On a lighter note, though, Sinema's victory did mean that a homophobic bigot and evangelical Christian had to swear in a bisexual atheist on a law book.
I saw this all over Facebook, that's awesome.
Well, she's only "religiously unaffiliated", so it's possible she's not actually an atheist, but... Personally I want to see someone use a copy of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. (Or, better, God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.) Sen. Sinema chose the book, I believe, because it contained both the Arizona and US Constitutions.
Meanwhile, the right wing melted down when Rep. Tlaib (D-MI) was sworn in on a Qu'ran (she was going to use Jefferson's, as Rep. Ellison had, but used her own instead) in traditional Palestinian dress (hand-woven by her mother).
And then they melted down some more when Tlaib gave a speech shortly thereafter and said that they would "impeach the motherfucker". (Plus she supports BDS--which you'd think would be understandable, since she's Palestinian.)
And then they melted down even more because Rep. Omar (D-MN), who swore her oath of office on her grandfather's Qu'ran, was allowed to wear a hijab on the floor.
I saw almost nothing about Rep. Haaland (D-NM) wearing traditional Pueblo dress to be sworn in.
The Republican caucus, on the other hand, was largely white guys in suits. (Most of whom should be in jail, if House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is to be believed regarding how stringently they adhere even to what remains of campaign finance law in the US.)
Brings to mind a bit from Clement Attlee (part of his response to Churchill's speech in the 1945 election about how a "Socialist government" would have to use "some form of Gestapo"; I've found Churchill's speech in full but not Attlee's):
The Prime Minister made much play last night with the rights of the individual and the dangers of people being ordered about by officials. I entirely agree that people should have the greatest freedom compatible with the freedom of others. There was a time when employers were free to work little children for sixteen hours a day. I remember when employers were free to employ sweated women workers on finishing trousers at a penny halfpenny a pair. There was a time when people were free to neglect sanitation so that thousands died of preventable diseases. For years every attempt to remedy these crying evils was blocked by the same plea of freedom for the individual. It was in fact freedom for the rich and slavery for the poor. Make no mistake, it has only been through the power of the State, given to it by Parliament, that the general public has been protected against the greed of ruthless profit-makers and property owners. The Conservative Party remains as always a class Party. In twenty-three years in the House of Commons, I cannot recall more than half a dozen from the ranks of the wage earners. It represents today, as in the past, the forces of property and privilege. The Labour Party is, in fact, the one Party which most nearly reflects in its representation and composition all the main streams which flow into the great river of our national life.