Rep. Virgil 'Goode' (sic) exploits fear of Rep. Ellison, Muslims in letter to constituents

[BurtWorm]

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002189.php

In Letter, GOP Rep Fears Influx of Muslims
By Paul Kiel - December 19, 2006, 4:29 PM

In a letter sent out to select supporters earlier this month reacting to the controversy (among certain extreme conservatives, at least) over Muslim representative-elect Keith Ellison's (D-MN) decision to be sworn in on the Koran, Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) sent a short letter to supporters warning that the U.S. must close its borders to guard against the influx of still more Muslims. In it, he also proudly recounts his retort to a Muslim student who asked him why he did not include the Koran with The Ten Commandments on his wall. "As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, The Koran is not going to be on the wall of my office," he says he told the student.

The letter, which by some horrible error in Goode's office was sent to the chair of the local Sierra Club chapter, was obtained by Charlottesville's C-Ville Weekly. Goode's spokesman, after correcting my pronunciation of his boss' name (it rhymes with "food") refused to expand beyond Goode's comment to the Weekly of “I wrote the letter. I think it speaks for itself,” although I was invited to fax in a question to the congressman.

"f American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran," the letter reads. "I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped."

The text is reproduced below. (Thanks to Waldo Jaquith)

The text of the letter:

Thank you for your recent communication. When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and 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 and demanding the use of the Koran. We need to stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country. I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States if we do not adopt the strict immigration policies that I believe are necessary to preserve the values and beliefs traditional to the United States of America and to prevent our resources from being swamped.

The Ten Commandments and “In God We Trust” are on the wall in my office. A Muslim student came by the office and asked why I did not have anything on my wall about the Koran. My response was clear, “As long as I have the honor of representing the citizens of the 5th District of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, The Koran is not going to be on the wall of my office.” Thank you again for your email and thoughts.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. He needs to take down the Ten Commandments

and put the Constitution on his wall-and then follow it, especially that First Amendment.

[Roland99]

7. Besides, the Ten Commandments are Judaic law. Jesus taught the Eight Beatitudes

and I bet you $100 this asshat couldn't name even one of those.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. with shits like this, there is one sure fire cure.

Stand up to the chickenshit yellowbelly bigot - in public. Confront him. With witnesses. Politely, with compassion for his mental illness, but confront him nevertheless. They cannot stand up to people with honor. It sickens them to see how far they have fallen from their self-proclaimed ideals. Of course, this guy might be too stupid to recognize it.

[kegler14]

3. Representatives don't take the oath with anything

in their hands and Goode no doubt knows that. I knew Goode somewhat 25 years and thought then he was a good and straigthforward person. Now he's nothing but a politcal toady.

[underpants]

5. Notice that Goode says he will have a Bible "in the other hand"

that is pure implication there embedded to decieve.

He isn't even claiming that his hand will be ON A BIBLE. Amazing.

[marmar]

4. Obviously, there's still much trash that needs to be removed from Congress....

What a sick SOB. God has got to be about ready to file a libel lawsuit against these freaks.

[Roland99]

6. What a fine, fine example of a good American Christian!

Sorta like that asshat younger guy in a minivan that was riding my ass last night and flipping me the bird when I didn't take off fast enough. Yeah, that guy with the Christian rock station sign hanging from his rearview mirror.


:eyes: