First Muslim-American On His Way to Congress

6 thoughts on “First Muslim-American On His Way to Congress – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم”

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1. gee, that’s really going to get their backs up. A Muslim in Congress, they wen’t nuts over a crescent shaped memorial to 9/11 (and added smoke) they’re going to be checking into ER rooms after hearing this.

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2. Yeah, & imagine what’s happening over at Aipac’s offices too. How could they have let this happen! Couldn’t they have run a nice pliant pro-Israel Negro against Ellison like they did against Cynthia McKinney?

   Not that I’m saying Ellison is anti-Israel. It seems hardly likely considering he’s from Minneapolis, which has a substantial Jewish community. But it will still give the Aipac folks a combination of agita & apoplexy. A happy prospect to contemplate.

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3. Perhaps Mr. Ellison’s previous affiliations with Nation of Islam should give anyone pause.

   Maybe his recent overtures to the Minneapolis Jewish community are sincere but we’re talking about a politician; a priori acceptance shows hastiness.

   Wonder if Hank Johnson would find “pliant Negro” somewhat pejorative.

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4. Mr. Ellison’s previous affiliations with Nation of Islam

   Though we disagree about things, Jake, I never took you for an LGF/Powerline type. If you want to go slinging accusations you could at least provide a link so we can be the judge of whether we find the charges credible or relevant.

   I’ve just done some research on this. First, Ellison says he was a never a member of the Nation of Islam so your use of the term “affiliation” is misleading unless you believe he’s lying. Second, a Jewish law school classmate of Ellison’s who wasn’t too happy about Ellison’s views on Nation of Islam said this about Ellison:

   Weiss and another Jewish law student say they never got the impression that Ellison himself was anti-Semitic.

   Third, his last involvement with NOI was over a decade ago. These are some of his current attitudes toward the group & his past:

   Ellison says he favored Louis Farrakhan’s teachings on certain subjects, like black self sufficiency and personal responsibility. He says his law-school writings and other activities were independent of any outside groups. Ellison says his only interaction with the Nation of Islam was for 18 months during the mid-1990s when he worked with the group to organize Minnesotans to attend the Million Man March. Ellison says he hasn’t had any involvement with the group since that time and has never been a member of the organization.

   He says he was wrong to dismiss concerns about the group’s anti-Semitic views and has learned to scrutinize the groups with which he works.

   “Human beings are complex, we evolve,” he says. “We ought to let each other evolve. We ought to let each other be better than they were today. If someone is the same as they were 16 years ago, that would be the very definition of stuck in a rut, wouldn’t it?”

   Finally, I would remind you that a national leader of Aipac from Minneapolis was accused of verbally threatening another Minneapolis congresswomen, Betty McCollum, with retribution for her vote against an Aipac supported bill. She called McCollum a “supporter of terrorism” because she opposed a bill that would forbid the U.S. from having any contact with Hamas. I have absolutely no doubt that much of the dirt coming out about Ellison is directly inspired by this Aipac leader and those petty & small-minded Aipac-ers who think like her.

   Regarding Hank Johnson (the “pliant Negro” who just beat Cynthia McKinney with the help of oodles of cash fr. out of state Jewish funders who were ‘inspired’ to help him purely out of altruistic motives & a slight push by Aipac), yes, I imagine he would object to the term. All he’d have to do is stop taking Aipac inspired money &/or toeing that Aipac pro-Israel line & I’d apologize in a heartbeat.

   Let’s look at his voting record the first time a piece of legislation near & dear to Aipac comes up for a vote. If he votes the opposite way I will apologize. But what do you think the chances are of that happening given the power of money in Congressional politics?

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5. “Though we disagree about things, Jake, I never took you for an LGF/Powerline type. If you want to go slinging accusations you could at least provide a link so we can be the judge of whether we find the charges credible or relevant.”

   Point taken. Glad I found the info on Minnesota Public Radio’s page.

   “All he’d have to do is stop taking Aipac inspired money &/or toeing that Aipac pro-Israel line & I’d apologize in a heartbeat.”

   But that sounds like until he fulfills yours or anyone’s expectations he should be subject to pejorative jibes and terms that African-Americans reject.

   “Let’s look at his voting record the first time a piece of legislation near & dear to Aipac comes up for a vote. If he votes the opposite way I will apologize. ”

   Richard, I chose the words carefully. I said “pause” and not “dismissal”. I also thought it was clear that perhaps his overtures to the Minneapolis Jewish community were indeed sincere.

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6. sounds like until he fulfills yours or anyone’s expectations he should be subject to pejorative jibes and terms that African-Americans reject.

   Oh I don’t know that many African-Americans, esp. those who supported Cynthia McKinney, would object to the term I used.

   I chose the words carefully. I said “pause”

   Point well taken. Thanks for pointing out that distinction. I grant yr point.

   I also thought it was clear that perhaps his overtures to the Minneapolis Jewish community were indeed sincere.

   As you said, he is a politician & so perhaps somewhat suspect. But I do believe that some people can change & grow. Plus he realizes as a politician on a national stage that he MUST be responsible in his rhetoric/politics if he wants to remain on that stage. If he isn’t then he could just go the way of Cynthia McKinney (which I hope never happens). I am sure though that the Aipac types will be gunning for him almost whatever he does.

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