There are a number of interesting stories on Keith Ellison I would like to reprint here. 1st, Shahed Amanullah's piece on Ellison's use of the Jefferson Qur'an for his private oath of office. 2nd, the video of the oath. 3rd, an interview with Ellison. Then finally, 4th, Ellison's recent essay in Newsweek.

1. "The Founding Fathers and Islam" by Shahed Amanullah

The news that Representative-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN) plans today to take an informal Congressional oath of office on a copy of the Qur'an once owned by Thomas Jefferson might seem surreal to those who cannot imagine that the Founding Fathers had anything but a passing familiarity with the religion that so dominates political discourse in 21st century America. Ellison's specific choice of Qur'an was meant to highlight the relationship that Islam and Muslims have had with the United States since its inception, as well as the place that Islam's holy book had with one of the most respected leaders of early America. Adorned with his initials, Jefferson's Qur'an – an 1764 English translation from Arabic by George Sale – was purchased and used during his comparative legal studies, and was sold to the Library of Congress after the War of 1812. Sale, while clearly distancing himself from Islamic theology in his commentary (the translation Ellison will take his oath on calls the Prophet Muhammad a "criminal… imposing a false religion"), also states that "the praises due to his real virtues ought not to be denied him" and that Islam had no better or worse a historical record than Judaism or Christianity. And despite public opinion about Islam at the time (which differs little from Sale's professed negative statements), Jefferson explicitly referenced Islam in his support of Virginia's Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom in 1786, where he praised its protections of "the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo and the Infidel." Early American writings show Jefferson wasn't alone. "It is clear that the Founding Fathers thought about the relationship of Islam to the new nation," writes James Hutson, Manuscript Division Chief for the Library of Congress, "and were prepared to make a place for it in the republic." One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a colleague of Jefferson, Pennsylvania's Benjamin Rush, wrote that he would "rather see the opinions of Confucius or Mohammed inculcated upon our youth than see them grow up wholly devoid of a system of religious principles." "If we may openly speak the truth," wrote John Locke wrote in his influential Letter Concerning Toleration, "neither Pagan nor Mahometan, nor Jew, ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the commonwealth because of his religion." An important point to note is that regardless of personal opinion about the religion of Islam, neither politician nor citizen during America's founding would countenance the exclusion of Muslims from American political or civic life. During the formation of the United States, when the Constitution and Bill of Rights were being debated at both the state and federal level, opponents of religious freedom statutes cited the fear of a Muslim being elected to office ("As there are no religious tests, pagans, deists and Mahometans might obtain office," argued Baptist Rev. Henry Abbot during North Carolina's debate), but thankfully the other side prevailed. "In the course of four or five hundred years I do not know how it will work," countered North Carolina Provincial Congress member William Lancaster. "This is most certain, that Papists may occupy that [government] chair, and Mahometans may take it. I see nothing against it."

