RUSH: All right, you probably heard, I’m sure you have of the ongoing controversy here between Virgil Goode from Virginia and Keith Ellison who is the first Muslim elected to Congress. He wants to use the Koran when he is sworn in. Let’s go audio sound bites seven, eight, nine and ten here. You’ve gotta hear this. Last night on your world, Neil Cavuto’s show hosted by David Asman, Virgil Goode appeared. Asman said, “Look I’m quoting from the letter that you wrote: ‘If American citizens don’t wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding use of the Koran.’ Now, first of all, what is your position on immigration?”
GOODE: We need to totally stop illegal immigration, reduce legal immigration, and do away with diversity visas. The diversity visa program was one that was instituted about a decade ago to increase the number of visas and immigrants from persons not from the European countries, and the diversity visa program lets in about 50,000 persons per year. They are from different countries, a number from the Middle East. There are also some terrorist states that are included in the diversity visa programs.
RUSH: Asman then said, “Well, specifically with regard to your comments about Keith Ellison bringing a Koran into the swearing-in ceremony, as I understand it, you don’t actually put your hand on a Bible as you’re officially being sworn in; is that correct?”
GOODE: That’s correct. I’ve been sworn in five times now, and everyone that I saw simply raised their hand and took the oath of office to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the United States.
ASMAN: Right.
GOODE: What I said in my letter was that I would be bringing the Bible to the swearing-in letter, that I did not subscribe to the Koran, and I would not be bringing the Koran into the chamber or swearing in on it on a ceremonial oath-taking.
RUSH: Final question from David Asman. “Would you prohibit, Mr. Ellison — would you prohibit him from bringing a Koran into that ceremony?”
GOODE: If the voters of that district want persons that are going to swear by the Koran, that’s the choice of the voters of that district, but I believe that the overwhelming majority of voters in my district would prefer the use of the Bible if a book is used, and that is exactly what I’m going to do.
ASMAN: Well, that I may well be true, but again just to put a fine point on it: You are not, then, for prohibiting Mr. Ellison from bringing in a Koran?
GOODE: No, but I am for restricting immigration so that we don’t have a majority of Muslims elected to the United States House of Representatives.
RUSH: Well! You got to the nut of it there. That’s Virgil Goode from Virginia, and he’s not backing down, by the way, from this. He said Thursday he’s not going to retract a letter warning that “unless immigration is tightened, many more Muslims will be elected and use the Koran to take the oath of office.” This leads to a response from Ellison. He was on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. The question was this: “What’s been the reaction to you becoming the first Muslim elected to the Congress, specifically your decision that in your personal private ceremony you’ll be sworn in on the Koran?”
ELLISON: When I’m officially sworn in, I will do it the same exact way as every other congressperson-elect who was sworn in. We will all stand up and in unison lift our hand and swear to uphold that Constitution, and then later, in a private ceremony, of course I’ll put my hand on a book that is the basis of my faith, which is Islam, and I think that this is a beauty — this is a wonderful thing for our country because Jewish members will put their hands on the Torah. Mormon members will put their hand on the Book of Mormon. Catholic members will put their hand on the book of their choice — and members they don’t want to be put their hand on any book are also fully free to do that. That’s the American way.
RUSH: It doesn’t sound like that’s the big beef here. Sounds like what’s gotten everybody fired up is Virgil Goode saying, “I am for restricting immigration so that we don’t have a majority of Muslims elected to the United States House of Representatives.” He’s voiced a concern that many Americans have. They probably don’t have the courage to say it, but (interruption). My own staff, even in the spirit of Christmas, sees fit to argue with me. (interruption) He’s afraid of it becoming Europe! They have their lax immigration standards over there. That’s the point that he’s trying to convey, as I understand it: If we don’t get a handle on immigration, we are going to end up like Europe — and if you don’t think that there are a lot of people that think like that, then that’s why you’re screening and why I’m hosting because you are out of touch.