Saturday, December 23, 2006

Video: House members react to Rep. Virgile Goode's racist letter

Reps. Goode, Hunter defend anti-Quran note; Ellison responds



At a press conference, Rep. Virgil Goode defended a letter he wrote criticizing a newly elected Muslim congressman, "I do not apologize and I do not retract my letter. The letter stands for itself and I support the letter."

Keith Ellison has been newly elected to Congress and plans to use the Quran during his personal swearing in ceremony. The Bible or no other religious texts are used by any member during the official swearing in ceremony.

The letter, written to Rep. Goode's constituents, said, "...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 demanding the use of the Koran."

In an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, Rep. Duncan Hunter defends Goode's position on the Quran. Hunter says, "Since the days of George Washington, the common bond between the people of the United States, when the Supreme Court Justice holds that Bible out for The President or The Speaker of the House in a official ceremony -- or anybody right down through our townships and our states holds out a Bible -- that Bible is a common bond of commitment and faith. Not only for the person the person receieving the office, whose dedicating himself, but for the people of the United States. [The Bible] has been the common bond since our country started."

Representative elect Ellison takes the high road responding to Goode's comments, "There's really nothing to fear. And that all of us [Muslims] are steadfastly opposed to the same people he's opposed to, which is the terrorists. So, there's nothing for him to be afraid of."

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