Ground Zero imam: I never would have done it if I knew it would create tensions
posted at 10:33 pm on September 8, 2010 by Allahpundit
Wish I had the full transcript, but this will have to do for now.
Rauf said that if he knew how controversial the project would be, he “never would have done this – not have done something that would create more divisiveness.”
However, he said he is convinced he shouldn’t move the center now because “our national security now hinges on how we negotiate this, how we speak about it and what we do.”…
“If we don’t do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world,” Rauf said. “… If we don’t handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed.”
He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals’ ability to recruit followers and will increase violence against Americans.
Two things. First, this is an interesting contrast to the position of most liberal GZM supporters that opinion on the other side — 66 percent nationally, per the latest WaPo poll — is beneath contempt. Rauf is willing to make a concession to the feelings of opponents, at least in theory, in the name of “dialogue”; that’s more than you can say for the lefty commentariat who’ve treated this episode, as always, mainly as an exercise in self-congratulation for their moral supremacy. Second, Rauf’s point about having to build in order to deny jihadis the propaganda-fueling grievance of seeing the mosque moved is an ironic twist on the last post about Merkel and Westergaard. Once again, the fear of violence is dictating someone’s actions — except in this case, there are propaganda opportunities no matter what happens. If the mosque is moved, the terrorist line will be that America is biased against Islam; if the mosque stays, the terrorist line will be that Islam has triumphed by building a shrine at the doorstep of their great victory. That was all foreseeable when the decision to build on the site was undertaken, and Rauf and company went ahead with it anyway.
There’s more at the link — he concedes that Hamas has committed terrorist acts but danced around the Ron Paul-ian question of whether the U.S. was an “accessory to the crime” on 9/11. Meanwhile, the Egyptian businessman who provided a majority of the funding for the site tells the AP that this was just a business transaction for him, and that if he can’t turn a profit on the site, he’s happy to unload it. Exit quotation: “If someone wants to give me 18 or 20 million dollars today, it’s all theirs.”
Blowback
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ahhh…but who will bring the hammer now?
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 12:53 AM
The Cold War ended? Moscow surrendered?
faraway on September 9, 2010 at 12:55 AM
The pagination gods are angry at me.
faraway on September 9, 2010 at 12:56 AM
Suddenly islam and the left are vacating those typical platitudes of “just a small handful,” “not all muslims are ….,” “a few rotten apples,” “it’s just a small group of extremists…every religion has a few extremists.”
Anger? How about we send over mass shipments of lithium to these anger/rage provoked muslims who suddenly do not have the ability to control their rage?
So much for that “peace” crap you and the left have been trying to sucker the world with, eh?
BruthaMan on September 9, 2010 at 12:57 AM
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 12:58 AM
The Hammer was Charlemagne’s grandpappy.
Gang-of-One on September 9, 2010 at 12:59 AM
Isn’t it more thana little unseemly that they are all fired up to get the Victory Mosque built while Ground Zero is still a crater?
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:00 AM
i watched part of the Guiliani 9/11 program tonight. tough to watch
but it is so clear that the attacks empowered leftists like michael moore to cleave the country. so my pet goat got moore seated with jimmy carter at the convention
these are seriously despicable people always with a wedge to divide
r keller on September 9, 2010 at 1:03 AM
D’uh….dang I should have got that one too.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:05 AM
ahhh…The Great Unpleasantness. I think that one is a keeper.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:07 AM
haha…yeah I know I’m Charles…REAL original. I haven’t heard that one here before.
I don’t know about cars but Christianity isn’t a perfect faith either…see here, here, and here.
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:07 AM
Excellent pun Fighton.
America’s CIC is a jerk. But America was once led by a British appointed official and administration. And USA successfully rejected that situation.
Crystal ball still not on digital. We both have THE hammer should we choose to wield it. Me, a four pound sledge for when force is primary.
Islam Delenda Est
Caststeel on September 9, 2010 at 1:08 AM
Primary source 1:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/hawkecentre/events/2005events/Imam.asp
Given that the sanctions were imposed by the United Nations, shouldn’t it be that the UN has more Muslim blood on its hands?
I’d love to hear Imam Rauf explain why churches should be allowed in Mecca.
unclesmrgol on September 9, 2010 at 1:12 AM
Not original to me. It is something said, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, here in the South.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:12 AM
You are a fool if you believe anything Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf says.
He is just giving a line to deceive the infidels.
slp on September 9, 2010 at 1:15 AM
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:07 AM
Is trolling okay now? Cuz I have to troll for krab.
