NYC Mosque

It's hard not to see the religious intolerance underlying the New York city mosque issue. One good commentary is given by Keith Olbermann:

Keith Olbermann video

Recently, Newt Gingrich stated that we would not allow Nazi's to build a center next to an WWII German concentration camp or for the Japanese to build next to Pearl Harbor. Does anybody see the difference here in this ridiculous analogy. We were at war with Nazi Germany, fighting against a brutal, racist, expansionist nation. Japan, too, was a country that attacked the United States after undertaking similar expansionist policies in Asia. We were NOT attacked by a country named Islam in NYC. And equating Muslims more generally to the radical extremists who brought down the twin towers is nothing short of prejudice and religious intolerance.

Even if all terrorists were Muslim (anybody remember Timothy McVeigh?) this does not mean that all Muslims are terrorists. And this is precisely what is happening in NYC with the protests. They are saying Muslims should not build a community center there in respect for the family's of the 9/11 victims and their families. But the Muslim community is not responsible for the deaths, a handful of Muslim terrorists are. People are unfortunately, equating the two groups.

People are also criticizing Obama for getting involved in what some think of as a "local issue." But I see this matter very differently. As an African American, President Obama understands the racist heritage of this country and it is his moral right and obligation as its leader to speak out against the rising wave of religious hatred engulfing this country. It is his sworn duty to protect the constitution of the United States and affirming the right of any religious group to build a center or mosque on private property cannot be taken away without making exceptions to the rights of our citizens, as protected by the Bill of Rights. Personally, I respect a leader who does the right thing and defends our liberties rather than letting the wave of intolerance rule. Majority rules only within the limits of the laws of this land that defend the rights of minorities from persecution by a prejudiced majority.

For more information on the proposed NYC Muslim center see this

New York Times article.

I personally find it very interesting that one of the leaders of this center consulted with a rabbi of a nearby Jewish Community Center for ideas of how to design it.