The Drama Over the "Ground Zero Mosque: Will Reason Prevail?
Ever since the Mosque hysteria went mainstream, I have been assessing the debate over the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque". The debate has taken on some interesting overtures over the past 24 hours, I have actually grown to be a bit more hopeful. The debate, though, is yet to run its full course.
I commend Grover Norquist and Chris Christie for speaking up for the right of the Center to be built. Although the comments they made had a political slant to it, they still had the courage to speak up to underscore the fundemental right. I have yet to see anyone who would question the bona fide conservative credentials of Grover Norquist and Chris Christie. Hopefully those guys won't be branded a RINO. But, anything is possible from Limbaugh and Co.
America is not at war with Islam. This has been emphasized by both President George W. Bush and President Obama. What continues to be of profound concern is the narrative being pushed by Gingrich and Co is simply wrong. Freedom of Religion and worship is an absolute right. Religious persecution was what drove the pilgrims to land on Plymouth Rock. For a historian like Gingrich to simply forget it is simply wrong and should not be allowed. What I am trying to understand is how Gingrich is basically branding Americans who happen to be Muslim not Americans at all. He is of the same ilk that questioned John Kennedy's right to be President. For those who may have forgotten, they said that he would take his orders from the Pope. The same people also even questioned Mitt Romney too. I have had my reservations about Mitt Romney. But, I respect him for his business acumen and his faith.
As I continued to assess the debate, I wondered what Gingrich's answer is to the Mother of Salman Hamdani Gingrich and Co may want to do a simple search. My recent Yahoo search yielded 67,660 results. This young man paid his way through Queens College, was a New York City Police Cadet and and answered the call when that terrible day happened. He was one of those 3,000 victims who perished on our day of infamy. When I read the accounts of what her mother was subjected to, I was ashamed. Yet, the City of New York honored him and remembered him. I even understand that he was named as one of the heroes in the USA Patroit Act.
Although there seems to be a bit of a retreat, the onslaught is continuing. The latest outrage I ran across was from one Ron Ramsey, the Lt. Governor of Tennesse:
The man wants to be Governor. Yet, he questioned a fundemental tenant of the US Constitution. What is comical is how an entity like Scientology or the Unification Church is elevated to a Church Status, yet this man questions whether Islam is a religion. I am not that surprised because the history of America has been rife with those who discriminated against the Chinese, the Jews, the Indians and the Irish. The politics of fear and blame always seems to gain traction with those who somehow want to cling to a yesterday that is in fact an illusion and is not based on fact. It is simply to play the blame game to fan the flames of intolerance.
This is, of course, in spite of the realities on the ground. The building was approved 15-0. The leadership of the City has been behind it. The leader, Imam Faisal, has been at the forefront of moderation within Islam. He represents the face of Modern Islam. Yet, talking heads like Hannity, Malkin and others seem to somehow want to stoke the fear of intolerance by branding him a radical. This is as he has worked with the FBI, has been on delegations to the Middle East and is the author of two seminal books on Islam that should be required reading by all who wish to understand the true face of Modern Islam today. When will reason prevail? When will these prophets of intolerance listen to Governor Christie and Mr. Norquist and steer the debate back to the fundemental questions of Jobs and long-term economic viability of the country. The Economist of London recently admonished Gingrich and Co to, ".....rejoin the modern world, before (they do) real harm".
I commend Grover Norquist and Chris Christie for speaking up for the right of the Center to be built. Although the comments they made had a political slant to it, they still had the courage to speak up to underscore the fundemental right. I have yet to see anyone who would question the bona fide conservative credentials of Grover Norquist and Chris Christie. Hopefully those guys won't be branded a RINO. But, anything is possible from Limbaugh and Co.
America is not at war with Islam. This has been emphasized by both President George W. Bush and President Obama. What continues to be of profound concern is the narrative being pushed by Gingrich and Co is simply wrong. Freedom of Religion and worship is an absolute right. Religious persecution was what drove the pilgrims to land on Plymouth Rock. For a historian like Gingrich to simply forget it is simply wrong and should not be allowed. What I am trying to understand is how Gingrich is basically branding Americans who happen to be Muslim not Americans at all. He is of the same ilk that questioned John Kennedy's right to be President. For those who may have forgotten, they said that he would take his orders from the Pope. The same people also even questioned Mitt Romney too. I have had my reservations about Mitt Romney. But, I respect him for his business acumen and his faith.
As I continued to assess the debate, I wondered what Gingrich's answer is to the Mother of Salman Hamdani Gingrich and Co may want to do a simple search. My recent Yahoo search yielded 67,660 results. This young man paid his way through Queens College, was a New York City Police Cadet and and answered the call when that terrible day happened. He was one of those 3,000 victims who perished on our day of infamy. When I read the accounts of what her mother was subjected to, I was ashamed. Yet, the City of New York honored him and remembered him. I even understand that he was named as one of the heroes in the USA Patroit Act.
Although there seems to be a bit of a retreat, the onslaught is continuing. The latest outrage I ran across was from one Ron Ramsey, the Lt. Governor of Tennesse:
The man wants to be Governor. Yet, he questioned a fundemental tenant of the US Constitution. What is comical is how an entity like Scientology or the Unification Church is elevated to a Church Status, yet this man questions whether Islam is a religion. I am not that surprised because the history of America has been rife with those who discriminated against the Chinese, the Jews, the Indians and the Irish. The politics of fear and blame always seems to gain traction with those who somehow want to cling to a yesterday that is in fact an illusion and is not based on fact. It is simply to play the blame game to fan the flames of intolerance.
This is, of course, in spite of the realities on the ground. The building was approved 15-0. The leadership of the City has been behind it. The leader, Imam Faisal, has been at the forefront of moderation within Islam. He represents the face of Modern Islam. Yet, talking heads like Hannity, Malkin and others seem to somehow want to stoke the fear of intolerance by branding him a radical. This is as he has worked with the FBI, has been on delegations to the Middle East and is the author of two seminal books on Islam that should be required reading by all who wish to understand the true face of Modern Islam today. When will reason prevail? When will these prophets of intolerance listen to Governor Christie and Mr. Norquist and steer the debate back to the fundemental questions of Jobs and long-term economic viability of the country. The Economist of London recently admonished Gingrich and Co to, ".....rejoin the modern world, before (they do) real harm".
Mike Pouraryan
