Muslim-American Group Targets Radio Host Over Koran Oath Comments (Prager)

[sabra]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,234237,00.html

Muslim-American Group Targets Radio Host Over Koran Oath Comments

WASHINGTON — A Muslim-American advocacy group has called on radio talk show host Dennis Prager to be removed from the governing board of the federally funded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum after Prager last week blasted a representative-elect for planning to use the Koran at his swearing-in next month.

Prager, who is Jewish, slammed Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to the U.S. Congress, after Ellison announced he plans to have his oath of office photo taken with the Koran instead of the Christian Bible, which is traditional.

"Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned, America is interested in only one book, the Bible," he wrote in a column titled, "America, Not Keith Ellison, Decides What Book a Congressman Takes His Oath On."

"If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress," Prager wrote, adding that using the Koran "undermines American civilization."

The Washington, D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a statement Monday calling for Prager's ouster from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, the museum's advisory council.

[Kagemusha]

1. The rest of the article is eye-popping.

The guy apparently thinks Jews should swear on the Bible too, for starters. Because it's tradition. Because kissing Christianity's rear end is a social requirement of office regardless of one's personal beliefs.

Frightening consistency, I'll give him that.

[asthmaticeog]

2. What is with all these reporters taking Prager at his word?

"(blah blah blah)...after Ellison announced he plans to have his oath of office photo taken with the Koran instead of the Christian Bible, which is traditional." (Emphasis mine)

It is NOT traditional to take the oath on a Bible, ferfuxsakes, this is SUCH an easy thing to check. The oath is given en masse, not one rep at a time with a book.

I agree with the Muslim advocacy group - FWIW as the child of a Holocaust survivor, I think someone so willfully dishonest and sickeningly intolerant has no business sitting on the board of the Memorial Museum.

[Kagemusha]

4. In the interests of fairness even though Prager doesn't deserve it...

He's calling the swearing over the bible AFTER the oath that is given en masse, the REAL tradition, the REAL ceremony, and far more important than that little en masse oath which gives serving in Congress actual legal weight.

Far from me to say his choice of words is proper, though.

[dalaigh lllama]

8. per our newspaper, the new congress swears in without

the Bible (separation of church /state and all that), and after they're sworn in, they do their little photo op with a bible. It's not even part of the actual ceremony at all. This Prager's totally whacko -- probably thinks there's a war on Christmas, too.:eyes:

[Kagemusha]

12. I tried to say that, but yeah. Prager's just emphasizing the photo op.

Saying it's the photo op part that REALLY MATTERS.

Why? Because the American people demand it. Or so he says. Too bad for him the Constitution doesn't. I'm sure he has no idea why it would.

[StarTurtle]

14. Dishonesty and intolerance on the USHMM board

"I think someone so willfully dishonest and sickeningly intolerant has no business sitting on the board of the Memorial Museum."

And that goes double for Norm Coleman.
:puke:

[The Stranger]

3. If Prager doesn't step down, his ass needs to be thrown off the board.

Immediately.

[Lurking Dem]

5. He must be Jewish the same way

Phelps must be Christian.

He should be fucking ashamed of himself.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Pretty much!

His profile is very creepy...almost reads like a "Jew for Jesus." He is also spoke at the 25th anniversary of "Focus on the Family." In other words...:puke:!

[Doctor_J]

6. a 4th-rate Limpballs wannabe trying to make it to 3rd-rate

a fucking radio loser deciding how Americans take oaths of office.

Hey, loser - get a fucking job.

[ianwood]

7. I wonder why when its come to muslim

there is always double standard.
america is free country

[Ian David]

18. Yes, but everything changed after "September the eleventh"

Bush got himself a Reichstag Fire for a reason.

We're not America anymore.

Now, we're "Fuckin' USA Man Yee hah!"

In fact, if you go to the Rand McNally Website, that's how it's labeled in the map.

It now says, "Canada... Fuckin' USA Man Yee Hah... Mexico," and beneath Mexico, it's just labeled, "Other Mexicos."

