Political Wisdom: Obama Backs the Ground Zero Mosque

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 08-14-10 | Mary Lu Carnevale

[GOP_Lady]

President Barack Obama, speaking last night at the White House’s iftar dinner marking Ramadan, defended plans to build a mosque and Islamic community center near Ground Zero. The nation’s commitment to religious freedom he said, “must be unshakable.”

“I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground,” he said. As WSJ reporters Devlin Barrett and Jonathan Weisman noted, the project “has generated opposition from a host of prominent Republicans, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Resistance to other mosque-building plans has sprouted around the country, but the symbolism of such a structure in close proximity to Ground Zero has generated a national argument.” It was an argument that Obama had steered clear of – until last night. (For the text of Obama’s remarks, click here.)

[GOP_Lady]

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[JrsyJack]

So in the name of “unshakable” religious freedom we are building a mosque for a religion that murders anyone that exercises religious freedom...

[Don Corleone]

And you thought that it couldn’t happen here. Lets build a memorial to the Japanese Kamikaze pilots next to the Arizona memorial while we are at it.

[ak267]

Anyone good with photoshop? Looking for an Obama-Joker with a turban on his head.

[Tax Government]

Let’s just call it the Obama Jihaad Mosque.

[avital2]

imagine the fun Muslims will have as they celebrate Ramadan and us Americans for leaving our back door unlocked, yet again. didn’t we go through this with Clinton after 1993? and how many days until the election....? hopefully liberal stands like this will lead to a landslide election in November.

[omega4179]

He owns it now. Its the Obama Mosque.

[4rcane]

I can understanding building a mosque that tries to promote tolerance, understanding and good will, but this is not that mosque. The guys responsible for it, share the view of al qaeda. They celebrate and dance on the grave on the fallen. Thats like having the Nazi build a shrine to celebrate Hitler’s birth and everything about him at a Holocaust museum and then demad the victims to tolerate ppl with different point of view, instead of demanding the opposite to tolerate others. Its unseemly

[biggredd1]

The gay bar to be built across the street, Al’s Aqua Bar, is now taking applications.

[BelegStrongbow]

Meanwhile, the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church continues to be stonewalled by NYC officials. Hey, Mr. President, have any thoughts about the lack of religious freedom in THAT??

**(crickets)**

...um, hmm, just what I expected.

[Slyfox]

I found a joker with a turban on his head:

[JimSEA]

Tolerance in general, and religious tolerance in particular, is a fine and good thing only if it is a two way street. With Islam, this is clearly not the case.

[Slyfox]

He owns it now. Its the Obama Mosque.

Hopefully, they will decide to give Obama the greatest honor by naming it after him.

[kosciusko51]

I don't know if he is Muslim or not; but from what I see of his actions and his speeches, he prefers Islam to Christianity.

Of course, there is that slip of the tongue when talking with George Stephanopoulos...

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

I wouldn’t be surprised if he attended the groundbreaking ceremony holding a shovel.

[McGavin999]

Hey, I have an idea, let’s build a cathedral in Saudi Arabia.

[databoss]

Lets get this out of the way right now:
Muslims want to live under Shari’a Law.
Shari’a law is at odds with the freedoms we have.
Therefore either Muslims change and accept our laws or they are free to practice their religion in their country of origin. if they are converts then emigrate to a Muslim country that will accept them.

[GenXFreedomFighter]

In his speech Friday, Obama called for sensitivity with respect to developing in lower Manhattan, but cautioned against drawing comparisons between mainstream Islam and the ruthlessly violent ideology of al Queda, which he said is a “gross distortion” of the faith.“

I'll give the benefit of the doubt and interpret that as an admonition not to confuse mainstream Islam with radical, terrorist Islam. But the way that's worded, Obama seems to be telling his audience not to think about whether there's a difference. I don't know whether this is sloppiness on Obama's part, or that of the reporter who wrote the article. Of course, it is possible that Obama actually said this and meant it.

Maybe this is nit-picking, but the increasing sloppiness in communication, even on the part of those who should be the best at communicating, drives me crazy.