2. Film of the Oath

3. Interview by Newsweek of Ellison

Q&A: First Muslim Rep. in Congress Keith Ellison discusses his position as America’s first Islamic House member on Capitol Hill, his views on faith and his agenda for the new session. By Michael Isikoff Newsweek Jan 4, 2007 Jan. 4, 2007 – Keith Ellison, 43, a Democrat from Minneapolis, was sworn in today as the first Muslim member of the U.S. Congress. In this interview with NEWSWEEK's Michael Isikoff, Ellison talked about his decision to use a Qur'an once owned by Thomas Jefferson for the ceremony, the recent controversy generated by Republican congressman Virgil Goode’s letter suggesting that Muslims should not be elected to Congress and how Ellison plans to practice his faith—including making a pilgrimage to Mecca—while serving in the House. NEWSWEEK: Your swearing in is historic in some senses. How did you come up with the idea of being sworn in with a Qur'an owned by Thomas Jefferson?
Keith Ellison: An individual wrote a letter to the office … It was like, "Wow, isn't that interesting? Here's a book that was owned by Thomas Jefferson, a towering figure of American democracy" ... Clearly [Jefferson] thought it contained information that he wanted to know about … It just demonstrates that at the very earliest moments of this country, religious tolerance was a principle that one of the Founding Fathers was relying on. Some might say it's a pretty effective rebuke to the comments of Virgil Goode from Virginia. What was your personal reaction to Goode's comments?
If you look at exactly what he said, he wrote in [his letter to constituents] that if we don't restrict immigration policy, there will be more Muslims here demanding to use the Qur'an, and that will swamp our resources. There has always been this strain in our society where people [wanted] to carve people out of the body politic. That might be immigrants, that might be GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender]\n community members, it could be Muslims. In 1941, it was the Japanese. The fundamental argument is fear … and I reject that as a political philosophy. Our adversaries in the war on terror are predominantly fundamentalist Muslims who don't practice a politics of inclusion. That's a core reason for the conflict in the war on terror.
So do we want to be just like them? The reality is Muslims around the world don't subscribe to extremist views and oppose them. We can't build a policy around some extreme criminal nut cases. As the first Muslim in Congress, some people have compared you to Jackie Robinson.
I thought that was funny. I don't see myself as a historic figure … But then again, let's look at that analogy for a minute. What was Jackie Robinson worried about? Getting a hit, right? He was trying to get on base, right? I feel a\n tremendous need to perform well for the district, apart from any kind of "first" stuff. I feel a tremendous need and urgency to be effective for constituents. And that is my overriding concern. But you realize people are looking to you to be more than that?
Well, you know, I could do a whole lot more good just by being a good congressman than trying to be a symbol or a spokesman for a whole faith. During the campaign, you took a lot of attacks about your past, about your membership in the Nation of Islam.
That was never true, by the way. I thought you were a member of the Nation of Islam and wrote some articles defending [its leader] Louis Farrakhan.”,1] ); //—>
If you look at exactly what he said, he wrote in [his letter to constituents] that if we don't restrict immigration policy, there will be more Muslims here demanding to use the Qur'an, and that will swamp our resources. There has always been this strain in our society where people [wanted] to carve people out of the body politic. That might be immigrants, that might be GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender] community members, it could be Muslims. In 1941, it was the Japanese. The fundamental argument is fear … and I reject that as a political philosophy. Our adversaries in the war on terror are predominantly fundamentalist Muslims who don't practice a politics of inclusion. That's a core reason for the conflict in the war on terror.
So do we want to be just like them? The reality is Muslims around the world don't subscribe to extremist views and oppose them. We can't build a policy around some extreme criminal nut cases. As the first Muslim in Congress, some people have compared you to Jackie Robinson.
I thought that was funny. I don't see myself as a historic figure … But then again, let's look at that analogy for a minute. What was Jackie Robinson worried about? Getting a hit, right? He was trying to get on base, right? I feel a tremendous need to perform well for the district, apart from any kind of "first" stuff. I feel a tremendous need and urgency to be effective for constituents. And that is my overriding concern. But you realize people are looking to you to be more than that?
Well, you know, I could do a whole lot more good just by being a good congressman than trying to be a symbol or a spokesman for a whole faith. During the campaign, you took a lot of attacks about your past, about your membership in the Nation of Islam.
That was never true, by the way. I thought you were a member of the Nation of Islam and wrote some articles defending [its leader] Louis Farrakhan.
In the ’80s, when I was a college student, yeah, I wrote some articles. And also, I was actively involved in the Million Man March effort [organized by Farrakhan in 1995]\n … Rosa Parks went to the Million Man March. So did Jack Kemp, and so did about 2 million other people … But no, I'm a Sunni Muslim and have been since I was 19 years old, and I've never been a part of any other sect, including the Nation of Islam. How did you come to Islam in the first place?
