August 14, 2010
An Affront from Now to 9/11, to the Shores of Tripoli
Remember when Air Force One buzzed Manhattan for a photo op and spread terror among New York City, still (understandably) sensitive of careening airliners because of 9/11?
The Prince of Snides shows that kind of sensitivity again.
But let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure.
The Won cites Jefferson's views of religious tolerance... accidentally underscoring the fact that the United States has been fighting against militant Islam since the very founding of our nation.
This is also the same Thomas Jefferson who said:
"[a] strict observance of the written law is doubtless one of the high duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to the written law, would be to lose the law itself, with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the ends to the means."
We are led—and I use that term with all due reservation—by a would-be ruling class that repeatedly bows in supplication instead of celebrating American exceptionalism. Our current President is just the latest feckless example of that spineless mold.
There are rights, and there are rights. Mass murderers never have the right to prance and pose over the remains of their victims. If Barack Obama doesn't understand that, he simply is not fit to be President, and is barely worthy of being called a citizen.
very troubling times.
and they are of our own making. americans elected this dangerous fool. the media refused to vet him and the american public didnt care.
Posted by: rumcrook¾ at August 14, 2010 02:26 AMWell, it's not surprising that President Chump supports the mosque. The majority of Americans are against it, so, of course, he's for it. His barking moonbat nutroots base is for it, and he needs to ingratiate himself with them a bit, so, of course he's for it.
Posted by: William Teach at August 14, 2010 07:01 AMObama say:
"...Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan..." I think he's right about that. But Americans have the right to hate them for it, as long as Americans don't get caught saying it while assaulting one of the provocative Muslim builders." BTW, unless you are an authorized professional, don't try this at home.
Here's the full text of Obama's remarks at August 13, 2010 Iftar dinner. http://thepage.time.com/obama-remarks-at-august-13-2010-iftar-dinner/
I am a conservative Republican and certainly no Obama apologist. However, The White House, as I'm sure you are aware, has a tradition of hosting iftars that goes back several years, just as we host Christmas parties, seders, and Diwali celebrations. I'm sure the fine china and good silverware was used, but to imply that the event was more "lavishly celebrated" than these other functions is simply misleading.
Your readers should read the complete text of his remarks and highlight anything they think is seditious, un-American, or just snide and then post their rationale on those points to which they object. I can see nothing in his statements that could possibly interpreted as a belief that "mass murderers have the right to prance and pose over the remains of their victims". Geezz, take off the tinfoil hats, people.
Posted by: jg at August 14, 2010 12:02 PMAs usual, Mr. Obama is setting up a straw man and then proving how wrong the man is. No one that I am aware of is arguing that Muslims should not build mosques and practice their religion. What we are appalled by is that this somewhat mysteriously funded group of Muslims is choosing to build a mosque right on the doorstep of Ground Zero, where practitioners of their Muslim faith killed more than 3000 of our American people. Ground Zero remains a sacred site to many of the families who lost members whose bodies have never been recovered. So this choice of site is a deliberate "Gotcha" insult to these families and to all Americans who have tolerated this affront.
We are additionally offended by the smug moralizing of Mayor Bloomberg who chose to lecture Americans on their failure of "tolerance." My advice to this singularly tin-eared Mayor is, "Get real, you elitist nincompoop." You offered the Imam in charge of this atrocity another site further from Ground Zero, and he/they rejected it. That says it all, doesn't it? The insult, the "Gotcha" gloat is deliberate. And hateful.
Marianne Matthews
Posted by: Marianne Matthews at August 14, 2010 12:34 PMWith respect to the comment by JG, I understand that the Iftar dinners at the White House did not begin with the Obama administration. Of course, religious tolerance is a valued American tradition, but Pres. Obama dances around the sunshine by emphasizing that point while ignoring the main one, which is:
Building a mosque is not the problem, it's WHERE the proposed site is that is the point. For all of Obama's and Bloomberg's bluster about religious tolerance, try walking into this proposed example of religious tolerance with a Cross around your neck carrying the New Testament. To do so would be interpreted as grosslly insensitive to those attending the mosque.
