A Muslim, Atheists and the Power of the Other ‘N’-Word
Do you think the congressman crossed the line or do are people over-reacting? Read and post your comments.
Posted July 20, 2007 – About two weeks ago, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) was speaking 
to a group of atheists at a forum in Minneapolis when he reflected on the attacks of 9/11 as the turning point that opened the door for the U.S. government to enact laws that it otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do.
Addressing a group of atheists is, by itself, enough to evoke public outrage in a nation where “God-fearing” is the label of choice. But Ellison – already the target of skepticism and mistrust by those who find it absurd that a Muslim could be elected to Congress in this post-9/11 era – did nothing to win over his critics when he alluded to the “N”-word in describing the Bush administration’s war in Iraq.
No, the other “N”-word. “Nazis.”
“It’s almost like the Reichstag fire, kind of reminds me of that – after the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it and it put the leader of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted,” Ellison told the 300 or so members of Atheists for Human Rights.
Ellison was referring to the Reichstag German Parliament building that burned in 1933, an event that Hitler used to justify suspending the German people’s civil liberties. The run-up to the passage of the Patriots Act is a lot like that historic event, said Ellison, a steady critic of the administration.
The ensuing public outrage was prompt and powerful.
Abraham H. Foxman, national director for the Anti-Defamation League, immediately called for Ellison to retract his comments and to apologize to the American people. He issued the following statement:
“Congressman Keith Ellison’s comments, comparing the rise of Nazism in the aftermath of the burning of the Reichstag to the War on Terror in the aftermath of 9/11, is outrageous and offensive to all Americans. Whatever his views may be on the administration’s response to 9/11 and the conduct of the War on Terrorism, likening it to Hitler’s rise to power and Nazism is odious and demeans the victims of 9/11 and the brave American men and women engaged in the War on Terror. Furthermore, it demonstrates a profound lack of understanding about the horrors that Hitler and his Nazi regime perpetrated.”
Seeking to mitigate the political backlash from his remarks, Ellison wrote in a July 13 editorial in The Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune that, “I spoke to constituents about religious tolerance and the erosion of civil liberties in a post 9/11 America. It is precisely in the aftermath of a tragedy like 9/11 that we must be most vigilant about our precious civil liberties. Unfortunately, some have tried to misconstrue my remarks.”
A spokesman in Ellison’s office told me he wasn’t comparing Bush to Hitler and, in an interview with The Associated Press, the congressman said, “In hindsight, I wouldn’t have used that reference point.”
But he didn’t back down on his assessment of the administration’s policy blunders. “Bush and his team seem intent on enlarging his authority and defying those who would challenge him or his administration,” he said.
doesn’t surprise me in the least though the administration has made many questionable choices that in no way can ever parallel with nazi germany, as a decendent of those who came to the states to get away from that sort of thing it is irresponsible to compare ,that is all there is to it, now i have no issue with the gentleman being a muslim as long as he upholds the constitution and does what is right by his constituents i am all for it. but this idea of religious intolerance is a joke we dont kill each other here for being shiite or sunni that is within one religion !!,so come off religious persecution ,it doesnt happen here and if and when it does it is few and far between. mr.ellison i wonder where else you stand on other things of importance or do you just tow the party line?? the idea that 9/11 gave the administration room to impose draconian laws and so on ,apparently mr.ellison is either pandering to the leftists or he hasnt seen what is happening elsewhere.thanks mr. ellison for proving over and over again that many in your party know the power of the p word pandering!!more of the same ,not a surprise ,thanks democrats for having yet another leftist blathering on about his conspiracy theory,not that republicans dont pander ,but the dems do nothing but.what have they done in their time with the control of congress?? oh right… they have renamed and dedicated post offices good job do nothing democrats !!!you have another soilder in your bitch and moan army…congrats mr. ellison for joining the team!!!
