't see Oklahoma City bombing part of the list. I didn't see how many Iraqi children killed because of our >10 years siege on Iraq. I haven't seen the abortion clinics radicals, oh yes; they are called "pro-life" I forgot.
The list goes on and on.. but I would rather ask Klaver to set his facts straight and read the world around him before s/he starts copying the media words and slips into the typical stereo-type dummies who just read a word somewhere here or there in couple of web sites and thinks that they know it all.
by
Dex (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments)
on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 at 10:02:20 PM
I am much older than you. I voted in my first election in November of '60. Against the advice of my Minister, I voted for President John Kennedy. I live in what is called the "Bible Belt" of America. I remember being warned by "The Daily Oklahoman". the only large paper in Oklahoma that a vote for Kennedy was a vote for the Pope in Rome for any good Roman Catholic would do what the Pope commanded.
I did not listen to that junk back then and I do not listen to it now. We have always had demigods like Representative Virgil. Time proved that JFK took his oath of office seriously and was not a liar or traitor. Now we do not think twice about electing a Roman Catholic to office. Time will prove whether Muslim American citizens are faithful to the American Constitution or some Ayatollah in anther country. I am betting the Representative who is a Muslim and elected to office will do just fine as any other American citizen.
Phil
by
pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 962 comments)
on Thursday, December 28, 2006 at 3:34:01 PM
Thanks Sameh, I couldn't put it any better. I keep wondering till when America will keep this kind of thinking dominating the way we judge people. Why don't we think of people on what they can do for the country rather than what color they are or what ethnicity they belong to.
Barack Obama is what he is, he has been elected; people have chosen him. I thought this is what this country is all about, you chose who you like to represent you. Being white, African-American, Christian, Jew, Muslim or whatever ethnicity is out of context and irrelevant. The most important is what he can or cannot do for this country.
Also, Thanks Phil for your comment, I think you summed it very well. And sorry to see comments like "GJ Klaver"'s in here.
The guy has been legitimately elected. If you truly believe he is a threat to the "Nation Traditional Values", I am not going to ask you on the definition of "Nation Traditional Values", I would rather ask you to give him the chance to prove what he can or cannot do.
by
Einy (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments)
on Thursday, December 28, 2006 at 6:03:37 PM
6 comments
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