Religion

Not since Joe the Plumber has one American been seemingly picked from obscurity because of something he has said or done. Most recently that distinction has fallen to Terry Jones — a Florida pastor who claimed he would host a Quran-burning this past weekend in defiance of a New York plan to construct a Muslim cultural center/mosque near the site of Ground Zero.

We all know the story, but what's disheartening about this is that, once again, the mainstream media has extrapolated the actions of one into "What's next?" hysteria.

News reports today detail how House Republicans are secretly planning their takeover of the Capitol after November’s elections — right down to who gets the best views of the National Mall out the West Front of the building. They’re reading the polls, choosing color palettes and selecting office space, but as they plan to assume leadership positions they’re failing to demonstrate leadership on everything from the economy to jobs to foreign policy to Pastor Jones’s plan to fuel the fires of hatred with the pages of the Quran.

Of the four Jews who were murdered in Israel last week, three were members of Manhigut Yehudit, a group of deeply religious Jews who are part of a leadership group in Israel with, in their words, “authentic Jewish values.” Like most of the religious groups in Israel, the mainstream press constantly refers to them as the “extreme right wing.” They do that here as well with deeply religious groups like Southern Baptists and Mormons. But as Hillary and President Obama meet today in a re-branding exercise about Israel’s appointed role in globalization, a good number of Israelis have moved past Clinton-era foreign policy and are waiting for a new paradigm. And Jews are probably better at waiting than anyone on earth.

Bigotry has infected the campaign of 2010, a bigotry that erodes our national unity, a bigotry that hurts American troops fighting Muslim lands, a bigotry that hurts the American battle to defeat and destroy terrorism.


On this day, let’s give a standing ovation to Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) for speaking out against the sunshine patriots who play the politics of hate to play on the fear of terror.



If I were an all-out supporter of Ron Paul, I would nominate him for the Nobel Peace 
Prize. Of course, as Paul has now said, those who spread the lie that it was all Muslims throughout the world who attacked America on that September morning are also those who seem to favor the most wars in the most places, usually so long as other Americans fight them.



Ron Paul's criticism of those who exploit the pain of the great terrorist attack to foment the latest form of the politics of hate is a profile in courage and is an example of patriotism of the highest order.



Most opponents of the Muslim center in New York are good people with genuine concerns who in many cases make valid points. Reasonable people can support or oppose this particular project in this particular place.
 
However, there are political exploiters, Newt Gingrich being one, a Republican politician in New York who Hillary Clinton obliterated when she ran against him for the Senate being another, who are playing the politics of hate.



Anyone who equates all Muslims with al Qaeda is playing the politics of hate using the weapons of bigotry and fear. Ron Paul is right when he attacks the "sunshine patriots" who wrap themselves around the flag of liberty when it is easy but exploit the politics of hate and fear when it is hard.



So, on this day, let’s give a standing ovation to Ron Paul, a true patriot, who speaks truth to hate.

The Hill invites two established bloggers from either side of the political spectrum to sound off in original commentary.

It's time for us to admit it: Americans, at least a lot of us, simply don't like Muslims very much.

A lot has been made of the recent CNN survey about that proposed mosque at the 9/11 site. Politicians, particularly those on the right, have jumped all over the 68 percent negative response when participants were asked whether they favored or opposed constructing that particular Islamic Center. But a new one gives the more complete picture.

It’s a holistic pride within human nature that desires to shamelessly document all of our greatest victories with a sign of success for the world to see. The American flag on the moon is one of these glorious achievements that will be enshrined in history forever. This sentiment, which has been used to cultivate pride among nations, is being used against America with the building of the Ground Zero mosque. 

Americans, and especially the families of innocent victims of the terrorist attack, have been tortured enough. No proud American should stand by to allow salt to be thrown into the wounds of our great nation and people again.

I am not going to get into politicians and pundits waving their wet fingers in the air to get a sense of the wind on this one. Forget the vagaries of the silly season — three months before an election, as important as one might think that is. I am not going to get into local vs. national responsibility, where it should or should not be built — two blocks, 10 blocks, in another state. I am not even going to get into religious freedom or the First Amendment or the history of building churches and synagogues in this country.

This is directed at all the people who claim they are all for the First Amendment rights of the Muslims who want to construct a mosque at the 9/11 site but insist it's an "insult" to build it there — a "stab in the heart," as Sarah Palin puts it, for the millions who have intense feelings about the Sept. 11 attacks. More than one politician cries out that the proposed Islamic center would violate "sacred ground.”

Question: What do you think about the plans of Glenn Beck to hold a "Restoring Honor" rally at the Lincoln Memorial? Did I mention it is scheduled 47 years to the day after Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" rally on the very same spot?