Ugly on September 9, 2010 at 1:15 AM
I missed faraway’s comment, but didn’t have any such language as to embarrass Hot Air so I guess it was probably too many links.
I guess I’ll fall on my martyr sword (like Rauf) and state that I was only posting those links for the benefit of the Hot Air community. What do I have to do to prove I care for open, yet one-sided, dialogue. :)
Brass on September 9, 2010 at 1:18 AM
Inconsequential oversight. I only peeped it out cause I read real slow. :)
Gang-of-One on September 9, 2010 at 1:18 AM
Oh fighton…I don’t drink, but thanx. My comment was not about location…in its’ proper context you would see that it was about the extreme victimization some Christians feel…but I still see Christmas decorations every year, Easter baskets are still sold, Beck can still praise God on the Mall…and NASCAR still says Christian prayers at the beginning of races…no one is coming for your Christianity relax, lol.
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:20 AM
Peace through Strength. It’s the only way.
I am redheaded for the last 70+ years. Blest be generations before that enabled a body to stand up to bullies. The Gadsden flag had my motto before understanding of personal defense occurred. A toothless guard dog now, still got a hellulva growl.
Islam Delenda Est
Caststeel on September 9, 2010 at 1:20 AM
We should be glad they are paying for the this mosque for us. In the future they will be paid for with taxes imposed on dhimmis.
pedestrian on September 9, 2010 at 1:21 AM
…uhhh???…
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:22 AM
We appreciate the attempt. Don’t take it personally. I wrote a long comment about the Industrial Rev0lution three times before I figured out why it was going through. Then it was so far down the thread that it wasn’t even relevant anymore. And it was brilliant!!!
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:23 AM
Well, the cheek is another good place to lodge a tongue. But as far as I’m concerned, the war of northern aggression is an excellent descriptive as well.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:24 AM
70+? Would have never guessed. Your writing has the spirit of a much younger man. Hat’s off to you.
Gang-of-One on September 9, 2010 at 1:26 AM
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:26 AM
its most eloquent post EVAH….
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:27 AM
Yes, because every time I think of Christ suffering on the Cross, chocolate bunnies come to mind. Don’t be coy, while subtle, the attacks against Christianity are there. I never have understood why the vast nothingness between Crosses, Menorahs, Mosques and other religious symbols can’t be embraced by those of no religion.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:30 AM
Oh, the Muslims will get angry, we mustn’t upset the Muslims.
Is there ever a time when the Muslims aren’t angry or outraged or furious? I for one am fed up with pussyfooting around the delicate sensibilities of the Muslims. How about this?
The Americans will get angry and furious and outraged if Muslims build a Trophy Mosque on the ruins of Ground Zero! How’s that grab ya, Rauf? Besides, the less money you spend on mosques, the more money you can spend on bomb vests.
This far and no farther. Not one step back.
gordo on September 9, 2010 at 1:32 AM
WTF are are you on about anyway?
Ugly on September 9, 2010 at 1:33 AM
Obviously that term would be used if you intend to have a protracted discussion on the matter. Although nowadays I’m not sure anyone would know what either one of us was talking about.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:33 AM
It was the last building to go, but you’re nit-picking here — The main WTC site covers 16 acres, from Vescey to Liberty streets on the north and south and from West and Church streets on the east and west. But almost all the deaths occurred on the western eight acres of the site, where Tower 1 and Tower 2 were located, and those towers themselves only covered four acres of that eight acre area.
Going by your logic, really only four of the 16 original acres of the WTC complex as designated by the Port Authority back in 1962 should be considered hallowed ground, because that’s the only place where anyone died. A couple of the smaller buildings on the eight acres between Church and what will eventually be the recreated Greenwich Street also collapsed without a loss of life, but your logic assumes the fact there was no loss of life makes those buildings, like WTC 7, unimportant and really not part of the true Ground Zero.
Had WTC 7 not been rebuilt as fast as it was after 9/11 (owing to the fact that the building was not part of owner Larry Silverstein’s dispute with the Port Authority and the insurance companies), and if there was still a big hole in the ground or just a few floors of new building coming out of the the site right now, the fallacy in saying the Park51 mosque has no view of Ground Zero would be far more obvious. Just because the building a block away from the mosque site is back up doesn’t mean it wasn’t part of the events of that day.
jon1979 on September 9, 2010 at 1:36 AM
except of course on any public land………
But no one ‘is coming’ for Muslims either….except the ones who believe it is acceptable to kill in the name of Allah.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:36 AM
Good night everyone. Sweet dreams.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:36 AM
Really?? You mean like telling Catholics they cannot build a Church in a particular location…like say a playground or school, because of the church’s history of numerous alleged child molestation accusations? Is that what you are referring to? Got it.
