12 Mar Second Muslim Elected to Congress
12.03.08
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Democrat Andre Carson won a special congressional election in Indiana yesterday to replace his grandmother, Julia Carson, who died a few months ago. Carson is the second Muslim elected to Congress, following in the footsteps of fellow Democrat Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
Interestingly, neither Carson nor Ellison was born Muslim. Ellison was raised Catholic; Carson grew up Baptist. Carson describes himself as an “Orthodox, universal, secular Mulsim.” I have no idea that that means — but it sounds nice, and Carson’s election is obviously a step forward for the acceptance of Islam in America.
I think we should start a pool for when the Republicans will elect their first Muslim congressman. I’ll take “when Hell freezes over.”
Really? What of the prominence of Zalmay Khalilizad, a Muslim, as our Ambassador to the UN (a post deemed pretty important by you, I would imagine) and frequently mentioned as Secretary of State in a McCain administration? That Republicans would trust a Muslim in precisely the field of policy where he would be suspect speaks pretty loudly – compared to mere House members. I also do not recall any prominent Muslim member of a Democratic administration.