Fear of a Black Muslim Congressman

strikes again. Right wing radio blowhard Dennis Prager invented a controversy and attacked the faith of incoming Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN). ThinkProgress has the story:

Right-wing radio host Dennis Prager wrote a column earlier this week claiming that Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), the first Muslim elected to Congress, had “announced that he will not take his oath of office on the Bible, but on the bible of Islam, the Koran.” Prager claimed this “act undermines American civilization,” and compared it to being sworn in with a copy of Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.”

Too bad none of it is based in any fact:

But Prager’s column is based on one other glaring error: the swearing-in ceremony for the House of Representatives never includes a religious book.

Wow. Nothing, not even the truth, is going to stand in the way of ultra-conservatives' drive to undermine Keith Ellison and he hasn't even taken office yet!

Why Does The Pope Have "A Blackamoor on His Coat"?

That is a good question and I am not the first to ask it. Folks are just giddy about the Pope's delightfully non-offensive and refreshingly healing trip to Turkey. I understand there's a lot of relief out there and an urgent desire for Catholic leadership to be OK again. Still, there's just something about the current Pope. Stephen Colbert's forced march recitation of the Nicene Creed last night was a little chilling. At least for me, who was raised sort of Catholic. It brought back some flashbacks of Masses past. While he recited it, I wondered if that was even legal or whatever to do on TV in a non-church setting? Then I remembered: it's cable.

Before anyone starts thinking that the Pope is really down with the people and understands why what he said about violence and Islam was not OK. And all that -- I recommend you check out his coat of arms. There are some compelling explanations about the "Ethiopian" on the pope's personal flag. Something involving Bavarian saints. Whatever. This flag ornamented strangely with a negro is what is flown on the popemobile and wherever in the world he goes as his personal standard. What exactly was he thinking that folks like you and I would think? Am I supposed to be flattered as a black person that the former "God's Rottweiler" chooses a likeness of my people as "ornamentation"? Pope John Paul II on the other hand chose a non-racial flag that involved a big M for his hero Mary, Mother of God. How does Benedict XVI think this flag is likely to be received in places like Cuba, the Caribbean, Brazil and Africa in general? Someone, anyone, please help me understand this man.

Alcee Hastings is Hastened Out

Rumors have been swirling for days and now we hear the official word: Nancy Pelosi will not be nominating Alcee Hastings for Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Hastings made a strong effort forward. But the cloud resulting from legal troubles in the past still hangs over his head.

Too bad for Hastings. He's quoted on CNN:

After meeting with Pelosi, Hastings issued a statement saying he would support Pelosi's choice to lead the committee.

"Our nation's national security is far more important than my professional security," he said, adding that he would seek "better and bigger opportunities" when the new Congress convenes.

"Sorry, haters, God is not finished with me yet," his statement said.

Well said. Yet, I sincerely hope that this doesn't mean Jane Harman has a stronger shot at the Chairmanship. That lady is bad news. We need someone who can legitimately lead oversight into the Bush Administration's ahem, uh many activities here and abroad. Harman has rolled over for Bush in the past as a cheerleader, enabler and apologist (Thanks: TPMMuckraker). That's not what the American people are looking for anymore. Or maybe ever.

I'd like to see Rep. Silvestre Reyes given a nod. He's qualified, is on the right side of the issues, has no major stain on his record, and would be a welcome gesture to American Hispanics who, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, showed up in number for Democrats in the 2006 elections. It would be a major newsmaking symbol that may bear future dividends in 2008.

Political Correctness = Psychological Terrorism?

Apparently better to be racist than at any risk, no matter how small. Is that the ticket? Give me a break.

Take a look at this Washington Times article:

Air marshals, pilots and security officials yesterday expressed concern that airline passengers and crews will be reluctant to report suspicious behavior aboard for fear of being called "racists," after several Muslim imams made that charge in a press conference Monday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Six imams, or Muslim holy men, accused a US Airways flight crew of inappropriately evicting them from a flight last week in Minneapolis after several passengers said the imams tried to intimidate them by loudly praying and moving around the airplane. The imams urged Congress to enact laws to prohibit ethnic and religious "profiling."
Federal air marshals and others yesterday urged passengers to remain vigilant to threats.
"The crew and passengers act as our additional eyes and ears on every flight," said a federal air marshal in Las Vegas, who asked that his name not be used. "If [crew and passengers] are afraid of reporting suspicious individuals out of fear of being labeled a racist or bigot, then terrorists will certainly use those fears to their advantage in future aviation attacks."

An unnamed federal air marshal is quoted saying:

"The political correctness needs to be left at the boarding gate. Instilling politically correct fears into the minds of airline passengers is nothing less than psychological terrorism."

The Bush Administration seems to be stepping up its efforts to anger and terrorize law-abiding citizens just trying to catch flights. Who happen to look a little different and pray a little differently than other Americans. Welcome back to second class citizenship. Why don't we bring back Jim Crow and have all the terrorist-looking brown people sit in the back of planes, trains and buses where we can keep a closer eye on them?

Congressional Black Caucus Fails Black People -- Again

I'm with Oliver Willis on this: For reasons that are unclear to me, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has actually bucked the Louisiana Democratic Party and the citizens of New Orleans. Yes, that's right. The organized caucus of black people elected to Congress to serve the interests of the people has supported a criminal charlatan to the tune of $5000 donated on behalf of its members to Dollar Bill Jefferson's campaign. Sadly this does not shock me.

I am surprised and ashamed to hear that Rep. Maxine Waters' PAC has given Jefferson's campaign $2500, making her PAC and the CBC major donors to Jefferson's bid for re-election. Why Maxine. Why? Maybe she should change her PAC's name from "People Helping People" to "People Helping People Rip Off Other People".

All African-Americans in Congress lose if Jefferson wins. All African-Americans lose if Jefferson wins. But more than that. The hope of the Americans in LA-2 recovering from Hurricane Katrina and the integrity and pride of a nation are threatened if Jefferson wins.

Special Note to Sen. Barack Obama: if you really want to impress me, please either speak out against Bill Jefferson or go to NOLA and use your star power to help elect Karen Carter.

Iraq: Just One Big Ghetto Filled With Sand Niggers

A number of blogs like MyDD and ThinkProgress have remarked upon the new wingnut talking point comparing the violence in Baghdad to that which might be experienced here in your average large city. Like Philadelphia. Ummm...right. Denial -- not just a river in Egypt.

You may be saying -- wasn't that a week or two ago? Well, the thing is that it's come up before like this post in Sept. And further back in June, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) tried to claim that living in Iraq was about as dangerous as living in D.C.

OK, so there are a couple of layers here. First, there's the basic http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=32636703inaccuracy of this argument. ThinkProgress says:

In Baghdad, the Brookings Institution’s Iraq Index estimates that 5,320 people are killed a month are projected to be killed this year, meaning Baghdad had 13.2 times more murders than Philadelphia.

It's about the same for D.C.

What makes conservatives think they can get away with what sounds to any reasonable urban or even suburban dweller -- hopelessly either deluded or misinformed? Well, maybe um, racism based in ignorance? Comparing major American cities to war zones doesn't speak well to some conservatives' esteem of these otherwise popular locations on the east coast.

Still, the goal here must be to confuse those Americans who live in flyover country who fear both darker-hued people and the cities they live in. Check it: The 2000 census said that Philly is only 45% white and for D.C. the 2005 census found 39% of residents were white.

So the implication is that Iraq is just like the mean inner city streets of Philly with swarthy people killing each other willy-nilly? It is the white man's burden to try and help these savages and bring order. Apparently. Or maybe it's ju