What kind of BS is this coming out of the ADL? You'd think a Jewish civil rights group might appreciate the irony of caving to bigots simply because they find your religion uncomfortable.
From the ADL, about that new mosque being discussed for construction near Ground Zero.
We regard freedom of religion as a cornerstone of the American democracy, and that freedom must include the right of all Americans – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faiths – to build community centers and houses of worship.The healing process? It's been 9 years. Just how long do we ban Muslim-Americans from participating in our democracy, before we're all well and healed? Is ten years enough? How about twenty? And does the same rule apply to synagogues? After all, Israel makes some people mighty uncomfortable too. Should we ban synagogues in, say, Detroit - you know, for that healing process thing.
We categorically reject appeals to bigotry on the basis of religion, and condemn those whose opposition to this proposed Islamic Center is a manifestation of such bigotry.
The controversy which has emerged regarding the building of an Islamic Center at this location is counterproductive to the healing process. Therefore, under these unique circumstances, we believe the City of New York would be better served if an alternative location could be found.
This is disgusting.
J Street responds, God bless them:
The principle at stake in the Cordoba House controversy goes to the heart of American democracy and the value we place on freedom of religion. Should one religious group in this country be treated differently than another? We believe the answer is no.UPDATE: Krugman agrees.
As Mayor Bloomberg has said, proposing a church or a synagogue for that site would raise no questions. The Muslim community has an equal right to build a community center wherever it is legal to do so. We would hope the American Jewish community would be at the forefront of standing up for the freedom and equality of a religious minority looking to exercise its legal rights in the United States, rather than casting aspersions on its funders and giving in to the fear-mongerers and pandering politicians urging it to relocate.
What better ammunition to feed the Osama Bin Laden’s of the world and their claim of anti-Muslim bias in the United States as they seek to whip up global jihad than to hold this proposal for a Muslim religious center to a different and tougher standard than other religious institutions would be.
