You Have To Wonder How the "Ground Zero Mosque" Controversy is Playing on al-Jazeera

[kpete]

You Have To Wonder How the "Ground Zero Mosque" Controversy is Playing on al-Jazeera

Really. Think about how it must be playing. Think of how it must play across the Arabic language media when they air translated rants against Islam by former Speaker Gingrich, former Mayor Giuliani and former 1/2-term Governor Palin, to mention just a few. Think about how it is playing across the Muslim nations from Morocco to Indonesia.

All those politicians from the Confederate party ranting about Islam and taking positions on mosque locations from "not here" to "not nowhere". All of those politicians from the Democratic party who are lacking the courage to stand up for a basic core American principle: Freedom of religion.

Think of how that plays into the hands of our enemies. Think of how they must be saying: "The Americans tell you that `we respect all religions', but look at their actions. Muslims across America are being told that they cannot have mosques where American law says that they have a right to have a mosque. It is all an American lie, for they truly hate you, my brothers and sisters."

So then ask yourself why the Confederate party so hates this country that they are eager to run the risk of creating many more enemies and further souring the view of America held by a billion people, all so that they can gain some illusory short-term political benefit.


http://eb-misfit.blogspot.com/2010/08/you-have-to-wonder-how-ground-zero.html

[nc4bo]

1. It makes us look very ignorant and probably validates some reasons they may dislike

America.

Actually, I'm embarrassed.

[Karenina]

5. It's not playing well...

in TROTW.

[Douglas Carpenter]

2. when I see the likes of Bolton, Gingrich and Giuliani ramping up extreme anti-Muslim rhetoric

and remembering that these guys are not dummies like Sarah Palin - I think they DO want to send the message to the Islamic world that America considers the word's 1.3 Billion Muslims the enemy - I frankly find it almost implausible to believe that they are not hoping for a major terrorist attack and they are not consciously hoping that their actions might help bring it about.

[Karenina]

4. They're ALSO importing Geert Wilders for a 9/11 anti-Muslim bash fest

The Brits once banned the Wild One from entering the country on the basis that his virulent brand of toxic spew was a threat to public safety. Kind a Newt on steroids and bad acid. This is a sample of what folks on this side of the pond are seeing:

http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/insidestory/2010/08/201081713525120407.html

[burnsei sensei]

3. Anyone who has a profound knowledge of

our history understands that Americans often frame their national dialogue not in terms of what they aspire to, but in terms of what they dread.
Americans often identify themselves in terms of what they believe themselves not to be.
And for conservatives, the great "not" is Islam, you can add that to Black, Jewish, Catholic, Central European and Oriental.