Perfect symbolism

[redbird]

(This has already been all over my friends list.)

Keith Ellison, D-MN, is taking his Congressional oath of office on Thomas Jefferson's personal copy of the Koran.

I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.

Comments

[fredcritter.livejournal.com]

Heh! That'll show 'em!

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

They symbolism will, sadly, be lost on Goode.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

He said "No comment."

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

Technically, being a translation, that book is just a Commentary, not actually a Q'ran, so some Islamic clerics will find this use of it offensive. (Think of Rituals that can be done properly only with the Torah Scrolls, not a printed copy of the text.)

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

Beat me to it.

[bugsybanana.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not the official oath, either. That happens in the chamber of the House without any book to swear on.

Ellison is playing his hand brilliantly so far.

[nwl.livejournal.com]

I was wondering about that when I read about Jefferson's Q'ran. I kinda thought translations were not considered as authentic, perhaps, as the original.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

Translation is specifically non-authorized, which leads some theologins to consider the American Black Musllim movement heretical because most of the members don't learn Arabic well enough to appreciate the nuances of the original.

As Bugsybanana pointed out, this isn't the formal & required oath of office -- more a socia;/networking/photo-op evemt -- and there's a possibility Ellison deliberately chose a translation also to distance himself from near-eastern Islamic leaders.

I'm not sure I like the idea of a politician being _that_ devious, but on the other hand it would be good to see it in a Democrat, for a change.

[lizw.livejournal.com]

Genius.