I've often said that George Bush's America increasingly reminds me of Germany circa 1933 or so. Not quite full-blown Nazi era, but not quite all honky-dory either. Well folks, Republican hero Roy Moore just moved the cuckoo clock up a notch to 1934.
(Moore is the guy pushing the "Ten Commandments in every courthouse" campaign. No one could have predicted that he'd be exposed as a raging nutjob.)
According to Moore, Muslims have no place in the US Congress. That kind of talk is the kind of thing a Nazi would say. Or the Taliban would say. Or a good Soviet-style dictator would say. It's not the kind of thing an American would say. And it's the kind of thing that would itself get you banned forever from public life in 21st century America. Until now. How much do you want to be that Moore doesn't suffer a lick for proclaiming one of the most racist, un-American doctrines to hit our country in decades?
First, we get an inkling of Moore's extremism in the lead to his column:
Last month Keith (Hakim Mohammad) Ellison of Minnesota became the first Muslim elected to serve in the United States Congress and shocked many Americans by declaring that he would take his oath of office by placing his hand on the Quran rather than the Bible. Can a true believer in the Islamic doctrine found in the Quran swear allegiance to our Constitution? Those who profess a sincere belief in Allah say "no!"Next, Moore ironically maligns Muslims for, supposedly, embracing a philosophy that is openly embraced by Moore's own religious right supporters - that they want our government and our laws replaced by a theocracy.
The Islamic faith rejects our God and believes that the state must mandate the worship of its own god, Allah.Then Moore hits us, full on, with one of the most racist screeds I have read in years from anyone, let alone a supposed "leader" embraced by Republicans and the religious right alike:
Enough evidence exists for Congress to question Ellison's qualifications to be a member of Congress as well as his commitment to the Constitution in view of his apparent determination to embrace the Quran and an Islamic philosophy directly contrary to the principles of the Constitution. But common sense alone dictates that in the midst of a war with Islamic terrorists we should not place someone in a position of great power who shares their doctrine. In 1943, we would never have allowed a member of Congress to take their oath on "Mein Kampf," or someone in the 1950s to swear allegiance to the "Communist Manifesto." Congress has the authority and should act to prohibit Ellison from taking the congressional oath today!Moore is afraid of a jihad? We should be afraid of a pogrom. This kind of rhetoric is sickening and dangerous. Praying to the Quran is the same as sharing the doctrine of terrorists? Praying to the Quran is justification for not serving as a member of the US government?
I am sick after reading this. Moore's career should be dead after writing this kind of un-American, racist garbage - as should the career of any politician, or so-called religious leader, who is ever seen embracing this man again. We need to string Moore around the neck of every Republican and every religious right leader until they totally disavow his racism.
This has the makings of an enormous campaign - our non-profits dedicated to civil rights should be jumping on this. What a better way to define, and exemplify, what George Bush and the Republicans have made of the American dream in just six short years. And what a better way for us to redefine for, and remind, the American people what our country was, and is, really all about.
