My Country 'Tis of Thee

by Keith Ellison

The first Muslim to be elected to Congress speaks out about what divides Americans—and what can bring us together. As a former Catholic who converted to Islam, Keith Ellison, is the first Muslim elected to Congress—from a district with fewer than 1 percent Muslims and 11 percent Blacks. With his unique perspective on uniting a disparate community and speaking to a common goal, Ellison takes a provocative look at America and what needs to change to accommodate different races and beliefs.

Filled with anecdotes, statistics, and social commentary, Ellison touches on everything from the Tea Party to Obama, from race to the immigration debate and more. He also draws some very clear distinctions between parties and shows why the deep polarization is unhealthy for America. Deeply patriotic, with My Country ’Tis of Thee, Ellison strives to help define what it means to be an American today.

Genres: Memoir, Politics, Biography, Islam, Nonfiction, Religion, Autobiography

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2013

About the author

Congressman Keith Ellison represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs and is one of the most vibrant and ethnically diverse districts in Minnesota.

Rep. Ellison’s guiding philosophy is based on “generosity and inclusion” and his priorities in Congress are building prosperity for working families, promoting peace, pursuing environmental sustainability, and advancing civil and human rights.

Rep. Ellison’s commitment to consumer justice led him to write legislation that was included in the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights of 2009. This law prevents an unfair practice called “universal default,” which allowed lenders to increase their customers’ interest rates if they had late payments with another lender. In response to the foreclosure crisis that began in 2008, Rep. Ellison also wrote the Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act, which requires banks and other new owners to provide at least 90 days’ notice of eviction to renters occupying foreclosed homes.

As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, the congressman helps oversee the nation’s financial services and housing industries, as well as Wall Street. He also serves on the House Democratic Steering & Policy Committee, which decides committee assignments for Democratic Members and sets the Democratic Caucus' policy agenda. In the past he served on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Rep. Ellison was elected co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 113th Congress that promotes the progressive promise of fairness for all.

He is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, founded the Congressional Consumer Justice Caucus, and belongs to more than a dozen other caucuses that focus on issues ranging from social inclusion to environmental protection.

Before being elected to Congress Rep. Ellison was a noted community activist and ran a thriving civil rights, employment, and criminal defense law practice in Minneapolis. He also was elected to serve two terms in the Minnesota State House of Representatives.

Keith was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He has lived in Minnesota since earning his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990. Keith is the proud father of four children.

Reviews

[Krystin]

Having been given the opportunity to read My Country ‘Tis of Thee in advance, I can legitimately regard it as a necessary read for Americans, and people from elsewhere, alike. My role in promoting this book was made easy, as it is genuinely moving and thought provoking. Ellison’s prose is relatable and captures precisely his character- the kind of man he is. Moreover, his insights on race and religion in American political culture and society provides a view of Islam that can help readers both understand and transcend religious and cultural differences amidst a political landscape that has institutionalized division. Such knowledge is absolutely imperative in a world plagued by ideological hegemony.

[Ellen the Herbivore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have appreciated Ellison's work for the common person as a Representative and now as my state's Attorney General. He's a smart, no-BS person about whom I didn't know much. We unfortunately almost missed out on his services as AG because of a disappointed ex-girlfriend who magically appeared during the running of that race to bruit about his being abusive to her. (She went on and on about having a recording that proved it, but refused to let people listen to it.)

The book is perfectly fine, although rather bland. His parents were incredible, and it's a treat to read about good parenting. I was curious to know why he became Muslim after being raised Catholic, and don't feel like the book really answered that (he was in Detroit and got to know a lot of Nation of Islam people) -- but he doesn't owe me an answer.

Like so many books I've read in recent years, this DESPERATELY needed a good editor to cut redundancies and smooth out timelines. Why don't publishers cut executives instead of editors when they want to save money?

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low drama book by a guy who’s been involved in some grand drama. Appreciate that he pulls in the Powell Memo (shudder) and Hubert Humphrey’s magnificent convention speech in 1948 (“To those who say my friends, that we are rushing this issue of civil rights, I say to them we are one hundred seventy-two years late!”). This passage about voter suppression got me hard:

All I could think about was James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner threatened, beaten shot, and buried in 1964. They lost their lives fighting for all folks to have the right to vote freely. We owed it to their memories to make sure we didn’t turn back the clock on this issue.

An excellent point. That is the fight; do we welcome everyone into the franchise or do we allow people to be excluded. I know what side I’m on. I’m glad he’s on it too.

[Fred Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to Congressman Keith Ellison, who may become a major player in the Democratic party. This book gives a summary of his life though he only briefly mentions at one point that his wife became his ex-wife -- a topic which deserves some explanation in a book that is partially autobiographical. It also focuses on issues of religion, race, and discrimination, both from the viewpoint of history and his life.

