Obama was right about Muslims having the right to build a mosque near ground zero. He is also right in questioning the wisdom of doing so. What was wrong is that he didn't say both of these comments at the same time. By saying one thing to a Muslim audience and another thing when people attacked him makes him look wishy-washy. It was a no win situation for him politically and he could not have kept silenced on the subject forever. So he should have just say the right things at the same time. It is absolutely true that religious freedom means that Muslims have the right to build anywhere they please as long as they follow the usual zoning laws. It is also true that given the emotional situation, it is extremely insensitive to do so. If Obama had said both of these to the Muslim audience, he may still be attacked from both sides, but he would have been right and also courageous.
I don't know why anyone would listen to an idiot like Newt Gringich. He is immoral, given his treatment of his wives. Now he comes up with statements such as a mosque near ground zero is like Nazis building next to synagogues or Japanese building at Pearl Harbor. I am quite sure there are Japanese buildings at Pearl Harbor. Every Nazi group would be a threat to Jews while most Muslims are not a threat to America. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but not freedom of hate groups.
Obama should have told his Muslim audience that instead of building a mosque, which they can build anywhere else in New York, they should build a center for peace at this property near ground zero. The center should denounce violence and reach out to other religions. This will help the image of Muslims immensely. He may get a negative response. But so what? It would have been the right thing to say. People say that we can't build a church at Mecca. It is true. But are we not suppose to be a better nation than Saudi Arabia? Muslims say that there would be no controversy for a church to be built at the site. It is true. But shouldn't believers of a great religion be sensitive to feelings of others and reach out to them? So why isn't there anyone taking the high road?
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
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As soon as I saw Obama's comments this last weekend, I wondered when you would write about it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most everything you've written. The one thing I wanted to add was that they keep saying the mosque is at Ground Zero, but from the maps I've seen, it's quite a few blocks away.
Supposedly they won't have or currently aren't even close to having the funding to build it anyway. I personally think they have the right to build but if I am Muslim, why would I even consider doing so? It's not the smartest thing, especially if you want to preach peace.
In addition, I saw a poll that some Americans still think that Obama is Muslim.
Either people are ignorant, not up to their news or the president himself is doing a poor job of conveying what religion he is.
Now, if I were a handler for the president, I'd make sure that I'd go to church every Sunday and make sure the press is there to cover it.
-LBOAYM
Well, I agree with you that there are a lot of ignorant people out there. Twenty percent thinks that Obama is a Muslim. Of course many people still think he was not born in the U.S. There is no way to convince people like that. But there are people on the left who are unreasonable as well. Howard Dean is being grilled because he thinks the Muslims should talk with people who are against the mosque. Not people like Gringrich or Palin, but maybe families of the 9/11 victims. That is a very reasonable position to me. Two thirds of the people are against the mosque and most of them are not Muslim haters. It is an emotional issue even though, as you pointed out, the building is not at ground zero at all. But people like Keith Olbermann says that Dean is out of line. I think Dean is perfectly correct to suggest that the Muslims should take the high road even if they have the legal rights. This is the unfortunate thing of being a politician. If you follow the party line, you will only be criticized by the other side. If you say the really right things, then you get hit from both sides.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about how Obama's approval rating the other day. I can't decide if he is wishy-washy or if he's playing both sides of the aisle and it's hard to gauge where he's coming from.
ReplyDeleteThe GOP would naturally be against most of his ideas but he's actually done some things that favor the right side of the aisle, thus pissing off his own party.
But I guess that's politics, which is a reason I will never run for office!
There's been a scare of bed bugs in the midwest recently and it reminded me of your previous blog. I am surprised that the bugs aren't called Asian bed bugs yet. I can see the news claiming that the beds were made in China and the bugs burrowed into the wood and hatched while on that slow boat from China.
-LBOAYM
I think Obama is a very thoughtful person. Sometimes he overanalyze things. It is a fault that I have also. Not that I think I should be president! But to me things are not just black and white. He is right about this mosque thing but he just didn't articulate both feelings at the same time. So what if it pisses the liberals off? I think they are wrong for attacking Dean and Obama. It is just like immigration. Obviously no matter what Obama does, the Republicans are going to say he is wrong. But the liberals are complaining that he has not done immigration reform. What reform can possibly pass? I have sympathy for illegals but any reform such as guest worker program and amnesty will never pass now. And even if they pass, it would not solve the problems of illegal immigration anyway. Playing both sides of the aisle used to be a trait of a good politician. This was something that McCain used to do. But now all it does is get your so called supporters piss off at you.
ReplyDeleteThe bed bug thing is a great point. How about the egg recall? They are going to claim that China took some young eggs and foo them.
Have you seen the eggs from China? They're like a hundred years old!
ReplyDeleteI recently read an article on how McCain was able to fend off his competitor. What I thought was interesting was his 180 on immigration. It's too bad because I really liked the Maverick McCain but he has had to bow down to his party and in some ways I've lost respect for him.
