Note to Goode: stop digging

January 2, 2007

Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.) appeared to have weathered the storm. Last week, Goode made headlines for a blatantly bigoted letter to supporters in which he insisted Muslims represent a threat to “traditional” values, which is why, he said, we should pass massive immigration reform in order to keep more Muslims out of the country.

After his written remarks sparked widespread criticism, Goode refused to apologize. Indeed, he appeared on Fox News arguing, ” I wish more people would take a stand and stand up for the principles on which this country was founded,” though he did not elaborate on exactly which “principles” he was referring to.

Fortunately for Goode, interest in his comments died down. Unfortunately for Goode, he renewed interest in his anti-Muslim animus this morning with a USA Today op-ed. (via TP)

Let us remember that we were not attacked by a nation on 9/11; we were attacked by extremists who acted in the name of the Islamic religion. I believe that if we do not stop illegal immigration totally, reduce legal immigration and end diversity visas, we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to infiltration by those who want to mold the United States into the image of their religion, rather than working within the Judeo-Christian principles that have made us a beacon for freedom-loving persons around the world.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

The context of all of this — the controversy and the USAT op-ed — is Goode’s concern about Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-Minn), Congress’ first Muslim, and his decision to use a Koran in his ceremonial swearing-in photo-op.

From this, Goode believes Americans should be concered about “infiltration”? Goode does know that Ellison’s family has been in this country for over 200 years, right?

To its credit, USA Today’s editorial board set the record straight.

Tolerance and religious freedom are at America’s heart. So is the nation’s embrace of people from all countries and cultures.

Several million Muslims live in the USA. It is to the nation’s credit that one of them will join Congress this week. And if Goode is worried about Muslim immigrants, he’s about 260 years too late in Ellison’s case. Ellison traces his ancestors to Louisiana in 1742.

Goode and other critics could learn something from the man whose actions they’ve vilified. Asked about the controversy on CNN last month, Ellison refused to be drawn into a battle over different holy texts.

“Let’s focus on the text that binds us together,” Ellison said. “That’s the Constitution. That’s a great document.”

Amen.

If Goode were capable of feeling shame, now would be a good time for it.

but he isn’t, and i prefer that he not be: it does us no good for the goodes in the world to hide their true bigotry and hatred under some form of civil cover. he’s an asswipe, let him be revealed as an asswipe, and if his constituency wants to elect an asswipe, that’s life.

my guess is that his constituency doesn’t want to elect an asswipe, and virgil goode will be looking for a lobbying job in 2 years when he decides to spend more time with his family, but that’s just a guess.

  • … howard said: ‘…my guess is his constituency … ‘ sorry howard, usually an asswipe comes from an asswipe mold, the mold being the rednecks in virginia … are they all rednecks, you ‘ax’? BET your fuckin* ass they is!!
    Ever been to virginia? … even states that border virginia know that ‘she’ is a slut … but Ohio doe not mind as long as the bj’s keep coming … when you hang around a whore you are bound to be perceived as a user of whores …. and YES, as Lewis Black said, bj’s count …

    Seriously though, why even ask/doubt if/that they all are asswipes when the state’s sponsor is pat robertson? …need I say mo’?!

  • .. do not write to me that west virginia is not virginia .. it is!
    Uneducated fools all around and pennsylvania is full of ‘allens’ as well… The hardest to swallow was ohio being that fucking ‘red’. bible toting fucker* one and all.
    allen welcomed his own demise with his macaca comment and mention that he was proud to be in the ‘real” america … jesus mother fuckin* christ! The asshole was a senator … not that the office of senator would/should ‘sanctify’ the holder of it -the holder of the senate seat in this case being an extremely stupid asshole who seems to REALLY represent the majority of hicks from ‘tham thar hills’ but still, could they not find another one that could read or write in that fuckin* state!? allen IS/WAS virginia!!!

  • There are a great many Americans who don’t know the simplest facts about Islam, all they know is that an unknown percentage of muslims are violent extremists. These Christians have been fed a steady stream of crap about Islam by their religious leaders, and they are totally ignorant of the fact that the extremists are being helped by the war in Iraq.

    I’m continually amazed by the ignorance of educated Christians with regards to the political and religious realities of a region we’ve been mired in for many years. They have had plenty of time to do their homework, to learn the basics about who is who in the middle east, and the basic history. It has become obvious that they really do not care what the facts are.

  • Rolandc, as you comment, allen brought about his own demise. i suspect goode will do the same, although a congressional district is smaller than a state.

    by and large, even rednecks prefer a little civil cover on their public figures….

  • Liberals need to talk more about diversity. You need to keep renewing people that give liberals political strength (i.e., people that believe in diversity).

  • Out of curiosity, Rollie—what difference is there between Virgil’s fomentuous hatred for Islam—and yours for Christianity? Seems to me that all you’re doing is to load the asswipe mold from the other end, and that makes it no less of an asswipe mold than the one from which Virgil was produced.