That is something I always decline to go into … How does a person truly understand their own religious conversion? I had no Saul [on the road to] Damascus kind of religious experience. It is sort of a personal thing, and [I'm] not really sure how to explain it in a way that even makes sense to me. I realize this is not the greatest forum to discuss one's personal religious views. But obviously, in this context, people want to know.
I'll tell you this much. When I walked into the Muslim student union [at Detroit's Wayne State University] I was\n very impressed how well represented all the peoples of the world were in the room. You had people who were Caucasian, you had them African, you had them South Asian, you had Latino and you had people who looked like they might have been Chinese. And they were all there—and I was impressed by that … It seemed like something that was good at unifying people. And that's what set me down this path. I've read that you're devout. You pray five times a day. You will plan on continuing to do that in the House?
Sure. Where? In your office?
If that's where I happen to be … I'm not one trying to call attention to myself. Do you plan to go to Mecca?
Absolutely. When?
I don't know. The hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca] just ended. There's something\n called umrah, which is making hajj outside of hajj season. So I could do that. I'm trying to find time to go. You know they got us in here five out of seven days a week.”,1] ); //—>
In the ’80s, when I was a college student, yeah, I wrote some articles. And also, I was actively involved in the Million Man March effort [organized by Farrakhan in 1995] ... Rosa Parks went to the Million Man March. So did Jack Kemp, and so did about 2 million other people … But no, I'm a Sunni Muslim and have been since I was 19 years old, and I've never been a part of any other sect, including the Nation of Islam. How did you come to Islam in the first place?
That is something I always decline to go into … How does a person truly understand their own religious conversion? I had no Saul [on the road to] Damascus kind of religious experience. It is sort of a personal thing, and [I'm] not really sure how to explain it in a way that even makes sense to me. I realize this is not the greatest forum to discuss one's personal religious views. But obviously, in this context, people want to know.
I'll tell you this much. When I walked into the Muslim student union [at Detroit's Wayne State University] I was very impressed how well represented all the peoples of the world were in the room. You had people who were Caucasian, you had them African, you had them South Asian, you had Latino and you had people who looked like they might have been Chinese. And they were all there—and I was impressed by that … It seemed like something that was good at unifying people. And that's what set me down this path. I've read that you're devout. You pray five times a day. You will plan on continuing to do that in the House?
Sure. Where? In your office?
If that's where I happen to be … I'm not one trying to call attention to myself. Do you plan to go to Mecca?
Absolutely. When?
I don't know. The hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca] just ended. There's something called umrah, which is making hajj outside of hajj season. So I could do that. I'm trying to find time to go. You know they got us in here five out of seven days a week. Sen. Barbara Boxer recently rescinded an award to somebody in her state because of the person's relations with the Council on American Islam Relations [CAIR, a Muslim civil-rights organization]. She expressed some concerns that CAIR was an extremist organization and had not distanced itself from [the Palestinian group] Hamas. You have been very associated with CAIR. You gave a video presentation at their recent fund-raising dinner … There have been allegations from some that you are CAIR's congressman?
Nothing has come to my attention that has made me wary or afraid of [CAIR].... Are you at all concerned that people will try to use you?
I'm sure they will. I'm sure they will try to do a lot of things. But it’s up to me to control my own activities. I don't think it’s right to exclude the Muslim community from participating in American politics simply because somebody has made some allegation. What committees are you going to be on?
I'm going to be on the Financial Services Committee. I asked for Financial Services first because I'm really interested in helping to deal with the everyday aspects of trying to make it in America today. That means mortgages. That means tremendous debt load so many American are up under. Also, the committee's jurisdiction is housing, and I'd like to see poor folks to have somewhere to live. Do you want to be involved in foreign affairs or law-enforcement issues that would affect Muslims across the country?
Sure I do. But I can work on those things without being on the committee … I'm concerned about illegal domestic spying, I'm concerned about the use of torture. I'm concerned about denying individuals the right to challenge their detention. These are all important issues to me. Racial and religious profiling?
Certainly that. Absolutely. Iraq?
I think we got to get out of there. How quickly?
Right away. I think we need to say, "Brave young Americans have done everything they've been asked to do and we should not continue put their lives at risk in what is fundamentally a civil war." URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16474497/site/newsweek/