I think he's a lock to regain his seat now, since the Democrats really don't have a chance. Hopefully he will revert back to the middle once he goes back to Washington.
Did you notice there has been more coverage of Obama going to church? Good job by his people. I am like you where I don't see things in black and white. The way that politics is going makes me sad because I think there's room in the middle and working on both sides, but it's nearly impossible to do anymore because of all this backlash by both sides. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
-LBOAYM
McCain was able to barely get by his conservative challenger 59-30 today. So I guess it was worthwhile for him to go 180 on immigration and become partisan so he can serve 6 more years in the Senate! I don't understand why one has to go against most things he has believed in so that he can stay in power. At his age I would have thought he would rather lose than to give up his soul. Turned out, I think he would have won anyway by being his old self. It is too bad.
ReplyDeleteI am normally anti-negative campaigning and have not personally seen the ads that McCain ran, but I heard he went wire to wire with them. I've heard that was the reason why he won, so essentially he probably would have won if he stayed with his old values since he didn't talk about himself too much.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see what will happen in Alaska. I can't believe that Palin has so much pull. Can we just say that she's a member of the Tea Party now?
Too bad the Green Party hasn't been much of a factor. It would be nice to see a far left wing party out there to even things out.
I see that Charlie Christ in Florida is running as an independent and trying to steal votes away from the liberals by wooing unions. That's going to be a wild race down there and only God knows what the old people are going to do with their vote!
-LBOAYM
I agree, the race in Alaska is interesting. Despite a lot of people hate Palin, there are many who love her, so she would be helpful in a close race. Murkowski was originally appointed by her father, so that's a negative. And with the anti-incumbent atmosphere, I am not surprised that she may lose.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Crist changed his name to Christ to get the Christian votes! This reminds me of the time my son looked at the draw sheet at a tournament and said to me "I havn't got a prayer." I looked, and his opponent was J. Christ!
Even if Crist were the second coming, he still probably would need to spend millions to win in Florida. Plus there are a lot of Jewish people there, right?
ReplyDeleteWhat would you think of a spending limit by the candidates?
-LBOAYM
By the way, did you see the younger Quayle's comments about how Obama is the worst president ever? How about that his dad was the worst vice president ever? To be honest, I always forget that Quayle was vice president. Might have cost Bush Sr. a second term.
ReplyDelete-LBOAYM
I am all for spending limits. Right now a rich person can spend any amount of his own money, essentially buying an election. Take Rick Scott, e.g., he spent 50 million on his gubernatorial campaign in Florida. This is a guy who helped founded Columbia/HCA but was ousted due to a fraud scandal. This is the type of guy you want to vote for? Yet he wins because of his money.
ReplyDeleteQuayle is just an idiot. His father couldn't spell potato but at least he seemed fairly honest. It seems to me sons who follow their father into politics generally are worse than the father. The Bushes are a prime example. I like Ron Paul and he came out to say that Muslim has the right to build the mosque. His son is against it. Here in California, Jerry Brown is a lot more weird than his father was. Former mayor of LA, James Hahn was nowhere as bright as his father was. I think the second generation do not have to work as hard because they have the name. So, generally I am skeptical about anyone following the footstep of his or her parent. Given how little I think of Dan Quayle's intellect, I would be shocked if his son is very bright.
You might be onto something about children of politicians. Maybe it's a generational thing too though. We are seeing children of baby boomers now, though George W and his siblings is not a good example. I think Al Gore was as good as his father but he will be forever known as a tree hugger and his legacy is tainted with his divorce.
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts about this rally Glenn Beck is having in Washington?
Is he a Rush Limbaugh wannabe?
-LBOAYM
Frankly I don't pay any attention to people like Beck and Limbaugh. They have their followers who cannot be persuaded by anything. They have their right to march in Washington, just as Al Sharpton's group has the right to march at the same time. When the world watches tomorrow, they are going to say: "What is wrong with the U.S? They have so many people following Beck and Sharpton?
ReplyDeleteThe few times I listened to Beck and Limbaugh, they don't make any sense at all. Both of them are former substance abusers. At least they claim to be former. I am tired of people who claim to be moral when they are just hypocrits.
Hello, like your post, I especially like the part where you beleive Pres. Obama ahould have asked muslims to build a monument for peace instead of a mosque....well thats exactly what they are building, its not a mosque its an Islamic cultural center to promote interfaith dialogue, it just so happens it has a mosque in its premises A.K.A
ReplyDeleteA prayer room just like the world trade center did. The bigots have just distorted the narrative to suit their political agenda. Nice post, keep up the good work.
Thank you for your comment. There are a lot of confusion of exactly what is being built and who is behind the funding. I sure hope that you are right and that it is a building for interfaith dialogue. I was touched by actions of the two tennis players, one from India and one from Pakistan, who made it to the doubles finals of the U.S. Open in New York. We need more of this type of getting together, especially near Ground Zero.
ReplyDelete