Goode God! Is Virgil giving Virginia a bad name?

Rep. Virgil Goode's (R-VA) comments to fatuous followers demeaning incoming Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) because of his religious beliefs has elicited quite a response in the media. What made Goode's grumping particularly galling was his lumping of Ellison's Muslim faith with a catch-all condemnation of nearly all immigrants.

Say what?

Goode will no doubt receive lavish praise from certain sectors of society who, like radical fundamentalists everywhere, believe that their way is the only pure way. One need only read tomes like Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 to understand that narrow fundamentalism and bigotry is not the exclusive province of any one religion or political belief. Indeed, Goode's grandstanding is more reflective of an odd human psychological trait than it is of principled political posturing.

All alliteration aside, this is what some around the U.S. are saying about Mr. Goode's grandiloquence:

Virgil Goode isn't about to apologize for his racist diatribe that equates Muslims with illegal immigrants and terrorists. He shouldn't apologize for his beliefs because that would just pile the sin of hypocrisy onto the heap of bigotry. But his constituents in Virginia's 5th Congressional District should be hopping mad, because Goode now has the nation believing that they are as small-minded as he is. (Roanoke Times)

As the most recent example of this un-Christian behavior, one has only to consider the outrageous racist outburst sent by Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode to his constituents this week about the horrifying possibility of more Muslims entering this country.... "The Ten Commandments and 'In God We Trust' are on the wall in my office," declared Goode, attempting to establish his bona fides as a true Christian. And he did just that, if his intent was to equate Christianity with hate, intolerance, racism and stupidity. What part of "Love Thy Neighbor" don't you understand, Congressman? (Salon)

Thumbs down to Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., radio talk show host and sometimes-Fox-TV contributor Dennis Prager, and any others attempting to make an issue over Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and his decision to use the Quran at his ceremonial swearing-in. These anti-Muslim, anti-tolerant messages are downright silly. To expect a Muslim to want to engage in a swearing-in ceremony with a Bible taking center stage is as rational as expecting a Christian to prefer placing a hand on the Quran. (Mankato Free Press)

As a nearly 20-year Army veteran (active and reserve), including two combat tours (Desert Storm and OIF), I take great offense to the comments of Congressman Virgil Goode, R-Va., in reference to Congressman Keith Ellison, who has said he wants to be sworn in on the Quran. I have served this country in combat because I believe in what America is. It is a land of immigrants; a land where we will fight for the personal freedoms of all of our citizens and those of other countries; a land where we are free to worship or believe as we feel to; a land where we are free to speak our minds. However, this is not a land where bigotry is accepted. (L. Mark Larsen, in a letter to the Rochester Post-Bulletin)

Sadly, Goode's immigration policy is as xenophobic as his faith is intolerant. The real pity, however, is that his outlandish comments about Muslims aren't the first to be uttered out of ignorance or misguided fear. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)