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\n\n \n __.,.___\n \n \n \n \n Messages in this topic (3)\n \n \n \n Reply (via web post)\n | \n “,1] ); //—>
I think we got to get out of there. How quickly?
Right away. I think we need to say, "Brave young Americans have done everything they've been asked to do and we should not continue put their lives at risk in what is fundamentally a civil war."

4. "Choose Generosity, Not Exclusion"

by Keith Ellison Somewhere in Minneapolis or Jackson or Baltimore, somewhere in America today, there is a young couple that is feeling vulnerable. Maybe one has been laid off due to outsourcing, and maybe, the other is working for something close to a minimum wage. They probably have no medical benefits. Today real income is lower for the typical family than in 2000, while the incomes of the wealthiest families have grown significantly. Things are tough for working people, but in America, we often turn to our faith in tough times.

When our couple shows up for worship service, probably on a Sunday, there is no doubt that the preacher will tell them of God’s unyielding love. “God loves you.” But the next thing the preacher tells them is crucial – not only to the young couple, but to us all. The next message from the preacher may help to shape, not only the next election results, but the political landscape of the nation.

Will the preacher tell our young couple, “God loves you – but only you and people like you?” Or will the preacher say “God loves you and you must love your neighbors of all colors, cultures, or faiths as yourselves”? One message will lead to be a stinginess of spirit, an exclusion of the “undeserving”, and the other will lead to a generosity of spirit and inclusion of all.
In America today, we are encouraged to believe in the myth of scarcity – that there just isn't enough – of anything. But in the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus, who the Muslims call Isa, found himself preaching to 5000 (not including the women by the way) at dinner time, and there didn’t appear to be enough food. The disciples said that there were only five barley loaves and two fish. We just have to send them away hungry. We simply don't have enough. But Jesus took the loaves and the fish and started sharing food. There was enough for everyone. There was more than enough. What was perceived as scarcity was illusory as long as there was sharing, and not hoarding.

The idea here is not that there is a boundless supply of everything. Such an idea leads to waste and dispensability of everything. But the idea is that there is enough.

If scarcity is a myth, then poverty is not necessary. America need not have 37 million Americans living below the poverty line. It is a choice. Hunger is a choice. Exclusion of the stranger, the immigrant, or the darker other is a choice.

We can choose generosity. In America today, we spend more on health care than any other industrialized nation, yet 46 Million people have none. Canada spends half of what we spend and covers everyone. Perfectly? Of course not. But adequately. That’s more than what a lot of people have right now.

We live in a society which says that there is enough for a tax break for the wealthy but not enough for an increase in the minimum wage or for national health care. There is enough for subsidies to oil and coal companies but not for families who are struggling to afford child care or a college education. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

We need a politics of generosity based on the reality of abundance as opposed to a politics of not-enough. The richest 1 percent of the nation, on average, owns 190 times as much as a typical household. The child poverty rate in the United States is the highest of 16 other industrialized nations. Employers are shifting health insurance costs onto workers. Not only are fewer employees receiving health insurance through their employers, but those who still do are paying more for it.

Recently, I have become the focus of some criticism for my use of the Qu'ran for my ceremonial swearing in. Let me be clear, I am going to be sworn into office like all members of Congress. I am going to swear to uphold the United States Constitution. We seem to have lost the political vision of our founding document — a vision of inclusion, tolerance and generosity.

I do not blame my critics for subscribing to a politics of scarcity and intolerance. However, I believe we all must project a new politics of generosity and inclusion This is the vision of the diverse coalition in my Congressional district. My constituents in Minnesota elected me to fight for a new politics in which a loving nation guarantees health care for all of its people; a new politics in which executive pay may not skyrocket while workers do not have enough to care for their families. I was elected to articulate a new politics in which no one is cut out of the American dream, not immigrants, not gays, not poor people, not even a Muslim committed to serve his nation. The author was elected to the House of Representatives from Minnesota's 5th District in November. He is the first Muslim elected to serve in the U.S. Congress. Posted by Keith Ellison on January 4, 2007 4:29 AM