Winter storm warnings continue in northern Minnesota 

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

(AP) - Responding to constituent e-mails about
Rep.-elect Keith Ellison's decision to use the Quran at his
ceremonial swearing-in, a Virginia congressman warned that "many
more Muslims" will be elected demanding to use the Quran unless
immigration is tightened.
   

   Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., made the comments in a letter sent to
hundreds of constituents about Ellison, D-Minn., the first Muslim
elected to Congress.
  
    "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," Goode wrote.

      Goode said the U.S. needs to stop illegal immigration
"totally" and reduce legal immigration.

      Goode added: "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."

      Ellison was born in Detroit and converted to Islam in college.
He did not immediately return a telephone message left Wednesday.

      The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights group,
called on Goode to apologize for the letter.

      "Representative Goode's Islamophobic remarks send a message of
intolerance that is unworthy of anyone elected to public office,"
said CAIR National Legislative Director Corey Saylor. "There can
be no reasonable defense for such bigotry."

      Goode spokesman Linwood Duncan said no apology was forthcoming.

      "The only statement the congressman has is that he stands by
the letter," Duncan said.


Gallery

Islamic group wants Ellison critic removed from Holocaust council

Muslims learning politics in 5th district race

Politics and Government News

Fred Frommer

Author

"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," Rep. Virgil Goode said.

Virginia congressman fears Ellison's use of Quran

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox