Ellison tells Dems to stand up for Ground Zero Islamic center
Friday, August 20, 2010 at 9:47 am
- 10 Comments
Rep. Keith Ellison
Rep. Keith Ellison appeared on Democracy Now on Thursday to discuss the controversy over a planned Muslim community center blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. Ellison said that Democrats need to remember the Constitution and support religious freedom, because ultimately that’s what resonates with voters.
On the project’s symbolism to the world, Ellison said, “By supporting this project we directly undermine and counteract the narrative of the transnational terrorists who claim America is at war with Islam. America is not at war with Islam and all we have to do to demonstrate that is to stand on our Constitution that guarantees the freedom of worship for all Americans.”
On his fellow Democrats, Ellison said: “Unfortunately, I think that some of them are in some tight races. Their opponents have made this into a divisive wedge issue and they blanked on the constitution because they are afraid of their prospects in November.”
He added, “But i just want to tell any Democrat that, look, you stand on religious freedom, it’s going to be a winning issue because it resonates with Americans.”
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Comment posted August 20, 2010 @ 10:12 am
I see Keith is still jousting with that straw man. Is he really as dense in person as he appears in print?
Comment posted August 20, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
So, what will my opponent Betty McCollum do about this? Will she show any wisdom? I would have to give her credit if she did.
Yeah, Keith, I met him and he told me “It’s an honor to meet you.” I took that as part of his Muslim courtesy, I don’t know that he actually knew me, but it’s possible. The young lions, you know.
This is real time, and America must hew to its core values, Christianity and try to extend that foundation to tolerance and coexistence which has eluded us in European history. I’m hopeful. We’ve got to look at our laws once again, and morality, and return. I say we turn to God as a country. Barack may have been born a Muslim, as Dr. Graham says (and others) but he can become a Christian, he can turn to the foundation of this nation. that is a choice that’s given to him and his family, and I pray that they will.
And Steven Segal, too, I hope he does too, his Catholic roots. But we can and must continue to dialogue on these great religious issues. (Segal is a Tibetan Lama)
Comment posted August 20, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
It’s not a crime to not be a Christian in this country, even though people like you would like to change that. Our core values are Enlightenment, not Christian. That seems to be elusive to the ignorant, as well.
Comment posted August 20, 2010 @ 11:21 pm
Oh, was that the English Enlightenment? I never heard of that one. Or maybe the Swedish Enlightenment? Amazing the things one hears on these boards!
Comment posted August 20, 2010 @ 11:32 pm
That’s an old meme that’s been spread by leftist atheist college professors for decades, knowing it would be lapped up and regurgitated by the young and the clueless.
Comment posted August 21, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Since Steve and Dennis pretend to know what’s in the Constitution, maybe they can tell me which parts come from the Bible. Although they will want to avoid Article VI and the First Amendment.
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