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?
