John: Here’s my latest political cartoon, on the subject of President Obama’s firm support for the “Ground Zero” Mosque in downtown Manhattan (that is, before he sort of qualified his support through a spokesman the very next day). I’d like to clear up a couple of misunderstandings on this issue. Supporters of the project claim that it’s not at Ground Zero and it’s not a mosque.
First of all, while the location is not part of the World Trade Center site, the present building on the site is one of the buildings damaged in the 9/11attack and subsequently condemned. I would say that puts it AT Ground Zero. Also, while the project’s promoter, Imam Feisal Rauf, tells American news media that it’s a community center with prayer space, but “not a mosque”, he repeatedly tells European and Middle Eastern news outlets that it IS a mosque.
Also, to grasp the significance of the location, you have to look at where conquering Muslims throughout history built their mosques. In Jerusalem, they built the Dome of the Rock smack dab in the middle of Temple Mount, the location of the Jewish Temple. In Egypt, they also built mosques on the site of old Egyptian temples. In Constantinople (now Istanbul), they seized the world’s largest Christian Church and turned it into a mosque.
The significance of the proposed mosque’s location would be understood by anyone in the Muslim world. Its purpose is not to promote interfaith ecumenical understanding. It’s clearly intended as a celebration of the success of the 9/11 attack on America.
- Jerry Breen ’71
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[JR: Have to agree that you hit the nail on the head. As a little L libertarian, I think we better wise up. It's a dangerous world out there, and wishing isn't going to make it any less so! We have to be like Switzerland when it comes to foreign policy -- MYOB and like the old USSR or the Mafia on defense -- you mess with me, I break your legs. Argh!]
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