Goode wants us to embrace his ‘principles’

December 22, 2006

Rep. [tag]Virgil Goode[/tag] (R-Va.) had the unfortunate luck of doing something offensive and stupid on a relatively slow news week, when political reporters are looking for something interesting to write about. By showing his rather blatant bigotry towards Muslims, Goode made this one easy. He might as well have walked around the Capitol with a “I’m a bigot” t-shirt on.

Not quite bright enough to know to quit when he’s behind, Goode started talking openly about his narrow-mindedness yesterday, appearing on Fox News and holding a press conference in his home district.

Apparently, the controversy, and his anti-Muslim animus, isn’t a political problem for him.

Goode, who represents Virginia’s 5th Congressional District, said he is receiving more positive comments from constituents than negative.

“One lady told me she thinks I’m doing the right thing on this,” he told Fox News. “I wish more people would take a stand and stand up for the principles on which this country was founded.”

And what principles might those be? The country was founded on principles such as the separation of church and state, religious tolerance towards all, e pluribus unum, and a healthy respect for the rights of minorities. Are these the principles for which Goode is prepared to “stand up”? Somehow I doubt it.

To his credit, Virginia’s senior senator, Republican John Warner, distanced himself from Goode yesterday, issuing a statement explaining that he respects the right of congressional members to freely “exercise the religion of their choice, including those of the Islamic faith utilizing the Quran.”

Not that it’s likely to matter.

Goode is confident that he can get away with this. Asked yesterday on Fox News is there are too many people of Middle Eastern descent in the United States, Goode said, “I’m not gonna say yes or no.” If we replaced “Middle Eastern” with some other ethnic or racial group, one suspects Goode may have offered a different response.

For him, it’s a gamble. He’s caught as a bigot — does he a) apologize, or b) embrace his bigotry and take pride in his animus. Goode seems to believe the latter is a safe (and honest) choice. He may be right.

But as the WaPo noted today, it doesn’t make him any less stupid.

Bigotry comes in various guises — some coded, some closeted, some colossally stupid. The bigotry displayed recently by Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr., a Republican who represents a patch of south-central Virginia, falls squarely in the third category. Mr. Goode, evidently in a state of xenophobic delirium, went on a semi-public tirade against the looming peril and corrupting threat posed by Muslim immigration to the United States. […]

Forget that Muslims represent a small fraction of immigrants to America. And leave aside the obvious point that Mr. Goode was evidently napping in class the day they taught the traditional American values of tolerance, diversity and religious freedom. This country’s history is rife with instances of uncivil, hateful and violent behavior toward newcomers, be they Jewish, Irish, Italian or plenty of others whose ethnicities did not jibe with some pinched view of what it means to be American. Mr. Goode’s dimwitted outburst of nativism is nothing new.

No, the real worry for the nation is that the rest of the world might take Mr. Goode seriously, interpreting his biased remarks about Muslims as proof that America really has embarked on a civilizational war against Islam. With 535 members, you’d think that Congress would welcome the presence of a single Muslim representative. Whether it can afford a lawmaker of Mr. Goode’s caliber is another question.

My impression is that Goode is like a guy in a bar who, after a few too many, goes on semi-coherent tirades against everyone who isn’t just like him. Only, in his case, he’s perfectly sober and an elected member of Congress. The mind reels.

one of the interesting things about right-wing nutcases is that they believe that everyone thinks the same stupid way they do. wasn’t goode paying any attention to how well that worked out for george felix allen junior?

it’s clear that warner was….

  • I love the fact that these clowns, who live so close to the various memorials to the founding fathers, fail to comprehend what the founding fathers publicly stated and wrote on the founding principles, especially those that touched upon religion. All Goode needs to do is visit the jefferson memorial and read the words written on its walls.

    Yes, it is the middle of Virginia, but it may still matter. Most racists and bigots I know tend to like their representatives just as racist or bigoted, but smart enough to know when to keep their mouths shut and smart enoungh not to be so open about such things.

  • I was too young to take in the Civil Right Movement years, but I imagine that listening to Goode today is probably a lot like listening to George Wallace back in the day.

  • Well, the representatives are supposed to represent the people in their district. It may be that there are many (and that may include most of those who vote) in his district that have similar feelings, although that is a sad situation.
    Sometimes you have to lift the rock to see the creepy thing beneath.

  • If we replaced “Middle Eastern” with some other ethnic or racial group, one suspects Goode may have offered a different response.

    Unless that racial group is fair skinned I suspect not:

    “Goode also told Fox News he wants to limit legal immigration and do away with “diversity visas,” which he said let in people “not from European countries…”

    Let’s see. Jesus Christ is not European, not a Christian AND from the Middle East. Goode hates the Baby Jesus.

  • Rep. Ellison’s response on CNN to the Goode flap was beautifully on message and completely reasonable, which pretty much leaves the GOP’s sails without wind in their ongoing attempt to inflame passions over his election to the House.

  • “With 535 members, you’d think that Congress would welcome the presence of a single Muslim representative. Whether it can afford a lawmaker of Mr. Goode’s caliber is another question.” – WaPo

    I knew there was a reason I’ve got a subscription to that rag other than “Big Nate”.

    It is wrong to assume that because Goode represents a rural southwestern part of Virginia his bigotry will have no detriment to his carreer. George Felix Allen Junior lost a number of counties in the southwest of Virginia where the idea of being thought “wink wink, nudge, nudge” racists was just too appalling. I believe if we can find a populist candidate in the vein of Jim Webb to run against Goode in two years we have the chance for another pickup.

    I too applaud Ellison’s response.

  • I’m going to put a video up on youtube tonight at 8 o’clock for anyone who’s interested. My channel is called ‘swan mcswannessy on you tube’. I’m only going to leave it up for as long as it takes to watch so check it out then if you want to see it.

