Swearing about the swearing in

Up till now, I haven't blogged about the controversy over Keith Ellison's (first Muslim Congressman) announcement that he would use the Koran, not the Bible, in his swearing in ceremony because I thought it was a flash in the pan. Now, however, it appears that it is growing into a lynch mob, with the wingnut fringe howling about how Ellison should be stripped of his seat and forced to go home with his tail between his legs. So, I will simply re-iterate what any number of others have already said.

Point 1: There is no requirement in the U.S. Constitution that you be sworn in on any book whatsoever. In fact, no book, religious or otherwise, is an official part of the swearing in ceremony. Raising the right hand is what is required (and, I suppose even that might be dispensed with if, for example, a Representative had had his right arm amputated).

Point 2: The Constitution expressly prohibits any religious test for membership.