Mosque Mania: Muslims' Turn To Be Tolerant

IBD Editorial ^ | August 30, 2010 | The great THOMAS SOWELL

[Kaslin]

The proposed mosque near where the World Trade Center was attacked and destroyed, along with thousands of American lives, would be a 15-story middle finger to America.

It takes a high IQ to evade the obvious, so it is not surprising that the intelligentsia are out in force, decrying those who criticize this calculated insult.

What may surprise some people is that the American taxpayer is currently financing a trip to the Middle East by the imam who is pushing this project, so that he can raise the money to build it. The State Department is subsidizing his travel.

The big talking point is that this is an issue about "religious freedom" and that Muslims have a "right" to build a mosque where they choose. But those who oppose this project are not claiming that there is no legal right to build a mosque near the site of the World Trade Center.

If anybody did, it would be a matter for the courts to decide — and they would undoubtedly say that it is not illegal to build a mosque near the site of the World Trade Center attack.

The intelligentsia and others who are wrapping themselves in the Constitution are fighting a phony war against a straw man. Why create a false issue, except to evade the real issue?

Our betters are telling us that we need to be more "tolerant" and more "sensitive" to the feelings of Muslims. But if we are supposed to be sensitive to Muslims, why are Muslims not supposed to be sensitive to the feelings of millions of Americans, for whom 9/11 was the biggest national trauma since Pearl Harbor?

[rawcatslyentist]

>"Still waiting for the existance of Islamic “Tolerance”

Their idea of tolerance is to sharpen the blade before chopping assorted body parts off of you.

[Captain Kirk]

Of course, he doesn’t want it built but, unlike many herem he is at least acknowledges that the owners have a right to build it at the site.

[wjcsux]

Did you read the next sentence? Where Dr Sowell writes The real question is why they chose that particular location, in a country that covers more than 3 million square miles.
I think the boy missed that point.

[rockinqsranch]

Thanks for the ping jaz. He’s right on the mark again.

[A_perfect_lady]

I liked the suggestion in the comments that we build a huge shoe with its sole facing the mosque, right across the street. It would be a big sculpture. It’s “ART”, you know.

[Captain Kirk]

I didn’t miss any point. I agree that Sowell doesn’t want the mosque built. I was pointing out, however, that, unlike many of the mosque haters here, despite this view, he supports the right of the owner to build. That is a fundamental distinction that many conservatives don’t make (at least at FR). Let me ask you a question: do you agree with Sowell that the property owner has a right to build a mosque on this particular piece of property or would you use the force of government to stop that builder?

[Captain Kirk]

Liberals would ‘get’ this if a Christian group wanted to build a 60 foot cross next to every abortion clinic in the country. They would throw that ‘religion’ excuse right out the door... Liberals are beneath contempt on this one...

So are those conservative Nervous Nellies who embraced Liberal style "sensitivity" as an excuse to violate property rights in this case. The PC Liberals and the PAC (anti-mosque/anti-property rights) conservatives really have more in common with each other than either would like to admit.