Swear the Oaths of Office on the Constitution -- not the Bible or the Koran.

[elehhhhna]

The Constitution is Americas only "sacred" document. If office holders are sworn in with their hands on the Constitution at least we'll know they've been NEAR it, once.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. "One Nation, Under The Constitution."

I second your motion.

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. I 3rd it. That's why they're in office...to uphold the CONSTITUTION, not the Bible. n/t

[originalpckelly]

16. I wrote and posted a new pledge, along these lines:

"I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of The United States of America, and to the principles for which it stands: equality, liberty and justice for all."

[blm]

2. Second and third. Swear on the Constitution. Government OF the people, BY the people

FOR the people, and accountable TO the people.

No more secrecy and privilege by GOP and Dem administrations.

[Philosoraptor]

3. Swearing an oath on a book is merely a cheap stunt.

As if it guarantees honesty somehow, that's childish really. But I know what you mean.

[rock]

10. Aptly said

[HeeBGBz]

4. That would work for me

It would be more meaningful, IMO.

[Az]

5. This just exemplifies how the system is broken

Its no longer about the ideals this nation stands for. It is now purely a marketting ad campaign brought to you by those who profit the most from putting certain individuals in power.

[kevinbgoode]

6. They should all be forced to READ it before swearing in. . .

or perhaps recite it as part of the ceremony. Too many Republicans act as if the Constitution was some foreign document or something which was drafted directly from "biblical" scripture.

[cali]

7. Oh for pete's sake

why don't people understand that they're sworn in without placing their hands on ANYTHING. Afterwards some have photo ops for the folks back home or for their own egos or whatever.

[dalaigh lllama]

11. Too bad this info isn't reported by M$M

I guess this needs a lot of reiteration here for the DUers who aren't aware of it.

OTOH, I thinks it's awesome that our new muslim rep is using Thomas Jefferson's copy of the Koran for his photo op swearing-in.

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Of all places, I saw this fact mentioned on Glenn Beck

I was at the gym yesterday on a fitness machine; unfortunately, the one available machine was in front of a television turned to CNN. Beck was on, being his usual shrill, right wing self, with a guest talking about the "controversy" over the use of a Koran for the Congressional swearing-in. The guest mentioned that the official swearing in is done en masse with no books at all and that it was only at a redundant, irrelevant photo-op that the Bible -- or Koran, in this case -- ever makes an appearance. Beck blew up (as is his wont) and started ranting, "So what is the big deal? Who cares if he does this with a Koran?"

I have to admit, if even Beck can understand the situation....

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. The whole hand on the Bible/Torah/Koran thing is a photo op, nothing more

The actual swearing in of Congresscritters is done en masse with nary a scripture in sight; only afterwards, for the individual (and pointless and totally irrelevant) "official" swearing-in photo do they make an appearance.

[Az]

9. Marketting ad campaign

Thats all any of it is these days.

[rebel with a cause]

13. I prefer them being sworn in on their honor.

That way when they do wrong, it can be said that they have lost their "honor". The disgrace is theirs, and they have to own it.

[Gold Metal Flake]

15. The oath is not required to be sworn on any book.

No bible or other book is required. Most simply raise their hand and take an oath. When Hastert was sworn in, his hand that was not raised was resting on a podium.

Requiring a certain book or document to be used in the process is simply legitimizing a conservative media/extremeist right wing lie to push hatred as a policy targeting a freshman member of congress duly and legally elected by the people he will be representing.

[Ron Green]

17. I think it's a harmless bit of symbolism.

The tradition in Western civilization is to acknowledge the mystery of our creation and the inevitability of our death, and to invoke God or holy scripture in ceremonial ways affirms our promise to follow the spirit of the law as well as the letter.

I don't fear swearing on a book of scripture as a threat to the basic secularity of our government.