    Let Goode hang himself, if he wants—he’s obviously got the knack for tying knots—and he brought his own rope. He’ll eventually have a choice, once the session commences: He’ll either (1) shut the fuck up, or (2) face the sledgehammer of House ethics that are brutally enforced against members who openly call for the infringement of Constitutionally-guaranteed Rights, on the basis of religion (a sitting Congressman openly violating his oath to uphold the Constitution “IS”a big no-no of rather large proportions, y’know). It’s a win-win situation; with Virgil keeping his hatreds to himself, or discovering that a majority can kick his butt-ugly carcass to the curb.

    Think of it as “Virgil’s Appomattox….”

  • rather than working within the Judeo-Christian principles that have made us a beacon for freedom-loving persons around the world

    Yeah – the great Judeo-Christian principles that define our country and ensure our freedom such as representative government, freedom of religion and the press, due process and equal protection before the law, separation of powers, principle of innocent until proven guilty, right to trial by jury, etc., etc. – I remember reading all about them in the Bible.

  • Rather than focus on Goode, the focus should instead be on Ellison, who has proved to have a thick enough skin to deal with headheaded politics, sound enough judgment to not fall for Goode’s faith-baiting and a strong enough moral compass to not hate his fellow man, and legislator, who is clearly being a peckerhead extraordinaire. Ellison proves he deserves to be working on the Hill, Goode proves he’s a waste of taxayer dollars and a failure as a leader.

  • Yeah – the great Judeo-Christian principles that define our country and ensure our freedom such as representative government, freedom of religion and the press, due process and equal protection before the law, separation of powers, principle of innocent until proven guilty, right to trial by jury, etc., etc. – I remember reading all about them in the Bible.

    Thanks for the tip, I was wondering where those principles went. Haven’t seen hide nor hair of them lately.

  • Rolandc,

    I think the people of Virginia deserve a little less scorn given their collective actions in 2006. Yes a goodly (pardon the pun) percentage of them still vote for idiots like Allen, but a majority voted him out; with the added bonus of scuttling his 2008 presidential ambitions.

  • “end diversity visas”

    What the hell is a diversity visa? People like to come to America. If we let everybody who’d like to come in we’d quickly not be a very white country. The law allows people from certain countries like Ireland or England to come in far easier and sooner than it does people from Mexico. Seems to me that’s an anti-diversity visa program.

  • we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to infiltration by those who want to mold the United States into the image of their religion, rather than working within the Judeo-Christian principles — Goode

    My fanatics are better than your fanatics…

  • Our national sacred document is the Constitution as Rep. Ellison has suggested. A sacred document to me is my Holy Bible. Goode is obviously confused, as his argument is a mirrored image of the argument he is trying to refute. We have a democracy here in America where the government functions under the consent of the people, Mr. Goode, and the people come in different sizes, shapes and beliefs. We are a nation of immigrants, and as such, Mr. Goode’s observations are invalid in light of our true historical heritage. His temperment is valid, however, and is usually held by dyed-in-the-wool racists, bigots and xenophobes. Mr. Goode’s true stripes are hanging there in the wind for all Americans to see. Go home Mr. Goode, and try to be a better humanbeing! -Kevo

  • Tom Cleaver,

    Virgil Goode is the perfect example of why hillbillies are still an object of ridicule. What other response can you have??

    Scorn. However, ridicule is much more effective if done well.

  • The religious bigots at AFA (the ones that say christians are being denied religious freedom while campaigning to make the bible the only book allowed for the swearing in photo op) are having a poll about islam. Oddly enough the biggoted members of this group are against muslims….what a surprise.

    http://www.afa.net/petitions/islam/islam.asp

    Islam and America Poll – Give us your opinion!
    Do you consider Islam to be a peaceful religion? Yes 84 No 820
    Do you consider Islam to be a tolerant religion? Yes 54 No 847
    Would America be a better country if it were a Muslim country? Yes 4 No 897
    Should America place equal emphasis on the Koran and the Bible? Yes 26 No 875
    Would it be good for America to have more Muslims in elected offices? Yes 34 No 861
    Would you vote for a Muslim for president? Yes 28 No 868
    As a general rule, are women treated better in America than in a Muslim country? Yes 814 No 84
    Is America too dependent on Muslim countries for oil? Yes 850 No 51
    Do Muslim countries do more than America to help the poor? Yes 25 No 865
    (updated every fifteen minutes)

  • As a general rule, are women treated better in America than in a Muslim country? Yes 814 No 84
    Is America too dependent on Muslim countries for oil? Yes 850 No 51

    Can’t say I disagree with those “Yes” votes.

  • I don’t mean to be picky here but, we are not so much a nation of immigrants as we are a nation of invaders. I seem to recall hearing of a rather large population of indigenous inhabitants that preceeded us. It appears that Goode’s ancestors eventually arrived, Judeo-Christian principles firmly in hand, and undertook to wipe out the natives, them bein’ ungodly as all git out. Once the red man’s property was rightfully theirs (manifest destiny don’t ya know), Goode’s ghosts proceded to make this nation safe for all, uh, most, um, well……Christians! Yep, and don’t forget about the damn beacon! Got yer beacon o’ damn freedom right here!!

    • Comments are closed.