America. not Keith Ellison, decides what book a congressman takes his oath on

Townhall ^ | Nov. 28, 2006 | Dennis Prager

[Ready4Freddy]

Looks like they won't be using any Bibles or anything else during the actual swearing-in, anyway.

I didn't notice - did this come from NewsMax? ;>) Reminds me of the to-do about Clinton, Vietnam, and the Flag on a ship story. Just stirring up the rabid fringe...

[jwalsh07]

Prager needs some coursework in the US Constitution. Sheesh.

[conservative in nyc]

So the Speaker is elected by a bunch of yet-to-be-sworn-in Representatives? Sounds odd.

Odd, but true. In addition to CSPAN's tape, see the following from the Clerk of the House's website:

3. Do Members take an Oath of Office when they enter the House of Representatives?
As required by Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, Members of Congress shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution. Representatives, delegates, and the resident commissioner all take the oath of office on the first day of the new Congress, immediately after the House has elected its Speaker. The Speaker of the House administers the oath of office as follows:

"I, (name of Member), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

Representatives elected in special elections during the course of a Congress generally take the oath of office on the floor of the House Chamber when the Clerk of the House has received a formal notice of the new Member's election or appointment from State government authorities. On rare occasions, because of illness or other circumstances, a Member-elect has been authorized to take the oath of office at a place other than the House. In those circumstances, the Clerk of the House sees to the proper administration of the oath.

See also The First Day of a New Congress: A Guide to Proceedings on the House Floor (December 1, 2004) for more detail.

[billbears]

What does it really matter what they swear in on? As if using the Bible would make those 537 idiots become truthful somehow? Apparently it hasn't worked so far, so I don't see it starting tomorrow. Perhaps quit wasting money and jockeying (either them or their spokespersons) for a position on the television screen? They haven't bothered with the Constitution for over 150 years, I could care less what they swear on.

[Eva]

Islam is a political ideology, every bit as much as it is a religion. As a matter of fact, Islam is probably primarily a political ideology that uses religion to maintain it's hold on the people and gain power.

The political goal of Islam as laid out in the Koran is to conquer the world and make slaves of the Infidels, so swearing in on a Koran is a non-starter.

Of course, since the Koran states that it is ok for a Muslim to lie to infidels, it doesn't make much sense to swear them in at all.

[conservative in nyc]

Perhaps you should write Mr Keith "I'm a Muslim" Ellison and inform him of this fact.

I doubt it is Ellison that is driving this whole tempest in a teacup. The New York Times asked his people if he was going to take his oath of office with a hand on the Bible. They started it all by asking a question without knowing House tradition - traditionally, members of the House are sworn in en masse on the first day of Congress. From C-Span's video, it appears that most Congressman only raise their right hand and don't place their left hand on anything. And as best I can tell from the video, even Speaker Hastert didn't place his hand on the Bible when he was separately first sworn in by the Dean of the House after his election - even though he was on the rostrum and had a podium on which to place it. House members simply do not officially take their oath of office in the way most people assume it does.

What appears to happen is that some Congressmen also take photo op "swearing ins" in the Speaker's office, likely after they have been officially sworn in on the House floor. Since they've probably already been officially sworn in, it's nothing more than a photo op. I've found nothing indicating this happens before the swearing in on the House floor.

The refs to Roosevelt and others not swearing on the bible are worthless. This idiot isn't just "affirming" he's using the Koran. Or perhaps the US would have looked on Teddy favorably had he also swore his oath of office on the Koran.

Teddy Roosevelt didn't affirm his oath of office - he swore it, like most other Presidents. He was Vice President and became President after President McKinley's assassination. There simply may have been no Bible available at the time. The fact is that Ellison could take his official oath with one hand on the Koran - and constitutionally, there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it. The Framers wanted it that way.

[Hawk1976]

I would take him to task, no problem. This all seems to be smoke anyway. Even if he did say it, as posted up thread it seems that the average member of congress in fact does not swear on a bible.

[cjmae]

Which "it" are you referring to?

[sgtyork]

If he violates that oath, perhaps we can enforce a Koranic punishment?

[13Sisters76]

Well, like it or not, this country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. I realize the S-Ps (as OReilly calls them) want to try to convince us all otherwise, but it is a fact. The Bible represents that tradition, and while I know better than to expect good things from pols just because they use it for the oath, it IS *our* tradition and the introduction of the Koran and what it represents is offensive.

[BillyBoy]

>> He should take the oath of office the way everyone else does or resign. <<

Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin Pierce refused to use a bible when they took their oaths of office. Guess they should have resigned, eh?

[BillyBoy]

Gov. Linda Lingle (R-HI) takes the oath of office upon a Jewish Torah on December 2, 2002, at the Hawaii State Capitol rotunda by Hawaii State Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Moon.

[Sister_T]

Thanks. I was on another forum, claiming inaccurate information about this until I came here to FreeRepublic and saw your post. I had to post another post at that forum, correcting myself. I'm so glad there are well-informed Freepers around here to help those of us who aren't so informed stay ... well, informed!

[Redcloak]

I usually agree with Dennis, but not this time. What value does a heathen's oath carry when he swears upon a book he doesn't see as holy? (And in the case of a Muslim, what value is there in an oath sworn upon the Koran? Muslims have permission to lie if doing so "advances the cause of Islam".) This Muslim might as well be swearing an oath upon the Hindu Vedas. His action would be just as meaningless.

[ozzymandus]

I watched Praeger and some black panther/muslim debating this on H&C. The black guy launched into a long, illiterate, unintentionally hilarious rant, and Preager smiled and replied, "Well said". I nearly fell off the couch laughing.

[13Sisters76]

(laughing)

My husband always says, if you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with b@#$ls%$t!

[E Rocc]

I wonder if Prager made such a stink in 2002, when Linda Lingle was sworn in as governor of Hawaii.

She used a Tanakh.

-Eric