Ground Zero mosque Imam blames Sarah Palin for 'growing Islamophobia'

Telegraph UK ^ | 9/12/2010 | Telegraph UK

[opentalk]

The Muslim cleric behind plans to build a mosque close to the Ground Zero site has blamed politicians such as Sarah Palin for fuelling a "growing Islamophobia" that led to the burning of Korans on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

The Reverend Terry Jones abandoned his "international burn a Koran day" in Gainesville, Florida on Saturday but there were isolated instances in Tennessee and New York of the Muslim holy book being set alight.

"What has happened is that..certain politicians decided that this project would be very useful for their political ambitions," Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said, adding that this had prompted a "growing Islamophobia" in the US.

Imam Rauf's proposal for an Islamic Centre, containing a mosque, two blocks from the site of the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre, has become embroiled in controversy.

Mrs Palin was the first major national figure to get involved in what had been a localised dispute when she sent a Twitter message in July stating: "Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts. Pls reject it in interest of healing."

Imam Rauf said Mrs Palin's intervention had been "disingenuous" and played a part of the issue being "hijacked by the radicals" over the summer.

[firebrand]

I wonder exactly when these mosque plans were revealed and publicized. It’s an election year. A good time to argue that the issue is not really a valid issue but is simply getting politicized by everyone. Just saying.

[Sacajaweau]

How about blaming the murdering bast**** that started this mass murder around the world....which goes way back when Muhammed decided to kill all the christians and jews...and conquer the world. Now where have we heard that before.

[Aria]

Islam means never having to say you’re sorry.”

That's a good one!

I've never seen a group more interested in any excuse to be outraged, to seethe, to scream and demonstrate in the streets...sheesh...

Too bad they can't do something positive with all that energy but I think they're by and large just too stupid.

[firebrand]

bttt!

[30Moves]

I am sure this was payback to O for his support for the mosque.

Wow - a private citizen frightens the dems sooooo much.

[GinaLolaB]

"I am your overlord Christian peasent"

[fatima]

Hello.The President of The United States of America came out in favor of the ground Zero mosque and up set everyone.President Brarack Obama said he was in favor of the mosque .That up set a lot of people.

[no-to-illegals]

someone check and see if osama has had face altering surgery

[Cindy]

If this article is accurate; then Imam Rauf you are today’s STUCK ON STUPID award winner.

[mo]

Somebody oughta send him a mirror...C.O.D...

[FrankR]

And another thing...he wants to throw around that lib-invented word "islamophobia", then how about his own country...you know, where you are killed by even mentioning the Bible or Christianity?

Talk about a "phobia"...they fear Christianity because if their ignorant, 10th century useful idiots ever found out about anything other then their islam cult teachings, they might just bolt.

No one is scared of you imammy...shut your pie hole.

[ntmxx]

How about blaming those responsible, the whole MUSLIM MOVEMENT!

How about blaming the Satanic Cult of death, aka Islam, its precepts, teachings and actions of those that support, sponsor or make excuses for its hate. Frack Islam and the followers of Islamic teachings, for it is not a religion!...It is a military and quasi-governmental movement no different than Communism.

[Chaguito]

Disingenuous? He knows a lot about disingenuous.

[dalereed]

I decided many years before i ever heard of Palin that the only good muslim is a dead one!

[A_perfect_lady]

I've never seen a group more interested in any excuse to be outraged

I know. They're like liberals with accents.

[kcvl]

He is going to get his ass kicked over that! roflol...

[excopconservative]

Palin has had nothing to do with this whole mess in NY...but if I were Sarah I’d take the Imams comments as a badge of honor...

---

Palin did have something to do with the debate. My take is that after she criticized Obama for lacking “cojones” to solve the illegal immigration issue, Obama was probably seething and when she quickly followed up with the post on the Ground Zero mosque, she provoked him to take a position which she probably knew would be the wrong position as per usual. By getting him to speak in support of the mosque, she probably added five points to the Republican 2010 margin. Am I wrong?

[heshtesh]

Thanks for avoiding the BS and getting straight to the point.

[Aria]

LOLOL - you’re batting 1000 tonight! :-)

[bareford101]

as according to the muslim koran, lies, lies, and more lies.