Journalist Defends Virginia Congressman for His Remarks About First Muslim Elected to Congress

A United States Congressman from Virginia, who had been ridiculed for being "racist," and a "bigot," for his comments about the first Muslim elected to Congress, has been defended by a journalist. The journalist, John Lofton, editor of the TheAmericanView.com, said the comments criticizing the congressman are unfair, because the congressman merely wants to preserve the Christian heritage of America.

The congressman, Virginia Republican Virgil Goode, had said an incoming congressman should take the oath of office only on a Bible. Representative Goode made the remarks after Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota had said he wanted to take the oath of office on a Koran. He did take the oath of office on a Koran, a personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson, and new Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, administered the oath to the new congressman.

Last month Congressman Goode had criticized Ellison for his plan.

Some had labeled Goode a "racist" and a "bigot," and he was even criticized by members of his own party, including Senator John Warner (VA) and Lindsey Graham (SC). Lofton, however, was one journalist who defended the Virginia congressman and said Goode merely wanted to defend America's Christian heritage.

"You'd think every Christian in America would want to preserve our heritage; that was his point," the journalist said on the website, www.agapepress.org.

Lofton said people of two different religions would have two different gods. He noted that Graham "eagerly" attacked Goode, even though Graham is an outspoken Christian. He said that despite Graham's claims that America is supposedly a nation of pluralism and diversity, the Bible states that, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

Lofton said it was "shameful" that no Christian leader has defended Goode. He pointed out that the First Commandment stated that, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Late last year the Council on American-Islamic relations had called on Muslims in two other Congressional districts near Goode to repudiate what it called "Islamophobic" remarks.