Saturday, August 14, 2010

Obama Backs Ground Zero Mosque

By LD Jackson of Political Realities 

For months now, there has been an ongoing debate about the proposed construction of a Muslim mosque near the area in lower Manhattan now known as Ground Zero. I seriously doubt anyone needs a reminder that this is the area where nearly 3,000 people lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Those events are indelibly embedded in the minds of all Americans. This debate is going on, not just in New York, but across the nation, with politicians from both parties coming down on one side or the other. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is a strong supporter of the mosque and it seems that at every turn, those who oppose the mosque are turned away. Efforts to get one building declared a national landmark failed and the plans for the mosque moved forward. On Friday, those supporters got a show of support from none other than President Barack Obama. Here is some of what he had to say, from CNN.
New York City MosquePresident Obama threw his support behind a controversial proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque near New York’s ground zero, saying Friday that “Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country.”
“That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances,” Obama said at a White House Iftar dinner celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Obama, who said he was speaking both as a citizen and as president, invoked the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, which critics of the Islamic center cite as the main reason for preventing its construction.
“We must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan,” Obama said, according to his prepared remarks. “The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country.”
“The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable,” he continued. “So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.”
But Obama said one “reason that we will win this fight” against terrorism is “our capacity to show not merely tolerance, but respect to those who are different from us — a way of life that stands in stark contrast to the nihilism of those who attacked us on that September morning, and who continue to plot against us today.”
“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable,” Obama said. “The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure.”
Let me say, as clearly as I know how, I strongly believe in the freedom of religion in America. It is a very strong part of the foundation our country was built on. Let me also say, as clearly as I know how, that no matter how President Obama invokes that freedom in his support of the mosque, that is not the real issue here. It is being used to deflect our attention away from what is at stake here. Admittedly, I have never been a supporter of the President, but in throwing his support behind the building of the mosque, he has certainly not endeared himself to my heart. I feel like we are being betrayed and I do not say that lightly.
I pose this question to you, my readers. It is a question that has already been asked by former Republican Senator Rick Santorum. HowPresident Obama would you react if you learned that a minister who wants to build a church near the place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed and it was known that this minister preached racial separation and that King’s death was his own fault? I know that is a hypothetical question, but would it not be the ultimate insult to a man who probably did more to combat racism in America than any other individual? I think we could all agree that would be the case and the minister should find some other piece of land to build his church.
In my opinion, there is little to no difference in that hypothetical situation and the plans now underway to build the mosque near ground zero. If you disagree with that, let me remind you that the one and only reason Islamic terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in the field in Pennsylvania is because they hated America and her policies. They felt their religion demanded such action and they followed through with a sequence of events that resulted in the deaths of around 3,000 people. In light of that, I fail to understand how anyone could invoke the freedom of religion clause of our Constitution and say Muslims should be allowed to build this mosque.
We hear a lot these days about how Islam is a religion of peace, but for the most part, it has shown itself to be anything but. I realize the Muslims who are pushing for the right to build this mosque probably had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11, but if they really believe in America and in the freedom of religion we all hold so dear, they would take the honorable course of action and find another location on which to build. Doing anything less is a slap in the face to the victims of the attacks and to the freedoms we have in America. Let them build their mosque, but let them build it far away from the place that claimed so many innocent lives. A line has to be drawn somewhere and ground zero is a good place to start.
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2 comments:

  1. Gosh you people are dense:
    http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/08/ground_zero_mosque_imam_bush_partner_for_peace.php?ref=fpblg

    And I guess you're ignoring the fact that many muslims died that day in the World Trade Centers.

    Also ignoring the fact that there's been a mosque INSIDE THE PENTAGON SINCE OCTOBER 2001!
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/06/ground-zero-mosque-oppone_n_673459.html

    And I guess Mayor Bloomberg is also "betraying us". http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/03/michael-bloomberg-deliver_n_669395.html

    And your comparison to Martin Luther King Jr. is ludicrous. How do you know what will be preached there? Did you know that this "mosque" will really be just like a YMCA with a place for people who want to pray? Not really what you'd call a mosque.

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  2. Oh, and Muslims pray EVERY SINGLE DAY AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE FOR THE MUSLIMS THAT DIED THERE. This, as usual, is right-wing hyperbole to whip their supporters into a frothing frenzy. Would you want us to be like Saudi Arabia where other religions are not tolerated? More like Iran?

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