Michael Bresciani
Obama on Ground Zero mosque: rights for Muslims, tough luck for Americans
By Michael Bresciani
Only a few short months after snubbing the National Day of Prayer President Obama continued his war on American sensibilities at a meeting honoring the close of the religious observance of Ramadan.
Celebrating at a dinner in the White House on Friday August 13, Obama followed the meeting with a statement that Muslims had a right to build a mosque even in Lower Manhattan. Polls taken across the nation indicate that very few Americans are in agreement with his assertions.
On the evening of July 27, 2010, Helen Friedman, took to a podium in a New York community board meeting and declared that building the Mosque at Ground Zero was the equivalent of America receiving a Trojan Horse from the Muslims. Such sentiment reflects the feelings of most 9/11 families of victims lost to the deliberate destruction of the Trade Towers done by Muslim radicals.
Following that event Canadian author Farzana Hassan appeared on the O'Reilly Factor, Friday, August 13, and said that the mosque was indeed a Trojan Horse because there would be no way of knowing just what kind of things would be allowed to take place inside the environs of the proposed Mosque.
If the insult to 9/11 families was not severe enough following Mr. Obama's statements it was learned that the Imam spearheading the move to build the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf, was being sent on his third trip to the United Arab Emirates to raise money and speak for the project. That being bad enough, now it is known, that the State Department is footing the bill for the Imam's jaunt to the Middle East with U.S. Taxpayers money.
Where are the crowds of "separation of church and state" folks on this matter? Can the U.S. question the 501-C status of even one single Christian Church if they are going to fund efforts to raise money for a Muslim Mosque? Is this a hypocrisy that almost everyone is overlooking? More than that, is it legal or constitutional for the government to use taxpayer funds to promote any religion?
How many of the "separation of church and state" crowd would be coming out of the woodwork to assail the government if they learned the State Department was sending the Rev Franklin Graham to Europe or Evangelist Jesse Duplantis to Russia to raise money for their projects?
Since his initial remarks were made the President has been backtracking and using everything short of doublespeak to clarify his statement. The damage has already been done since it looks like an overall endorsement for the building of the mosque. No one has yet seriously questioned the President or the State Department on the legality of using tax dollars to pay for a religious leader's trip to the Arab world.
In what can only be described as a day of insult in hypocrisy's finest hour in America, on the same night Obama made his remarks about the proposed mosque, EA has announced the release of its latest video game in which players can assume the role of Taliban fighters seeking out and destroying American Troops. Whether its families of 9/11 victims or America's finest on the battlefield that are being dishonored, it is a day for shame across the land.
Days after 9/11 former President Bush announced that the people who caused the destruction of the Trade Towers would "shortly hear from us." Just how far the tide can turn is now reflected in President Obama's recent remarks that seem to be saying that it is time for us to hear from them, yet once again.
The sadness and pain caused to America by the events of 9/11 are not something that will be soothed or quickly forgotten but the idea of a Muslim mosque at the site of the attack is a low blow and the timing of it could not be worse. To wit;
"Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress." (Ob 1: 13, 14)
© Michael Bresciani
August 16, 2010
Only a few short months after snubbing the National Day of Prayer President Obama continued his war on American sensibilities at a meeting honoring the close of the religious observance of Ramadan.
Celebrating at a dinner in the White House on Friday August 13, Obama followed the meeting with a statement that Muslims had a right to build a mosque even in Lower Manhattan. Polls taken across the nation indicate that very few Americans are in agreement with his assertions.
On the evening of July 27, 2010, Helen Friedman, took to a podium in a New York community board meeting and declared that building the Mosque at Ground Zero was the equivalent of America receiving a Trojan Horse from the Muslims. Such sentiment reflects the feelings of most 9/11 families of victims lost to the deliberate destruction of the Trade Towers done by Muslim radicals.
Following that event Canadian author Farzana Hassan appeared on the O'Reilly Factor, Friday, August 13, and said that the mosque was indeed a Trojan Horse because there would be no way of knowing just what kind of things would be allowed to take place inside the environs of the proposed Mosque.
If the insult to 9/11 families was not severe enough following Mr. Obama's statements it was learned that the Imam spearheading the move to build the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf, was being sent on his third trip to the United Arab Emirates to raise money and speak for the project. That being bad enough, now it is known, that the State Department is footing the bill for the Imam's jaunt to the Middle East with U.S. Taxpayers money.
Where are the crowds of "separation of church and state" folks on this matter? Can the U.S. question the 501-C status of even one single Christian Church if they are going to fund efforts to raise money for a Muslim Mosque? Is this a hypocrisy that almost everyone is overlooking? More than that, is it legal or constitutional for the government to use taxpayer funds to promote any religion?
How many of the "separation of church and state" crowd would be coming out of the woodwork to assail the government if they learned the State Department was sending the Rev Franklin Graham to Europe or Evangelist Jesse Duplantis to Russia to raise money for their projects?
Since his initial remarks were made the President has been backtracking and using everything short of doublespeak to clarify his statement. The damage has already been done since it looks like an overall endorsement for the building of the mosque. No one has yet seriously questioned the President or the State Department on the legality of using tax dollars to pay for a religious leader's trip to the Arab world.
In what can only be described as a day of insult in hypocrisy's finest hour in America, on the same night Obama made his remarks about the proposed mosque, EA has announced the release of its latest video game in which players can assume the role of Taliban fighters seeking out and destroying American Troops. Whether its families of 9/11 victims or America's finest on the battlefield that are being dishonored, it is a day for shame across the land.
Days after 9/11 former President Bush announced that the people who caused the destruction of the Trade Towers would "shortly hear from us." Just how far the tide can turn is now reflected in President Obama's recent remarks that seem to be saying that it is time for us to hear from them, yet once again.
The sadness and pain caused to America by the events of 9/11 are not something that will be soothed or quickly forgotten but the idea of a Muslim mosque at the site of the attack is a low blow and the timing of it could not be worse. To wit;
"Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress." (Ob 1: 13, 14)
© Michael Bresciani
The views expressed by RenewAmerica columnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of RenewAmerica or its affiliates.
(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)