Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

How NYC mosque nastiness began

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Glenn Greenwald has How the “ground zero mosque” fear mongering began. Seems that the demagoguing (“right-wing, viciously anti-Muslim, conspiracy-mongering blogger”) Pamela Geller set it in motion:

May 6, 2010: After a unanimous vote by a New York City community board committee to approve the project, the AP runs a story. It quotes relatives of 9/11 victims (called by the reporter), who offer differing opinions. The New York Post, meanwhile, runs a story under the inaccurate headline, “Panel Approves ‘WTC’ Mosque.” Geller is less subtle, titling her post that day, “Monster Mosque Pushes Ahead in Shadow of World Trade Center Islamic Death and Destruction.” She writes on her Atlas Shrugs blog, “This is Islamic domination and expansionism. The location is no accident. Just as Al-Aqsa was built on top of the Temple in Jerusalem.” (To get an idea of where Geller is coming from, she once suggested that Malcolm X was Obama’s real father. Seriously.)

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  2. of the right-wing noise machine taking an outrageous position and bullying the mainstream media into giving it respectability.

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    p>One of the best posts I’ve seen on this poses some interesting questions:

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    1. Since the proposed site for the Park51 worship space is 2 blocks away from Ground Zero, why do you keep calling it the “Ground Zero Mosque”?

    2. What precisely is an acceptable distance from the former site of the World Trade Center for Muslims to practice their religion? (Terms like “so close” or “in the shadow of” or “steps away” are obviously subjective.)

    3. Is there a difference between violent Islamic extremists and mainstream Muslims?

    4. If your answer to #3 is “yes,” why is there an objection to Muslims practicing their religion in Lower Manhattan?

    5. Since Muslims have been holding religious services at Park51 for over a year, should they be stopped?

    6. As Park51 is private property, are you in favor of the government regulating how the space is utilized?

  3. … run down of the timeline:

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    In short, there is no good reason that the Cordoba House project should have been a major national news story, let alone controversy. And yet it has become just that, dominating the political conversation for weeks and prompting such a backlash that, according to a new poll, nearly 7 in 10 Americans now say they oppose the project. How did the Cordoba House become so toxic, so fast?

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    p>The timeline that follows is informative (click the link).  The GOP tend to shop for outrage by throwing a lot out there and then runing with whatever sticks.  In 2004 it was teh Gays.  In 2010 they’ve ginned up outrage on the deficit and immigration.  This Mosque thing must seem like a gift to them.

    • This Mosque thing must seem like a gift to them.

      They say the best gifts are the ones you make yourself.

  4. They want to use cultural symbolism to get votes.

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    p>That’s what this is all about.

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    p>Legally, they have a well-established right to build the mosque, and hatred of the mosque is not enough to change the law on this.

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    p>SORRY HUNNIEZ  😉

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    p>So they get to rant about this with no consequences, and get votes from the hardliners by “waving the bloody shirt.”

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    p>I HATE the use of cultural symbolism in campaigns.

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    p>But if we are going to have our politicians direct our likes and dislikes…

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    p>How about a recommendation for a nice coffee shop and a nice steakhouse around Teaneck, New Jersey from Deval Patrick or Jim McGovern?

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