[Mlhoganjr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Political autobiographies are tricky things; even more so when it's a politician still running for office (as opposed to someone retiring or retired). The form presents the author with one of the few chances in life to put down in extended form their ideas unabridged and uninterrupted. However, the author has to please as many people as possible and touch all the important bases representing all their constituencies, mention all the important people, and address all the peculiar pet issues that their district/ward/state finds important. What usually results is one part family history, one part stock platitudes about "This great nation...blah, blah, blah," and one part shallow discussion of the issues the author wants to address in their next term. "My Country, `Tis of Thee" follows the format.

Keith Ellison's political views line up very closely with my own, so I don't intend this criticism as a partisan cut on his position as one of the most progressive members of congress. But this book very much reads like a shallow campaign speech. There are some deeper moments, such as his visit to Somalia, or his views on America's modern interactions with the Middle East. But the bulk of the book (not including the first few chapters on his upbringing and education) reads like a "Minneapolis liberal Democrat by the numbers" text that could be lifted and applied to a lot of people. And again, I say this as a person who agrees with 99% of Ellison's views.

Keith Ellison is not a political theorist or an essayist, but I was hoping for a more in-depth look at the issues he hopes to address if (okay... "when") he's re-elected. Unfortunately, I think the form of political autobiography--especially one timed for a reelection campaign--just doesn't allow for that.

[Jeffrey Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have met Keith Ellison on several occasions over the years and my expectation was a little bit higher than this on the quality side. For someone who was (at the time of writing) a U.S. Congressman, my expectation was that he would be able to afford a good editor and work closer with his publisher to deliver a dynamic narrative. In this regard, he has failed. It is not a well edited work, and that's a shame.

The other shame is that there is so much more to the Keith Ellison story that he leaves out. He mentions briefly on Page 100, "We held several gang summits. I represented quite a few defendants who were gang members. While I don't believe that the truce strategy was the most effective approach, I do believe that many people who get caught up in the gang culture aren't necessarily criminals. For many, it's a phase they will outgrow. All they want is a connection to something larger. We have to provide constructive alternatives."

Now that may be a pretty innocuous statement, but it conceals something much deeper. Keith Ellison received part of a reward for turning in Pepi Mckenzie, who was the Vice Lords street gang member who shot Minneapolis Police Officer Jerry Haaf in the back at the Pizza Shack Restaurant in September 1992. Ellison was part of the defense team for Mckenzie, and later became the defender for Sharif Willis, who was the leader of the Vice Lords. I don't disagree with Ellison that he "represented quite a few defendants who were gang members," but in an autobiography I would expect him to elaborate more on his dealings with at least two of those gang members who made the most news in the Minneapolis community. I would expect him to discuss receiving the reward from KARE-11 TV that he shared with other members of The Way in North Minneapolis. This is just as much a part of the Keith Ellison story as his trip to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking about North Minneapolis, this area has been a magnet for crime and a higher-than-normal amount of police activity for decades. After The Way closed in 1984, Spike Moss, an associate of Ellison's, created City Inc., and worked closely with Sharif Willis. The person who succeeded Moss at City Inc., was none other than Keith Ellison. Yet not one word was brought up in his manuscript to discuss this important formative period in Ellison's life.

Another thing that Keith Ellison misses is the importance of the the no-knock raid by the Minneapolis Police Department that led to the unfortunate deaths of Lloyd Smalley and Lillian Weiss on January 25, 1989. This is THE incident that brought Keith Ellison to his anti-cop crusade. He became an activist from this incident. It defines him as a man and a politician. Yet there wasn't a single paragraph dedicated to the memories of Lloyd Smalley and Lillian Weiss, two people who had such a tremendous impact on his life and career. Keith did write about his hatred for police brutality, but he never brought up this defining incident in his life. That hatred had to stem from somewhere.

I bring this up because the Keith Ellison that we know in real life is not the Keith Ellison portrayed in this narrative. In this narrative, he comes across as a Christian apologetic Eisenhower Republican longing for his father's old days. That is not a true narrative to who Keith Ellison, the man, truly is. He is not a Republican. He's a proud Democrat (and he does admit this in the book) but he spends too much time trying to figure out "how the Republican Party of my father changed." Why is he spending more time on the Republican Party than identifying with his own? If he's a proud Democrat, then there shouldn't have been much time spent on figuring out the opposition.

