Interesting media critique at GetReligion on the opening of the 110th Congress.
Detroit Free Press staff writer Niraj Warikoo summarized the event, focusing on Ellison’s belief that the Koran influenced the Founding Fathers:The Quran is "definitely an important historical document in our national history and demonstrates that Jefferson was a broad visionary thinker who not only possessed a Quran, but read it," Ellison said in an interview with the Free Press. "It would have been something that contributed to his own thinking."
Ellison was criticized by some commentators for using the Quran during his oath off office. Ellison said he decided to use Jefferson’s Quran after receiving a letter from someone who told him about the copy, which is with the Library of Congress. U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, a Virginia Republican, slammed Ellison for using a Quran.
But Ellison said Friday that Jefferson’s Quran "shows that from the earliest times of this republic, the Koran was in the consciousness of people who brought about democracy."
Daniel Pulliam points out that the fact Jefferson had a Koran means no such thing.
It is one of those stories that begs for some additional research. Is there any real historical evidence that the Koran was even read by Jefferson? The man was known for buying books by the boatload.
And how’s this for a follow-up question to Ellison: In what ways did the Koran affect Jefferson’s thinking and his writing of the Declaration of Independence? Reporters are not stenographers. They ask questions. They do research. They check facts.
I would be interested to know how much the Koran influenced the Founding Fathers, as well, given that certain lefty blogs went into absolute bliss at Ellison's use of Jefferson's Koran. Don't hold your breath waiting for reporters to track down that story.
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