[AngryAmish]

9. This goose-stepping KKK bastard needs to be professionally destroyed

Fuck that shit-eater.

[stevedeshazer]

10. Prager also lied about the Mormons

<snip>

In his column, Prager also claimed that no "Mormon official demanded to put his hand on the Book of Mormon." In 1997, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Oregon), a Mormon, carried a Bible that included the Book of Mormon to his swearing-in ceremony. But Ellison's use of a Quran isn't without precedent. In 1999, Osman Siddique became the first Muslim to serve abroad as a U.S. ambassador, and he took his oath using both a Quran and a Bible.

</snip>

source: http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=16907

[Mich Otter]

11. Why are any politicians allowed to disrespect the bible by taking their

lying oaths with their hands on a bible?
Every politician ought to be required to show respect to their true god and take the oath with their hand on a dollar bill.

[Miss Chybil]

15. Absolutely spot on! nt

[Ian David]

19. Any politician who swears on "the" bible and breaks their oath should be excommunicated. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

16. Please take note that the ADL condemned Prager as well

ADL Statement on Dennis Prager's Attack On Muslim Congressman for Taking Oath of Office on Koran

New York, NY, December 1, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued the following statement in response to Dennis Prager’s November 28 online column, “America, Not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on,” where he said that the first Muslim elected to Congress should not be permitted to take his oath of office on a Koran:

Dennis Prager’s argument that Representative-Elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, should not be permitted to take his oath of office on a Koran is, intolerant, misinformed and downright un-American.

Prager is flat-out wrong when he asserts that Representative Ellison’s use of a Koran would be “damaging to the fabric of American civilization.” To the contrary, the U.S. Constitution guarantees that, “no religious test shall ever be required” to hold public office in America. Members of Congress, like all Americans, should be free to observe their own religious practices without government interference or coercion.

Prager’s patriotic prattling is misinformed on the facts, too. No Member of Congress is officially sworn in with a Bible. Under House rules, the official swearing-in ceremony is done in the House chambers, with the Speaker of the House administering the oath of office en masse. No Bibles or other holy books are used at all. Members may, if they choose, also have a private ceremony with family and friends. At these unofficial ceremonies, Members frequently solemnize the event by taking an oath while holding a personal family Bible.

Prager ridiculously asserts that permitting Rep. Ellison to take the oath of office would “be doing more damage to the unity of America and to the value system that has formed this country than the terrorists of 9-11.” What he fails to understand is that what truly unifies all Americans is a value system built on religious freedom and pluralism, not dogmatism and coercion.

Prager presents intolerant, ugly views. His comparison of Ellison’s desire to “choose his favorite book” to that of the right of a racist elected to public office to use Hitler’s Mein Kampf is outrageous. If Prager were merely a blogger and radio talk-show host trying to be relevant and provocative, these views might not merit a response. But as a newly-appointed member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, Prager and his views must be held to a higher standard.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

http://www.adl.org/PresRele/DiRaB_41/4934_41.htm

[Lurking Dem]

20. How odd.

I read, right here on DU, It is tragic that the ADL has become an apologist for racist extremism.

[qwlauren35]

21. Actually,

It's nice to see the ADL disagreeing with Prager. Gives more teeth. And more likelihood that there will be a multi-religious repudiation of his comments.

Now we just need some more Christian groups to jump on board.

I think we all knew that a Muslim in Congress would turn heads. But for it to happen so d*mned soon just shows what a mess we are.

I hope Muslim Americans continue to push toward representation in public office. American patriotism isn't confined to a single religious group. Not every Muslim is out to destroy America. Clearly some wish to uphold its values and serve their country.

Sadly, we have a lot of other Americans who need to open their eyes to our diversity and stop believing the patriotism belongs to the religious right.

[Ian David]

17. Prager, Jackie Mason and Joe LIEberman should all be locked together in a deep, dark basement. n/t

[Lurking Dem]

22. That may cause a rip

in the space/time continuum. Or something. (I'm now picturing Mason muttering, "Nazi bastahd" to Lieberman.)