Finally, I wish to bring up the fact that this is poorly edited. There was so much potential with this book that was missed. Instead, we are given the red, white, and blue, Apple Pie and Chevrolet narrative that we get in most Congressional autobiographies. Most readers know that at least half of the stuff is crap from the moment they open up the cover. This one is just more obvious about it. It would have been refreshing for Keith Ellison to have told his story.... all of it... and how his parents, his background in Detroit, his faith and his party, all made him who he is today, as told in a chronological manner that makes sense and does justice to the subject. Instead, we are given more philosophical drivel that we read daily in the opinion sections of the newspapers - very light, fluffy, and in most cases, inconsequential. It is the responsibility of the editor to see this, eliminate it, and provide suggestions on how to strengthen the manuscript. Either whoever edited this did not know what they were doing, or Keith did not listen to them. Whichever way it went down, this book was terribly edited.

The Keith Ellison that I know is a much deeper and complex man than this. I just wish the writing would have reflected that because it had so much more potential.

[Judie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While almost every American knows the words to “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” most do not know there was an abolitionist version written in 1843. It speaks of the history of slavery and white privilege but ends on a hopeful note for everyone as it looks towards the day when slavery ends. This song and these verses molded Keith Ellison’s history and goals. MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE articulate that history and goals very well.
Even if he accomplishes nothing more the rest of his life, he has assured his place in history as the first Muslim elected to Congress. This book is his personal story as well as the stories of his philosophy and political perspective.
He grew up in Detroit. His father had very strong expectations for his children. He recalls, “My father believed you had to give people something to reach for.”His father wanted him to be a lawyer or doctor and he did receive a law degree after studying economics as an undergraduate student. Based on his experiences, he discusses the effects of forcing children into careers for which they have no interest.
He learned about racism in school by its treatment of blacks. One teacher told him he was “smart for a black student.” When he changed schools before sixth grade, his teachers had low expectations for him because of his race.
MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE explains his religious journey. Raised as a Catholic, he began to lose interest in Catholicism while he was a student at Wayne State in Detroit. One day, he wandered into the makeshift mosque at the student center. He learned about Islam and, at age twenty, converted. The Islam he knows, based on the Quran, has very little to do with the terrorist actions of Muslim extremists and terrorists who make up a minority of Muslims but are treated as typical of all Muslims. “Islam teaches that men and women are equal before God.....[P]eople confuse faith with custom, laws, and politics.” “Nothing in the Quran says a Muslim should hurt people who are not Muslim.” “Violence is not preached in the Quran. And violence was never the nature of Muhammed.”
He was at a meeting in Washington, DC during the Million Man March and decided to participate in it. The media focused on Louis Farrakhan’s role but, in actuality, he was neither its central figure nor the man who helped sustain its objectives. The focus on Farrakhan was an effort to, “...minimize the importance of the event itself, and thereby dismiss the demands of the march’s participants....The unmet promise of the civil rights movement.” “And if we could control and organize ourselves, we might control the system.” The objectives applied to Americans of all races.
Ellison has an inclusive view of the US. He recognizes that his constituents represent a wide range (almost seventy five percent are white) and addresses the problems faced by other cultures, economic groups, and religions. He notes that Minneapolis was the anti-Semitism Capital of the US until Hubert Humphrey was able to bring about change during his term as mayor in the late 1940s. He writes that today the ethnic group that is the target of the most attacks of hatred is the Muslims. This sentiment is repeated throughout the country, including in the halls of Congress. Former representative Tom Tancredo of Colorado said if there was another terrorist attack on America, we should bomb Mecca in Saudi Arabia. In other words, if a small group of extremists harm the us, we should kill masses of innocent people from their country. We don’t blame all Christians for bombing the Federal Building in Oklahoma City because the act was committed by white Christians but are willing to blame all Muslims or Arabs because of the act of nineteen extremists.
“An American is defined by an attitude. An ethos.” We states that we should be very proud that a black man was elected President and asks if a black person could achieve that office in an Asian or European country. In some countries, you cannot become a citizen unless you and your parents were born there.
There have been cases, such as in Dearborn, Michigan, where the pastor of a small church decided to hold a Quran-burning rally. While Dearborn was once a very segregated community, it is now the home to a large Muslim population. The number of people – Christians, Jews, atheists, and Muslims-- who came to protest the rally outnumbered the haters five to one. “We need people who are willing to stand up to them and say, ‘You do not represent America.’ Every American is entitled to liberty.
Ellison traces the source of many of today’s political problems to Lewis F. Powell, Jr. In 1971, he wrote a confidential letter to the Director of the Chamber of Commerce “calling for corporate America to get more involved in shaping our political landscape.” This included giving more influence to corporations and the wealthy, spying on left-wing organizations, especially on college campuses, and censoring textbooks and television programs. Soon thereafter, President Nixon nominated him to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by the death of liberal Hugo Black.
Not surprisingly, with a background in economics, that remains a primary focus of Ellison’s Congressional agenda. He is very concerned with the economic inequality in the US and proposes steps to reverse it. The first bill he introduced was to curb universal default. Prior to its enaction, if a person did not pay on one credit card, the interest rate on all the other ones could be raised. He also addresses other ways the wealthy are trying to expand their influence such as dismantling voting rights even though there have been very few cases of actual voter fraud. He notes that was not an issue until President Obama was elected largely by the votes of lower income, non-white and younger voters.
On the positive side, he points out the many ways that Congress and government do work well. The message people receive from the media is distorted. “Some media outlets are not disseminating the news but are replacing news with opinion and entertainment. Others focus on reporting about personalities and ‘the horse race’ in politics, presenting ‘both sides’ of any question with no effort to sort fact from falsehood. Too few focus on giving voters the information they need to make up their own minds.”
MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE is primarily his biography but Ellison does include political comments as well. A few, unfortunately, seem more suited to a campaign speech but they do not detract from the overall story

