This American Perspective

I am saddened that there are so many headline grabbing politicos who are glomming on to and spreading falsehoods about the supposedly dangerous “mosque” being contemplated for ground zero, WTC.
It really bespeaks to fear mongoring and xenophobia of the worst kind.
The supposed mosque in question is actually an cultural center with a proposed basketball court and swimming pool. Rooms for arts and crafts too. Yes, it will contain a room for prayer. It will also contain a room which honors all who lost their lives when the madmen flew into the World Trade Center.
What’s really upsetting is that much of the political class seems to purposely overlook what is truly great about The United States of America.
Our country has always thrived on diversity and a permission to worship openly as we please. To single out the practice of Islam as somehow aberant or dangerous is disengenuous to the basic tenents of one of the world’s great religions.
We can count on the ambulence chasers like Gingrich et. al. to fan the fear flames. We can also count on many Dems starting with Reticent Obama and Sen. Harry Reid to immediately assume fetal position fearing Republican attack. But, what about the rest of us? Being trite but still…what about We The People?
I’m convinced most of the citizenry gets it that to encourage and demonstrate religious tolerance is the very best of who we are as a people. Building said cultural center makes the job of Al Queda recruiters a nightmare. Good.
Not building the center on the site of an abandoned coat factory two blocks from ground zero, makes our country far more vulnerable to another attack.
One more thing; I’ve read that half Governor Palin wrote that if a cultural center run by Islamic moderates were so great, why didn’t they help prevent 9/11? I don’t know half Governor. If Christian churches were so valuable, why didn’t they prevent mid-twentieth century lynchings of African Americans in the south? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?