Could you share your thoughts on the Patriots Act? Do you think it went too far?
after scanning through and looking for key language to further inform me of its true intentions. i find it to be very glib and open ended thus allowing many of the sections to be interpreted in a fashion that allows the interpretor many angles and avenues to do as one pleases ,now that is not to say that.. that hasnt been done before only this time it was done during an administration that has become fashionably easy to hate. had it happen during the clinton era it may.. and i say, may have been taken differently. remember people liked bill along with our economic situatuation then. they just plain dont like Bush jr. so considering the political ferver at the time as well as the domino effect of todays current time has it effected our lives personally ? no but could it? sure . the government can go no further than WE allow .has it gone too far ? not yet,not until it takes form us what the constitution guarantees….some may argue other wise and some have been effected directly but as a whole we know as a truth it hasnt do to us as we and myself at one point felt to be true until i looked in depth what it was and how it effected citizens directly ,rights where suspended during the rebuilding of the south after the civil war ,along with the huge anti-war/anti-draft riots in the north ,using that as an example if something like that were to happen again as human history has proven it most evidently will,what are we to do?? wait for an act to be drawn or get control.i cant answer that. my sense of humanity compells me to look at each incident and individual as each incidents circumstances dictate,but that cant be done in a national emergency.none the less mr. ellison was out of bounds and did as the dems do. take the fashionable ideal of theorectical conspiracies. it was irresponsible i dont think he should have to retract it, i just wont vote for him.thank you Ms. Gentry for the question, I hope my words were not interpreted but seen as written.
GOD BLESS THE EDUCATED VOTER…
PRAY FOR PEACE.
AMEN.
I believe that MLK through the miracle of film, will educate the world before this coming holiday celebration on how to make peace in our world, and our future like never before - the world and all human beings will be influenced to start a movement to achieve global peace in the international community in our lifetime for generations to come. MLK will be proud in his spirit and his spirit will bring us together.
He understood that peace is possible. When you look at the old black and white footage from that time in history, before their was the rainbow of color we see now… you will be so moved, the world will understand. Look it up on the internet. You will see one of the greatest events in world history that will give us an example of how to move forward, starting today. Though MLK was not running for president at the time… THE PRESIDENT at the time in our history signed the paper… and gave MLK the pen - TOGETHER making the dream a reality.
God is amazing!
Amen.
White Americans ~~~ 1800’s Slavery in the United States ~ My ANCESTORS were MUSLINS that CONVERTED to CHRISTIANS just before the SLAVE SHIP (that they travel on) landed in the UNITED STATES. ~~ MUSLINS (My family members) took care of your WHITE FAMILY MEMBERS, COOKED your white family members MEALS, RAISED your WHITE CHILDREN, and I can go on…..1800’s- MUSLINS (Christians) worked n the White House. Check the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. for more information about their positions in the White House.
African Americans ~~~
Your Muslin Roots ~ 1800’s or before ~ Most African Americans in the United States family members sold as SLAVES in America were MUSLINS ! (Like it or not, it is what it is!) I always believed my Great Grandfather James Jackson, Sr. was from West Asia and of Ethiopian descent. In my research - The Pre-Islamic and early-Islamic era Black Africans had been coming to West Asia / Middle East as slaves since the Pre-Islamic era. Slaves served as household servants, soldiers and concubines. ~~ 1971-My Grandmother Ethel Naomi Jackson-Minor admitted that the family were Muslin and she told me as a slave child they were forbidden to ever talk about it. My research has cleared my head why they did not call themselves Muslins. ~~~ Historically, the English only enslaved Non-Christians, and not, in particular, Africans. A slave could become free by converting to Christianity—-In the late 1800’s, my Great Grandparents James and Matilda Johnson-Jackson, Sr. hosted community meeting with residents in the Town of Berwick, Louisiana and decided to build a church–Mason United Methodist Church– The cornerstone was laid by Golden Ark Lodge #2224 on June 9, 1901. The pastor at this time was Rev. S. McGruder. This church building is still in use today—- They raised me as a Christian with strong values and most of them were Black Republicans in the South that later converted to Democrats.
So what’s the problem with Obama having Muslin family members and being raised as most of us as Christians ( He do have the knowledge of who he is!) African Americans please research your HISTORY ~~ (Not His-Story) ~~ Obama for President!!!!
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