More proof  Liberalism is a mental illness.
Rep. Barney Frank in response to being called on his support for a Ramadan (Muslim) resolution, and lack there of for a Christmas (Christian) resolution sent the following.

Dear Friend:

I agree with those who noted an inconsistency in the fact that I voted for the resolution praising Ramadan while voting present on the Christmas resolution.  I understand why this gave some the impression that I was expressing a preference for Islam over Christianity, or Ramadan over Christmas.  Neither of these is true, and I now realize that I made a mistake when I voted for the Ramadan resolution.  I should have voted present on that resolution.

I am enclosing a statement I made on the floor of the House acknowledging my error and trying to correct the inaccurate impression my actions understandably gave people.  In fact, I have as someone representing a district in Massachusetts much more involvement with Christmas than with Ramadan - I have attended several Christmas celebrations and I do not remember ever having attended any Ramadan event.  But the central point is what I tried to say in my statement:  I do not believe it is appropriate for the Congress as an official body to intervene in religion at all.  Deciding that we have the right to congratulate people on one of these holidays implies to me that we would also have the right to condemn the holidays.  It is also the case that the Christmas resolution in particular included a number of statements about theology and constitutional history, which I do not think Congress should have voted on.

So as to the Ramadan resolution, my recollection is that people thought it might be helpful in abating anti-Americanism that has to some extent arisen from the war in Iraq, and while I am in favor of abating anti-Americanism and counteracting unfair views of our country, I do not think that using religion as a political tool was a good way to do it.  So I acknowledge my mistake in voting for the Ramadan resolution.  I should have voted present on both resolutions. This is not because I think religion unimportant, but precisely because I think it is sufficiently important to protect it from being used in a political way as, frankly, I believe it was with both the Ramadan and Christmas resolutions.

BARNEY FRANK

EXPLAINING VOTE ON CHRISTMAS RESOLUTION -- (House of Representatives - December 18, 2007)

[Page: H16801]

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The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) is recognized for 5 minutes.

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Madam Speaker, there are times when it is important for people to admit when they have made mistakes, and I made one. I voted last week ``present'' on a resolution that it was Christmas. Now, when I read the resolution, I decided to vote ``present'' because it made some controversial statements about the constitutional history of the United States and the role of Christianity in that.

I am not a historian. I don't know whether that was an accurate statement or not, and I didn't want to vote on it one way or the other. It also made a number of statements about Christian theology, about which I am even less expert, being Jewish and not being an expert in other religions. So I voted ``present.''

But it was then called to my attention that earlier this year I had voted for a resolution congratulating people for observing Ramadan, so I was in the awkward position of having voted in favor of celebrating Ramadan and having abstained on Christmas, and the mistake was I should have abstained on Ramadan as well.

The point is, and this reinforces it to me, it is really none of the business of the Congress of the United States as an official body whether or not people celebrate religious holidays. Our job is to preserve a free society in which people are able to celebrate their religious holidays if they wish to. But picking and choosing among religious holidays, seems to me, is odd.

By the way, when you announce you have the power to approve a holiday, I assume that means ordinarily you have the power to disapprove it. Does that mean that we could have said we don't approve of Ramadan or we don't approve of Christmas? Again, these are examples of the intrusiveness.

As I said, I find myself in an odd position, where people said, Are you pro-Ramadan and anti-Christmas? Frankly, I observe neither holiday. I wish well those who do, but as an individual, not as a Member of Congress. In fact, I have had obviously, living in this society, much more association with Christmas. But, again, that's as an individual.

That was driven home to me when I see a debate, particularly on the Republican side, between candidates as to the nature of the religion of my former Governor. This whole tendency further to entangle religion and politics is harmful to both, in my judgment. So I will acknowledge, and I understood when the Ramadan resolution came forward, in fact it was brought forward, let's be honest, for a broadly political reason. People thought that having us celebrate Ramadan might in some way alleviate an anti-American feeling that has grown out of the Iraq war. That is not what you talk about religion for.

So I should have voted ``present'' on both, not out of any disrespect for either religion, but out of respect for a system of democratic governance in which we politicians don't decide what is or isn't good religion. I would hope that that would no longer be part of the Republican Presidential debate. I don't believe Mormon theology has any point there. I will say this: I am no great fan of Governor Romney, nor he of me, but he served for 4 years as Governor of Massachusetts, and I don't remember a day when his religion was relevant.

Deciding that will alleviate any anti-American feelings on Ramadan, and then, okay, we will get back and show you that we are going to talk about Christmas. And we're going to talk about the constitutional history of the United States in these terms, and then let's have a debate about religion. It is not negative about religion to say that religion is best served when politicians do not seek to use it, intrude into it. Our job, again, is to preserve a Nation of freedom in which people can practice religion as they wish. No one ought to be looking for my approval as to this or that religious holiday.

So I will announce in the future I will not applaud people for Ramadan or for Christmas or for Yom Kippur or for any of the other holidays. I will work very hard to make sure every American and everyone in this country can observe those religious freedoms. But entangling us into religion for political purposes is simply a great mistake and serves no good.

Therefore, I do apologize. I erred when I voted for the Ramadan resolution. I should have voted ``present'' on Ramadan. I should have voted ``present'' on Christmas. But, even better, we should simply abstain from bringing into this very political body of elected people issues about this or that religious holiday. Let's leave religious holidays in peace.
END
The gentleman  took his position supporting the Ramadan resolution  just to placate Islam because America  made them mad! He was trying to be helpful !