The “ground zero mosque,” as you may well know by now, is not at ground zero. It’s not a mosque but an Islamic cultural center containing a prayer room. It’s not going to determine President Obama’s political future or the elections of 2010 or 2012. Still, the battle that has broken out over this project in Lower Manhattan — on the “hallowed ground” of a shuttered Burlington Coat Factory store one block from the New York Dolls Gentlemen’s Club — will prove eventful all the same. And the consequences will be far more profound than any midterm election results or any of the grand debates now raging 24/7 over the parameters of tolerance, religious freedom, and the real estate gospel of location, location, location.
Here’s what’s been lost in all the screaming. The prime movers in the campaign against the “ground zero mosque” just happen to be among the last cheerleaders for America’s nine-year war in Afghanistan. The wrecking ball they’re wielding is not merely pounding Park51, as the project is known, but is demolishing America’s already frail support for that war, which is dedicated to nation-building in a nation whose most conspicuous asset besides opium is actual mosques.
So virulent is the Islamophobic hysteria of the neocon and Fox News right — abetted by the useful idiocy of the Anti-Defamation League, Harry Reid and other cowed Democrats — that it has also rendered Gen. David Petraeus’s last-ditch counterinsurgency strategy for fighting the war inoperative. How do you win Muslim hearts and minds in Kandahar when you are calling Muslims every filthy name in the book in New York?
You’d think that American hawks invested in the Afghanistan “surge” would not act against their own professed interests. But they couldn’t stop themselves from placing cynical domestic politics over country. The ginned-up rage over the “ground zero mosque” was not motivated by a serious desire to protect America from the real threat of terrorists lurking at home and abroad — a threat this furor has in all likelihood exacerbated — but by the potential short-term rewards of winning votes by pandering to fear during an election season.
Are any of you in New York planning to go to the rallies to be a part of the manipulated, “look over there” crowd?
It is fun to observe the discordance fact scenarios that get reported on in the news.
1. Is this a Mosque? Evidently, the answer is no. No minarets. No morning call. There is only a “prayer room” just as is already up and running in the Pentagon. No argument about how close to ground zero that one is. Its “in” the Pentagon. So the answer is no and no one should be upset about a Mosque being set up. Or is there? Are other groups allowed to use the prayer room when not used by the Muslims? Can the room or the floor or the remainder of the building be “accommodated” to act as a Mosque?
2. Is the Muslim Leader behind this a radical or not? I hear both things. One side says he has repeatedly helped the USA gov gain entrance into Muslim groups back in the Middle East. Others say he has proclaimed Islam to the the one and only religion that is going to take over the world. If both positions are true, what do they mean on balance.
3. The source of the money to build this center is undisclosed. Could be from Saudi Arabia, other Muslim Extremist Funders, or who knows. Does it make a difference?
4. Many want to call this a zoning issue as if such issues remove any First Amendment Issue. They are wrong.
5. Many want to call this a First Amendment Issue as if such an issue removes all other Constitutional Issues like Treason or the combination of Politicas and Religion that Islam uniquely presents. They are wrong.
6. Why is the issue being raised now? Issues of timing do have relevance to some issues but not to all issues. All of the issues above have nothing to do with timing. 99% of timing issue discussion are a distraction.
Not that tv is the best source for authenticated info, but in 3.5 hours:
Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think
Muslims around the world offer opinions on prejudice, religion, gender justice, terrorism and democracy.
On PBS Monday Night (11PM PST) with repeats during the week.
I’m sure all our questions will be answered.
As most Tv networks are either owned by US defense contractors (like NBC is owned by GE). Or whose board members are also on corporate boards of US defense contractors. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they’re all pro war, anti-religious freedom. And want to keep things stirred up, and make over blown issues of things that most people wouldn’t notice, if they didn’t tell them they should be angry about them.
Remember how they tried to blame that TWA Flight 800 crash on a missile? And some jerk of an ex-newsman, Pierre Salinger, bought into this “friendly fire” missile theory he got from a dodgy source. And all the Tv networks, rather than investigate it themselves, ran with it. Making big rating bucks off it. And also saving the bacon of TWA and the plane’s maker, Boeing. Both who used this to keep from being sued, and losing a huge merger deal. I’ll just bet Salinger got a big wet thank you from of corporate giants.
Well, I saw about the first 20 min of the tv show before I had to do something else. I’ll catch the rest of it later.
So far, seems like I have greatly misunderstood Islam. Most women enjoy wearing the hajib as it is compliant with Islam. AND Islam is a religion of Peace and only god should judge people.
Thats a relief.
#79 You mean the current pope?
>maker, Boeing. Both who used this to keep from being sued, and losing a huge merger deal. I’ll just bet Salinger got a big wet thank you from of corporate giants.
And they say the missile attack people are the conspiracy theorists.