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:37 AM
Meh, is there a day when anger doesn’t explode in the middle east? Or people, for that matter?
RINO in Name Only on September 9, 2010 at 1:37 AM
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:36 AM
Same here. Sweet Dreams, y’all
Ugly on September 9, 2010 at 1:38 AM
Ummm… nothing else. Islam is it.
That is the unifying factor that ties the terrorist networks together with the brutality of Sharia and the backwardness of the Muslim world.
You got it right.
sharrukin on September 9, 2010 at 1:38 AM
because Cindy, faith breeds acceptance…..atheism is the denial based on no evidence where faith is an acceptance based on no evidence. It is my opinion that people who truly believe don’t need to put others down and only those without faith must attack others to show how devout they are.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:40 AM
You aren’t the only person who watches Comedy Central, nice rip off. Maybe you should check into St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed on 9/11 and see the run around they have been getting. There are numerous little skirmishes going on in the courts all because some people think that the Constitution protects them from being offended instead of protecting them from the establishment of a government sponsored religion. All while the government works to make people more and more dependent. Faith in D.C.!
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:47 AM
For the most part I agree but it’s like water torture, the constant attempts to wear away at even the smallest of signs, just on the chance that there is anything that can be labeled as religious.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:51 AM
I have no faith in DC for by their works I shall know them…
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:52 AM
I’ve threaten long enough, truly goodnight everyone.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 1:52 AM
the price of freedom is eternal vigilance :)
thought you were going to bed? I liked your point about a protracted discussion, lol. BTW, I live in the PRK…..but I’ve got Georgia on my mind.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:54 AM
Dude to be honest, I’m sorry you wrote all that, because I really don’t care about the location, lol; that seems to be you guys’ hang-up. I’m only “nit-picking”, because that’s what it seems like you guys are doing. I mean, how far is far enough? 2, 3, blocks…15? You do understand that not all 9/11 victims, firefighters, police officers, military members, or paramedics were Christians right…some were Muslim? Do you think they have a right to pray near ground-zero?
You mean like seperation of Church and State, lol? Besides, why would any religious person want their religion on display at any place BUT private property??? Why is there a need to have a cross displayed on public property?
ummm…these individuals don’t believe that….so…um….yeah….???
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 1:56 AM
their ‘charitable’ funding says otherwise.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:58 AM
and where is the gov’t truly granted power to interupt it?
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 1:59 AM
bwahahahahahaha!
They aren’t, but if it is displayed on a state or federal funded facility…it is what it is dude. I don’t care what religion you are, you should not want religion mixing w/ government anyway.
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 2:07 AM
Such absolute…incoherence. Go to bed stoney, you spun yourself in a circle with post.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 2:09 AM
fighton, gang of one, Thanks.
And G’night even on the left coast it’s sleepy time.
Islam Delenda Est
Caststeel on September 9, 2010 at 2:19 AM
Sounds to me like Rauf’s state sponsored fund raising trip was not so successful. He’s looking to blackmail us into giving him a way out.
red131 on September 9, 2010 at 2:21 AM
ahhhh yes…the old, “you’re a stupid doodie-head!” line when you don’t have an argument, lol. Works like a charm…goodnight fighton…and keep fighting on, lol. :)
StoneKrab on September 9, 2010 at 2:22 AM
spoken by mister ‘bwahahaha’ himself (see his previous post)
I love it when they turn into their own caricatures.
as for this mosque…it is nothing new, see the temple on the mount of the Hagia Sophia for other examples of this political technique used by the mohammedans.
Fighton03 on September 9, 2010 at 2:31 AM
Actually, I figured if I spelled it all out for you, you’d quit the debate, and just toss in some superfluous stuff to change the argument, because you were simply getting your information from some website that said “Dude, you can’t even see Ground Zero from the mosque site,” because they also forgot about WTC 7 being located where it is, and where it was on 9/11.
But since you did include the last part, I think Rauf and other Muslims have the right to pray anywhere, just as — as long as they pay the $240,000 in property taxes they owe — they have the right to build the mosque at No. 51 Park Place. But that doesn’t make it morally right.
