Jefferson on Islam

I've gone on record as supporting the decision by Keith Ellison to take the oath on the Koran as oppose to the Bible. He's a Muslim, and has the right to swear on the book of his faith, or any book, for the matter. Article VI is clear, not to mention how much this really ought to be a non-issue. It was quite the clever smackdown to the far-right to use the Koran owned by Thomas Jefferson. I remain soundly impressed by that move. As far as Jefferson's views on Islam, Christopher Hitchens has a great piece on his views, as well as his direct confrontation with radical Islamism, in the form of the Barbary pirates. Read it. No need for excerpts.

On another note, many have brought up the issue of Ellison's former membership in the Nation of Islam, which as you know is headed by Louis Farrakhan. We know Farrakhan's history, but Ellison is no longer a member ( he was a member in his youth), and as far as I know never embraced any of his views, that are, now how can I put this, not very philo-Semitic, or favorable towards white people. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he has openly repudiated those views. I judge the man as he is, and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Oh, but he's for an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Nevertheless...

UPDATE: Ellison's not down with cuddling up to Islamist radicals, like many on the far-right imply, but as Timothy Noah reports, Dinesh D'Souza sure as hell is.