    Can’t guarantee I’ll have much to say, but we’ll see about it.

  • “My impression is that Goode is like a guy in a bar who, after a few too many, goes on semi-coherent tirades against everyone who isn’t just like him.”

    Two words: Mel Gibson. 😉

  • Back in the 60’s people like Goode were considered the nuts on the fringes of the conservative crowd. Now they have managed to become more “mainstream” and frequently and unashamedly spout their religious, ethnic, racial, social, and economic nonsense.
    Let Goode yammer as much as he finds it necessary, let him put his sheet on during the weekends.. His kind of rhetoric will continue to brand the Republican party for what it once covertly hid and has now openly become, — the White People’s Party. Maybe we could engage in their sort of smear politics by showing a KKK outfit emblazoned with the GOP symbol.

  • “south-central Virginia” – in other words, Southern Inbreeding Central. Hillbilly Heaven.

    No wonder he’s stupid enough to say it and stick with it, and have constituents stupid enough to agree.

    Republicans – definitely now the party of Southern cretinism.

  • Mr. Cleaver –
    Goode may have spouted off in an inappropriate manner….but you did too.

    -Jay-,
    If the Republicans have become the “white people’s party”, so what. The NAACP doesn’t represent hispanics, native americans, etc….

    Curmudgeon-
    In vino veritas? If this is what he believes, then let us do what you all suggest we do….show tolerance. Or is that only for those who believe in like fashion?

    With 535 members one would think that Congress would welcome the inclusion of at least one neo nazi…..I mean, it’s all about being diverse, right? Congress is not a representative example of the Demographic of the United States. It is a composite of the people elected by the constituents of the various states. If they choose to limit this exclusively to Native American Buddist with facists leanings, then the people have spoken. Quota’s aren’t for congress, just highway patrolman…….

    Apparently the answer isn’t orange-
    Goode never said that he hated immigrants from non-european countries. What he said was that diversity visa’s should be eliminated, as they discriminate against emmigre’s from european nations. But discrimination is ok, as long as it’s against light skinned people.

    Buzzmon –

    George Wallace did what his constituents wanted….that’s why we have an elected representative (to do the will of the majority of the electorate). It was another individual that forced his views on the people of Alabama when there lawfully elected governor lawfully acted to uphold the wishes of the electorate. In clear cut violation of the constitution of teh United States, the president acted by usurping power from the State of Alabama, and forcefully integrated the schools. Law and morality are not always the same thing.

  • Joe E,

    In vino veritas?

    In Wine there is Truth?

    If so, that’s the only thing in your comment that I agree with.

  • Thanks, Joe E. I thought I was the only one reading who thinks that Cleaver’s bigoted comments about the South are as offensive as Goode’s bigoted comments about Muslims. I guess it’s a case of our bigots being better than their bigots?

    Goode is pathetic. He has the right to say whatever he wants, and we have a right to criticize him and donate money to his opponent in the next election. I suspect that he is basking in the attention and will, like Ann Coulter, get progressively more pathetic to maintain that spotlight. The best way to deflate bigots is to laugh at them. Particularly now that they are in the minority in Congress. Don’t give him your anger, make him a joke.

  • I didn’t pay any attention to American politics until 2000; having grown up in a country where *everything* was, somehow, tangled up in politics, I’d had my fill by the time I came here and thought to relax. So I don’t know much about Goode, except the latest flap. But my husband, who’s “Virginia born and bred” and a “yellow dog Democrat”, had this take on Goode: “thank God he’s switched parties and is not our embarassment anymore”. Which, as far as I’m concerned, sums up Goode quite nicely.

  • Bravo JOE E! But, WOW, there are a lot of perfect people here! Great work patting each other on the back for your exceptional tolerance and acceptance.

    I’ve been to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, and Turkey before in various capacities. I’ve worked with muslims in many instances and roles. In my experiences here and abroad, it is Muslims, more than any other “collective” group, that has the least tolerant viewpoint on our (USA’s)country, culture, history or religious freedoms! Generally, if you aren’t Muslim, then you are an infidel and as written in the infidel’s should die. Pretty much – no trust, respect, or TOLERANCE from Muslims toward Christians, Jews or anyone else…

    It begs the question, why shouldn’t we return the favor? “They” don’t trust “us” (Certainly not YOU as a tolerant individual – oh, they’d never blow YOUR office up in the name of religion – you’re not a bigot so they’ll leave you alone….right?)…. where was I.., they consider us the devil, and many would like to see all Americans dead. Put it this way: If given the choice of either life or death for Americans, about 85 of 100 Muslims polled would choose death.

    So, it stands to reason that we pay a little more attention to “them.” And if it makes someone cry foul – then so be it.

    NOW, all that said I sure hope you’re all correct. But, if honest, I believe that when it comes down to it, in the back of our minds we think – even if it is just a little bit – like Mr. Goode’s spoken word. There HAS to be some level of distrust of Muslims and their intentions toward our country. Otherwise, we’d have to forget the way we felt on 9/12 or 9/13 when we found out WHO perpetrated 9/11 killing thousands of people – most of whom weren’t bigots or muslim haters.

    I tend to agree with him more than most, and am less inclined to be as tolerant as the people I’ve read from so far. As far as political correctness goes, Goode gets an “F” – as far as being a representative goes, he gets an “A+” because he said what people are thinking, even if it’s just a little bit.

    I just “stumbled” into this site – but feels more like a minefield! I’m sure I’ll take some shots for writing this, but it’s worth it I suppose. Won’t change anything either way, but wanted to get some balance to the argument.

    Good luck America, we’re going to need it – Mike in Houston

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