What I think they should do is build it somewhere north of Chambers Street or somewhere east of Nassau Street, which would still be in the downtown area, but not directly within the area immediately around the Ground Zero site.
jon1979 on September 9, 2010 at 2:50 AM
Y’know…I don’t especially care how polite or falsely conciliatory a person’s choice of words is, as long as the substance of his statement is still an unabashed insult to my intelligence.
Cylor on September 9, 2010 at 3:09 AM
Because they are complete cowards. They know that we are decent people who will not kill them for idiocy, while muslims are indecent people who will kill them at most any opportunity.
Siddhartha Vicious on September 9, 2010 at 6:00 AM
Mohammedians are most convincing when they lie to Kuffar.
Inanemergencydial on September 9, 2010 at 6:03 AM
This guy could start by denouncing Hamas. He won’t. Want a Mosque,buddy? Move back to the Middle East and build one over there if it’s so important. No one here will miss you.
adamsmith on September 9, 2010 at 6:05 AM
A larger conclusion is that if the mosque stays, the terrorists can claim that the US backed down for fear of a THREAT of death. If you move a mosque, you die. If you draw a cartoon, you die. If you burn a Koran, you die. If you commit adultery, you die. If you are gay, you die. Shiria America? No thanks.
tgillian on September 9, 2010 at 6:12 AM
How about go build an anger management center in the “Muslim World” then pal.
Rush has a few bucks laying around. I wonder how the quickly the zoning and historic boards would rush to give him all of his approvals to build something there? (just kidding, I know rush is smart enough not to try to do any business he doesn’t have to do in NYC)
forest on September 9, 2010 at 6:17 AM
This imam is now out there saying if the mosque “is moved, it means Islamic violence in retaliation”? Even the Morning Joe liberal loons crew turned against him now.
Marcus on September 9, 2010 at 6:36 AM
Obviously, this bum has graduated with honors from the Obama school of lying.
rplat on September 9, 2010 at 6:38 AM
It doesn’t take too much to get these muslims to explode, now does it. Like an itchy finger on a hair-trigger.
As much as I don’t like the stand of the FL preacher going to burn the quran, I think that sometimes these muslims need to be taken out and spanked like the spoiled little babies they are.
The FL preacher should make an ultimatim to the muslims. He should say, “back off of the Ground Zero mosque, I won’t burn the quran. But if you don’t take it off the table, then burn baby, burn. You hold the fate of the quran burning in your hands.”
DuctTapeMyBrain on September 9, 2010 at 6:42 AM
So now he’s issuing threats? If we don’t let him build the mosque, we’ll be in some danger? This bozo needs a new big red nose.
desertdweller on September 9, 2010 at 7:07 AM
Well, sheeyit! Doesn’t everything we do recruit terrorists?
disa on September 9, 2010 at 7:10 AM
I mean, the very freedoms we espouse piss them off. Am I right? Of course I am.
disa on September 9, 2010 at 7:11 AM
Sounds like a threat.
fossten on September 9, 2010 at 7:20 AM
Rauf is a grifter and an extortionist. Do it my way or there will be violence. He is a despicable human being.
Buy Danish on September 9, 2010 at 7:26 AM
It gets tiring to hear that ‘anger will explode in the Muslim world.’ Let it–it’s long overdue. I’m tired of being told to be ‘sensitive’ to their grievances, and I’m tired of the 7th century demands being made of the rest of us in this 21st century world.
zoyclem on September 9, 2010 at 7:40 AM
It’s so hard to say you are sorry, if you are Muslim.
tarpon on September 9, 2010 at 7:51 AM
Rauf said that if he knew how controversial the project would be, he “never would have done this – not have done something that would create more divisiveness.”
Bullshit. The purpose was to divide. The purpose was to be “in your face”. That is why he initially called it the Ground Zero Mosque. All of this other nonsense about how it has nothing to do with Ground Zero and is just there to be a community center in the underserved downtown area came way after the fact, after he started getting heat.
However, he said he is convinced he shouldn’t move the center now because “our national security now hinges on how we negotiate this, how we speak about it and what we do.”…
Bullshit. If this mosque were anywhere else, it would be just another anonymous mosque in New York City, one of hundreds. It is the location that has made him the most famous Muslim in World. It is the location, and the location alone, that gives him a shot at attracting $100 Million in financing.
That is what he cares about. He doesn’t care about our national security, except to the extent that he wishes us ill.
