The first Muslim to serve as a member of Congress – Democrat Keith Ellison of Minnesota – has compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler. Addressing a gathering of atheists in his state, Ellison compared 9/11 to the destruction of the German Reichstag in 1933, which was probably burned to justify Hitler’s later seizure of emergency powers.

Here’s what Ellison told the atheists to much applause: “It’s almost like the Reichstag fire. After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the communists for it and it put the leader, Hitler, of that country in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted.”

Ellison said he would not accuse the President of planning 9/11 because, “You know, that’s how they put you in the nut-ball box – dismiss you.”

Now what do you suppose he meant by that? The implication is that he, in fact, believes the President helped plan 9/11, but doesn’t want to say so for fear of being put in the nut-ball box and dismissed. Ellison should be put in the nut-ball box, but not dismissed, except maybe from Congress in the next election. This is where tolerance got the voters of Minnesota.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.