Presidential vacations, the outbreak of salmonella, and now a mosque at Ground Zero! How much more excitement can
Congratulations if you have managed to avoid the firestorm surrounding the plans to build a thirteen-story mosque two blocks away from the former World Trade Centers.
It is getting pretty big, and people’s feelings are getting hurt.
Assorted politicians have attempted to employ their infinite wisdom in bringing about some conflict resolution. Barack Obama showed us last week that even celebrities are getting into the action, as he lectured on the constitutional rights of Muslims to build a place of worship.
In typical “let me be clear” fashion, the President refused to comment on the wisdom of the project, which strangely enough turns out to be the only issue people are actually debating.
The issue is simple. Everyone acknowledges the constitutional right to build a mosque near Ground Zero. What is being questioned is the wisdom of building an Islamic monument near the site of the worst act of Islamic terrorism in the
Of course they can build there, but sixty-two percent of Americans do not think they should.
Supporters of the mosque, unsurpassed experts in the field of logical discourse, continue to ignore the real issue and proclaim that there is no legitimate reason to oppose it other than pure hatred of Muslims. Oh no! Discrimination! Bigotry! And big words like “islamophobia”!
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has been a constant source of amusement throughout this entire controversy with repeated reminders that his purpose is to increase dialogue and build bridges. Well, we definitely have some serious “dialogue” but probably not the kind that builds bridges, unless they are bridges to nowhere.
The reaction to the mosque reflects a deeper frustration with the culture of oppressive toleration that has dominated American conversations for decades and suggests that Americans are no longer comfortable with tiptoeing around religious rights when basic sensibilities are offended.
Finally, it reveals that certain individuals like President Obama, who will heretofore remain unnamed, are simply not cut out for resolving conflicts without inevitably making things worse. This is yet another "teachable moment."
