So Keith Ellison was sworn in using a Qu'ran that was supposed to have come from Thomas Jefferson's personal collection. Well, that makes sense, Jefferson was a man of science, travel and the world. (and of slave ownership, oddly enough).
But I wondered if Keith Ellison, Muslim, gave any thought to what Thomas Jefferson, man of enlightenment (probably agnostic, but carrying a politically correct Christian calling card in his day) used that Qu'ran for. And specifically what he learned from it and the Muslims from whom he came in contact.
I've spoken a bit about the Barbary Wars before, Islam's first Jihad against US person and property, during which US ships were piratized and US merchant seaman kidnapped....much as English and French sailors had been....during the first days of the 19th century. I caught
Ted Samsley on Al Kresta's show the other day, and he tells the whole story a lot better. Besides, he sounds like Slim Pickens, if you ever get to hear his voice. What could beat hearing the story of Jefferson-- one of those 42 Virginians bin Laden's gonna meet in paradise--thinking up the US Marines to kick ass in Tripoli, all in the voice of Maj. T. J. "King" Kong.
It's hard for me to pick up Al's show these days, but I've enjoyed listening to him since he was a lost heretic like myself, driving the Protestant afternoon talk show on WMUZ in Detroit. He hasn't convinced me to come home to papism, but I like his political guests.