[Angie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written synopsis giving the reader a good idea of "where he is coming from" literally and on very important relevant issues of today. I felt like Congressman Ellison explained his position with eloquence and does not demean others for their viewpoints. Several times he indicates he has apologized for his impulsive remarks, yet I appreciate his passion and understand he is human too.

[Mark Katerberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine biography of a congressman. I wasn’t wildly impressed by the writing, but it’s framed as a series of issues on all Democratic policy issues of the time roughly in order of his life.

The personal stories were great, but so much of this is just stating the talking points of politics in the early 2010s.

[MaryKate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent coming of age discovery book of black American lawyer in the USA who grew up in Detroit but practices law in Minneapolis. He discusses the impact of racism in the USA and how politics plays a role in shaping society. Great read, impactful.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw that the first Muslim to be elected to the U.S. Congress had written a memoir I was anxious to read it. If I had ever known there was a Muslim in Congress, I had forgotten, and I was curious about what Mr. Ellison had to say.
Ellison grew up in Detroit, the son of a physician. He covers his family life in detail and gives the reader a feeling for his early life and the influences that carry forward to his life today. Ellison also details his conversion to Islam while he was in college and recounts telling his Catholic mother about his new religion.
The book kept me interested and engaged. Ellison is a good writer and in addition to telling his life story he also gives the reader his opinions about how politics works today. His recounting of his election to Congress is inspiring; he and his supporters knocked on doors all over his district and he was elected by a majority white electorate. He did it without massive fundraising from corporations and special interest groups, and is truly committed to representing the people who elected him.
This is an inspiring story. I really enjoyed reading it, and it made me wish that Keith Ellison was my congressman.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first impressed by the title and then reading about the author. I love how he started and ended this book. His personal strengths and the strengths of his family gave this book even more enjoyable for me as a reader and one who loves family. I did not know about Keith Ellison but I feel with his love of people, and risk taken in his religous freedom is one that I have thought about many times after reading this book and returning to read portions of it again. I can't begin to image how his time in our Capital is spend with the hatred toward persons who embrace Muslins and as you find in the lines of the book how much we don't know about this form of religion. I hope to read more about this man who I feel from reading his book has a positive outlook as to what we need to know about all people and supporting those who can not support themselves through lack of education, where one lives and how people perceive the same. Great read.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving seamlessly from personal story and experience to political issues and back, Ellison invites us all to the dialogue of what it means to be a democracy, to offer one another dignity, to make a country both free and just, to lead and to take responsibility for what each of us can do and all of us may do together. Recommended for community reads, community organizers, social justice committees, and anyone interested in civil rights and safe and healthy communities.

[R.Z. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Keith Ellison's autobiography is an interesting account of his background, family, decisions and actions that led him to become a member of congress as the first Muslim African-American. He gives his thoughts and philosophies on child-raising and other issues. For many readers, this will be satisfying. For me, it seemed somewhat topical and light; I would have liked more depth, more analysis of his thinking.

[Barb Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read an advance copy. I appreciated the insights into what it was like to run for the U.S. Congress as a black Muslim in a majority white, Christian district. His experiences in the Middle East and in Somalia and the importance of U.S. support for democracy and human rights over status quo and "stability" we're a refreshing call to action.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The memoir of America's first Muslim Congressman and Minnesota's first non-white Congressman. I'm usually not into political memoirs, but this was pretty interesting. He grew up in Detroit and moved to Minnesota for college, like I did (well, Detroit suburbs) and it was kind of fun to see a little inside Minnesota politics.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little preachy in places, but an enjoyable narrative of his life.