“If we don’t do this right, anger will explode in the Muslim world,” Rauf said. “… If we don’t handle this crisis correctly, it could become something very dangerous indeed.”
Bullshit. No matter what we do, there will be anger in the Muslim world. You can’t be Muslim without it. If it’s not this, it will be something else. Osama bin Laden was mad at us because he didn’t like the details of the way we were going about saving Saudi Arabia from Saddam Hussein. It will always be something.
He said moving the project to another location would strengthen Islamist radicals’ ability to recruit followers and will increase violence against Americans.
Bullshit. Building a triumphal tower on Ground Zero will be a far greater recruiting tool. It would demonstrate that we are the Weak Horse. Besides, there will be violence against Americans no matter what we do.
Haiku Guy on September 9, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Rauf is willing to make a concession to the feelings of opponents, at least in theory, in the name of “dialogue”; that’s more than you can say for the lefty commentariat who’ve treated this episode, as always, mainly as an exercise in self-congratulation for their moral supremacy.
Hey, I’m a lefty commentator!
Uh, what “concession” is he making? To me, his statement is akin to someone visiting someone’s house for dinner and bringing a lemon bunt cake as a dessert. When the host sees the lemon bunt cake he gets agitated. Starts yelling at the guest and asking why they would do such a thing. In that scenario, the guest might say “if I knew you’d react like that, I’d never would have brought a lemon bunt cake.”
Rauf thought and still thinks his Center is a place to help bring different religions and cultures together. He couldn’t imagine that such an effort would draw so ire and animosity. And it DIDN’T for a long time.
Then magically, with November approaching, it becomes an issue!
What pisses me off about this whole debate, and why I think I’m “morally superior” to you all is that if you think about this logically, there’s no reason why this should not be allowed to be built AND tolerated.
Those who attack the center indulge in their basest, worst instincts. They use idiotic guilt-by-association-association attacks. They select quotes that really aren’t radical to attack Rauf as radical — they smear the guy and his mission, which, by the way, is to build a good relationship between Islam and the West.
The fact that people attack such an effort do for a few different reasons:
1) They don’t want a good relationship between the West and Islam.
2) They indulge in a sort of warped jingoistic logic that it’s “just not the right thing to do” despite not being able to rationally explain why it’s not the “right thing to do.”
3) They do so to stoke political fervor.
4) In a perfect world, they would support it but politically it would not be beneficial to do so, so they either plead the fifth or meekly straddle the fence.
Tom_Shipley on September 9, 2010 at 8:46 AM
So now we need to all support the GZM, because if we don’t, something will explode? Extortion much?
mbs on September 9, 2010 at 8:50 AM
Like Americans aren’t tolerant of other faiths? This a$$hole ambassador needs to offer concessions from the islamists.
toongoon on September 9, 2010 at 8:50 AM
So now “falling in line” means “allowing” a mosque/community center/bogeyman — that has the approval of the city and has every right under the constitution to be built — to be built?
When will such injustices end in our country?
Tom_Shipley on September 9, 2010 at 9:03 AM
Hey rauf
how bout cooling out that genocide of Christians in Sudan by the rabid monkeys of another religion?
No
cannot be done
Sonosam on September 9, 2010 at 9:06 AM
And he expects us to believe that???
reshas1 on September 9, 2010 at 9:10 AM
I saw this guy last night on CNN. Now I know I don’t trust or like him. Plus, Soledad O’Brien is a terrible interviewer.
76United on September 9, 2010 at 9:11 AM
Islam does not meld with any other society, therefore a “good relation” is impossible, Historically, americans religions are tolerant and can live in close proimity to other religions. Islam exterminates or enslaves it’s neighbors.
If you don’t know “why it’s not the “right thing to do” it’s because you don’t want to know.
The imam is looking for political fervor from the mohammadans.
It’s a shame when “enlightened” lefties only see the unamerican side, and then attack their own countrymen.
Unfortunately, the perfect world only happens after Islam has converted or enslaved everyone to the Islamists. So, I guess you are of the “kill me last” crowd.
Your entire entry is full of willful blindness.
toongoon on September 9, 2010 at 9:19 AM
ISLAM DELENDA EST
toongoon on September 9, 2010 at 9:22 AM
I’m confused – I wrote a comment that hasn’t shown up. Do you get notified if you said something controversial? I don’t know what I said that would have not been in line with what everyone else is saying.
silvernana on September 9, 2010 at 9:36 AM
I think the imam should be granted his wish… in a monkey paw way.