But to build it so close to the Ground Zero site is not insensitive according to its proponents.
At this point I wouldn't be shocked if Pres. Obama defended the building of a Shinto shrine on Corregidor, or Pearl Harbor.
The man is a preening peacock intent on establishing his bona fides with people have already established their own, back on 9/11/01.
Posted by: Fivebyfives at August 14, 2010 02:12 PMI have no sympathy at all for Islam. Nor do I have any for Judaism, Christianity, or any other belief system that promotes the idea of an invisible bearded man who lives in the sky and tells us what to do. It's all hogwash. Still, I believe it's wrong to oppose this mosque on the grounds that the 9/11 hijackers were Muslims. I no more blame all Muslims for 9/11 any more than I believe all Catholics are pedophiles. Most of the opposition to this mosque comes from nothing more than fear of an unfamiliar "other".
Posted by: Will Butler at August 14, 2010 04:07 PM"My God sent his Son to die for me, but the "god" of Mohammed wants me to send my son to die for him."
Once you start building from that little observation it doesn't take long to reach some very troubling conclusions about who this "god of Mohammed" really is and what we are fighting against.
i could tell the First Muslim was practicing taqiyya because he included the telling phrase "let me be clear", which is what he always says just before he obfuscates....
jq the concern troll needs to go eat a few more paint chips there in mommy's basement.
Posted by: redc1c4 at August 14, 2010 04:50 PMYahweh, the "god" of the Jews and Christians commanded his people in Numbers 31:7-18 to massacre women and children, except of course for virgins (cause aren't they always a lot of fun?). Islam is no more or less bloody than any other monotheistic faith. Why? Because they are all the creation of MAN, in all his violent, hate-filled, blood-soaked glory. Singling out Islam for criticism is just plain disingenuous.
Posted by: Will Butler at August 14, 2010 05:01 PMLets just go with Obama is unfit for his job. I hope enough people realize that in November . . .
Posted by: jd at August 14, 2010 09:00 PMI suggest building a Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Srebrenica to help the healing process.
Posted by: Cobalt Shiva at August 15, 2010 11:50 PMWill Butler,
There is a lot from your post which may deserve discussion, but I leave it at this
"Islam is no more or less bloody than any other monotheistic faith."
1st - You can strike out "Islam" and replace with 'X' and it would not change your analysis, because they are all the same, right?
2nd - Why specify "monotheistic faith"? Is there a polytheistic or animist (or other) faith which would render your statement null? In either case, let us replace "monotheistic faith" with 'Z'.
3rd - Per your own statement, 'X' is a subset of 'Z'.
4th - Let us replace "bloody" with the functional characteristic f(). Only YOU know what "bloody" means, but we don't want to sound derogatory.
5th - "is no more or less" means identical to, '='.
So, what you are saying is that,
f(X) = f(Z)
Therefore, all subsets of Z are X...
X = Z
"Islam" = is the "monotheistic faith" to the exclusion of all others.
This is what you meant, correct?
Posted by: Druid at August 16, 2010 12:23 AMA couple of comments. One, where in the hell do you moral equivilent idiots come up with all religions are just as violent? Not in the last 50 years as far as I can tell. Second, the Muslims may have the legal right to build on this spot but are you all too stupid to realize that these are the same people that are claming to be the religion of peace and that they want to build it to improve relations with the survivors of their great victory known as 911? Would any of you want to do something so evil to a large group of people who have all lost a loved one that you would defy their wishes? You would do this at the same time you are saying it is to promote good will? This isn't a sport complex or a shopping mall that brings noise and traffic. This is a knife in the wound left by these Muslim fruit cakes. They have one goal and that is to dance on the graves of the fallen.
Posted by: inspectorudy at August 16, 2010 01:19 AMHow did all Muslims become "mass murderers"?
