U.S.A: C.A.I.R. ASKS BUSH TO REMOVE PRAGER FROM HIS POST

Islamic group asks Bush to remove from Holocaust museum board critic of Muslim Congressman

WASHINGTON: An Islamic civil rights group asked President George W. Bush on Wednesday to rescind the appointment of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum board member who criticized the first Muslim elected to Congress for asking to be sworn in on the Quran instead of a Bible.

Last week, Dennis Prager, a conservative talk radio host and columnist, criticized Democrat Keith Ellison for his request to use Islam's holy book during his ceremonial swearing-in.

"Insofar as a member of Congress taking an oath to serve America and uphold its values is concerned," Prager wrote in an Internet column, "America is interested in only one book, the Bible. If you are incapable of taking an oath on that book, don't serve in Congress."

The museum board said this week that Prager's comments did not reflect the museum's position but said the board "is not self-appointed" and lacked the power to remove him.

So Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, sent Bush a letter on Wednesday asking for Prager's removal.

"If put into practice, Mr. Prager's exclusionary and intolerant views would permanently marginalize every minority faith in America and would violate the constitutional ban on a state-sponsored religion," said the letter, a copy of which The Associated Press obtained.

The White House had no immediate comment on the letter. Earlier Wednesday, before the letter was sent, White House press secretary Tony Snow called the matter "an issue that the president does not need to adjudicate and, therefore, will not."

Bush appointed Prager in August to fill the remainder of a five-year term that expires in January 2011.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Islamic group asks Bush to remove from Holocaust museum board critic of Muslim Congressman