You can’t pack the facility with the latest in surveillance technology, but the design can facilitate external surveillance.
It’ll be boorish, but allow generous sidewalk space for those daily protesters that will be the de rigeur response to the calls to prayer. (Zone the thing so the calls can be heard no more than 25 feet from the door.)
And be very sure the pork abbatoir opens upwind of the mosque a day or two before the mosque itself is opened.
DuffBeer on September 9, 2010 at 9:43 AM
“Moderate” Imam indeed.
kingsjester on September 9, 2010 at 9:44 AM
Being muslim means never having to say you’re sorry.
teacherman on September 9, 2010 at 9:44 AM
I think you overestimate the number of people who knew about these plans before July. I also don’t see politicians using this in their campaigns so I think you might be exaggerating the November angle.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 9:55 AM
You know the answer to your own question, liberal provocateur.
citrus on September 9, 2010 at 9:56 AM
No, something you typed didn’t get through the filters. I can only give you three examples but there has to be more. The words rev0lution, c-i-v-i-l w-a-r and le$bian (for some odd reason) will your comment away forever.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 9:58 AM
Being muslim means never having to say you’re sorry.
teacherman on September 9, 2010 at 9:44 AM
beautiful!
Sonosam on September 9, 2010 at 9:59 AM
We currently have two situations that mirror each other.
First, we have the GZ mosque that “must” be built, even if it conflicts with non-Muslim sensibilities.
Second, we have a 9/11 Quran burning that will conflict with Muslim sensibilities.
Obviously, the “dialogue” that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf speaks of is a non-starter as the sensibilities that would be at the center of these talks are seemingly to be ignored in the process of starting talks.
J_Crater on September 9, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Nice city you have here. Shame if anything happened to it.
Blaise on September 9, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Take your leftist propaganda back to DKos where you belong.
fossten on September 9, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Certainly no where near as many that do now, but the point is that Ingahram and others on the right (including Beck) had interactions with the backers of this mosque and either supported it or had kind, temperate words to say about Rauf.
Then all of the sudden Palin makes a post on Facebook on it and all hell breaks loose.
It seems like no one had a problem with it until they were supposed to have a problem with it.
Tom_Shipley on September 9, 2010 at 10:49 AM
It happened a bit before that.
That’s what it seems like to those who think all opposition is bigoted.
Esthier on September 9, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Obviously I can’t speak for Ms. Ingraham and I think the place sounds great in theory, but the location is a deal breaker for me. Considering that they do not yet own all of the property needed and are no where near the amount of money required, I question the timing of the push by the developers. I think it is just as likely that they would love to be bought out of their plans and make a profit. If we have no problems with Islam, then why the not very subtle threats about what might happen and national security implications. Sort of makes the religion of peace sound not very peaceful.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 11:05 AM
That’s funny, because having a mosque in a building that was destroyed by 9/11 is exactly the kind of thing that harms relations between the West and Islam. This is the point most Muslims who oppose the building bring up, repeatedly.
But you ignore that, because it makes you feel morally superior.
Just because you don’t understand their reasons, doesn’t mean they haven’t been explained to you, time and time again.
By consciously avoiding it as much as possible, specifically as a campaign issue even. But hey, this is liberal logic, where just showing a black man next to a white woman is automatically racist. I guess it’s all subliminal.
What, like Obama?
Esthier on September 9, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
On January 27, 1998, Hillary Clinton appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, in an interview with Matt Lauer.
Matt Lauer: “You have said, I understand, to some close friends, that this is the last great battle, and that one side or the other is going down here.”
Hillary Clinton: “Well, I don’t know if I’ve been that dramatic. That would sound like a good line from a movie. But I do believe that this is a battle. I mean, look at the very people who are involved in this — they have popped up in other settings. This is — the great story here for anybody willing to find it and write about it and explain it is this vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced for president.”
fossten on September 9, 2010 at 11:08 AM
How come Obama doesn’t want to question the wisdom of the Imam, but is questioning the wisdom of the koran burner? How come Obama didn’t come out and just say, “This pastor has the constitutional right to burn the koran”?
76United on September 9, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Because Mr. Obama is the self appointed arbitrator of who is acting “stupidly”.
Cindy Munford on September 9, 2010 at 11:27 AM
He never would have done it, but he won’t move it either….
Exit Question: “Is Hamas a terrorist organization?”
jeffn21 on September 9, 2010 at 11:59 AM
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