I don't recall anyone tagging all white, buzzcut gun nuts like that after Tim McVeigh. No one suggested all Christians were killers after the abortion clinic terror bombings of the 90's, or the doctor shootings of the last 10 years.
Come to think of it, no one is upset about the statue of Lee at Gettysburg, where the body count he caused was much higher. And why is no one pissed that they're building a shopping mall on the actual ground of the Towers. Not 2 blocks away (where there's already a mosque and a titty bar), ON THE SITE. A strip mall.
But back to the ignorant "mass murderers" comment... here is the problem with your movement. You're tagging an entire group of people because of the actions of a militant and militarized group that has perverted and twisted the religion.
You people, and I start with Owens, hate Obama SO MUCH that you are knee-jerk opposed to anything he stands for.
What is truly hysterical is that in opposing this mosque, you're tossing your small government beliefs out the window. You're asking the government to intervene, at any cost and in any way, to stop a private organization from doing something that even the most rabid among you clearly agree that they have the right to do. What happened to limited government? Or is that only for when it suits you.
It seems you like the Constitution, which is CLEARLY on the side of those wishing to build a place of worship, only when it suits your xenophobic ends.
I'll remind you that John Adams defended the redcoats accused in what came to be propagandized as the Boston Massacre. He defended those accused of the greatest atrocity on American soil to date. And he was horribly disturbed at the awful treatment of the Tories in America as the revolution progressed. I'm sure that Adams and his fellow patriots - the real ones, not you phonies - would laugh at you now.
How much longer until you all, lead by Mr. I Hope They're Afraid, get yourselves some armbands and begin deciding who is a "real American" and what to do with those who won't march in lockstep with you?
Posted by: Bob at August 17, 2010 01:55 AMBTW 5x5s, there are two Shinto shrines quite near Pearl Harbor and they've existed there peacefully for years.
And there's a statue of Lee at Gettysburg. And a gun show quite close to the Murrah Building every year. I think we also still allow Catholic churches next to playgrounds where kids congregate.
Posted by: Bob at August 17, 2010 02:00 AMAmazing "Bob",
You sure do KNOW what everyone else thinks, don't you? You should try giving your muslim friends the same level of respect you give Americans.
WRT 'mass murderers', I would question anyone who reveres a mass-murdering pedophile brigand as the most perfect human ever, but not you?
Posted by: Druid at August 17, 2010 07:12 PMDruid,
I don't know what everyone else thinks, I'm going off of what's ween written right in this comment section. Interesting that no one has refuted it.
What "mass-murdering pedophile brigand" do I revere? If it has to do with religion, that's not me. I'm agnostic, if not outright athiest.
What does strike me as the GOP cranks up the xenophobia machine is that the Republican plan for fixing the economy - which is their stated goal - is apparently trying to convince Americans that foreigners are bad.
They've got lots of things to say about immigration (mostly fabrications) and terror babies and muslims (mostly outright lies), but not a word about the economy.
Stay classy GOP.
Posted by: Bob at August 18, 2010 10:14 AMWhat "mass-murdering pedophile brigand" do I revere?
Why do you think I was referring to YOU, Bob?
At least when the thuggies are banging on your door you can take comfort in knowing that they cannot be after you because you are 'agnostic' on human sacrifices.
Aside from that, you seem to be living in your own little world where everyone has to respond to your allegations or they magically become true. Why don't you read your own comments with open eyes and see how much you project.
Posted by: Druid at August 18, 2010 07:42 PMBob, do you understand the post addressed to Will Butler above?
Posted by: Druid at August 18, 2010 09:00 PMChanel Handbags 2009
Chanel Handbags 2010
Chanel Purses
Chanel Handbags
Chanel bags
Coach Handbags
Coach Bags
Coach Purses
Coach Outlet
Coach Classic
Coach Luggage
Cheap Coach Purses
Cheap Coach handbags
Coach Wallets
Coach Tote Bags
Coach Crossbody Bags