I do have to disagree with one of your points though, he IS “ome random kook shouting on a street corner”. Unfortunately, he also happens to be an elected official. And THAT’S the real shame.

Good post.

Bill, I already talk about Christians, or “Christianists,” the way Goode talked about Muslims. They are childishly superstitious, easily manipulated by their cynical leaders, and dangerous to our country. I still believe Goode has the right to say whatever he wants in his correspondence with his constituency, and no longer think (as I did at first) that his fellow Congress members should officially censure him. However, his fellow Congress members should darned sure express their revulsion at his ignorance and bigotry, which AS STEVE SAID they are reluctant to do.

And as for the folks who put him in office…what a drooling pack of yahoos. The King James Bible, ha ha! At least she didn’t call it the “St. James.” Yeah, it’s a relief that this isn’t all happening here in Alabama—but at the same time it’s scary because we KNOW what we’ve got going on here and now we learn that this kind of thinking and behavior is not a Heart of Dixie aberration but is reproduced all over the country.

And of course, to be fair, all over the world. Merry Christmas, everybody! Hail the Heaven-born Prince of Peace, indeed.

I prefer the NIV, so I’m probably going to fly a plane into the Empire State Building. Now those people that read the Message, they’re worse. They’ll probably call down Satan and his legions of doom to march on the Christian city of Washington.

I admire your attempt to be open minded here and follow your logic. But here’s where it breaks down for me. If someone made the comments about Christians that Goode made about Muslims, would that be “free speech” according to the masses? Bill O’Reilly would get so lathered up, he would light himself on fire in Times Square.

On second thought, maybe I should talk about Christians the way Goode talked about Muslims…….

My fear is that what Goode is doing right now can work — not because most Americans agree, but because more people are sure he’s right than are sure he’s wrong. (Most Americans, alas, are decent people but are confused and uncertain about Muslims.) If you say something like this about blacks, even whites, in large numbers, will be appalled (as Michael Richards learned recently). If you speak ill of Jews, Gentiles will be horrified (see: Mel Gibson, Judith Regan). But there just isn’t that automatic horrified reaction to anti-Muslim bigotry. The GOP knows this, so Goode is being given a free ride.

How can someone, in this day in age, be so CLEARLY ignorant and proud about it?

And then someone like Andy comes around…

*WOW*

Let’s see — how many US citizens hijacked planes on 9/11? I believe the answer is zero. Keith Ellison is a US citizen, born in Detroit, and duly elected to Congress by the constituents of his district.

Perhaps it is true that most terrorists are Muslims at this particular point in time, but that does not make most Muslims terrorists.

Finally, Rep. Goode says he wants to limit legal immigration because failing to do so would mean more people who happen to be Muslim would be elected to public office. Aside from the illogic of his assumption, our constitution explicitly forbids religious tests for those who serve in Congress. As Rep. Goode was just elected to a sixth term in Washington, I would think he would have become somewhat familiar with our basic governing document by now. But why let the facts get in the way of his — and your — prejudices?