Rep. Keith Ellison – on His Faith, His Family & Our Future

Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation profiles Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) and his new memoir, My Country, ‘Tis of Thee. He describes himself as “hopelessly” optimistic, writing, “Our democracy is not something to be taken for granted. You have to fight for it. You have to commit yourself to working for it—for the long haul.” Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, also notes, “It is un-American to single out or persecute any American because of his or her faith. I am a congressman who is Muslim. I am also black. I also happen to be from Detroit. I also happen to be a father of four.”

Read at The Nation

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