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Legion, that too, but that was not at all what I was referring to!! Will tell you when I see you tomorrow at Four and Twenty Blackbirds.
Ny-tol.
You bet he’s exasperated, Legion, the man is tired of explaining in plain English to people who supposedly understand English what he stands for. Again, and again and again.
He didn’t destroy the World Trade Center, nor did he have anything to do with those who did. As Bxgrl so eloquently said it, how long do the mea culpas have to go on?
If he hasn’t turned himself inside out enough for the right, and they need more, and more, and more explanations, more apologies, more “proof” that he is something he is not, then too f’ing bad for them.
He’s not running for office, he’s not trying to get on the Supreme Court, he’s building a cultural center. This has reached the height of absurdity.
Legion, if Rauf was really looking to put one over on everyone, wouldn’t he just condemn Hamas with his fingers crossed behind his back?
Also, if this whole thing was backed by wealthy terrorists, why would the Developer be looking for public funding?
See you tomorrow, Legion – bring the lube.
By cobblehiller on September 1, 2010 5:55 PM
“I really think this has mutated away from legitimate concerns into a vehicle for right wing scream machine, again with goal of moving zeitgeist. I don’t think electoral per se, but with that as but one clear intended effect.”
…um, ya think?
exactly what more criteria does one need to prove the sensitivity of an issue than the fact that it becomes the political fulcrum of an entire election?
I don’t think that’s a battle the Dems want on their hand,
they ‘re overplaying it by far on the left as well,
to the point where the legitimate concerns are being
pawned off as “hysteria” and “racism”.
That’s no way to build bridges my good man.
>I would ask you this,why do the families of those killed on 9/11 have to explain their feelings to the Imam
Agreed but 10 years after the fact, their feelings should not hold anyone in thrall. Keep it to themselves. Can you imagine this country in the aftermath of actual war? We’d be paralyzed with monuments, memorials, and mementos. Move on, folks, why don’t you use that energy to see that the actual memorial gets built?
bxgrl doesn’t realize that in this day and age
you can’t just get away with denials and vacillation.
Is it a lie bxgrl. or is it that you only read left wing propaganda?
Asked if he agreed with the State Department’s assessment, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf told WABC radio, “Look, I’m not a politician.
“The issue of terrorism is a very complex question,” he told interviewer Aaron Klein.
“There was an attempt in the ’90s to have the UN define what terrorism is and say who was a terrorist. There was no ability to get agreement on that.”
Asked again for his opinion on Hamas, an exasperated Rauf wouldn’t budge.
“I really think this has mutated away from legitimate concerns into a vehicle for right wing scream machine, again with goal of moving zeitgeist. I don’t think electoral per se, but with that as but one clear intended effect.”
Couldn’t agree more, Slopey.
CGar,
you are right,
the sensitivity of the World Trade Center site
crosses all political lines.
MM,
I would ask you this,
why do the families of those killed on 9/11 have to explain their feelings to the Imam.
surely, if the intention was to build a cultural bridge to the US public,
offending 70% of them is no way to go about it.
at some point it becomes another case of the will of the few being shoved down the throats of the majority.
How long do you think a society can be maintained with the sensitivities of the larger majority litigated out of concern?
we live in a “global community” why do you always think it is up to the US to prove itself?
and to who exactly are we proving ourselves by wearing
the hairshirt?
The Chinese?
The Russians?
The Germans?
The Saudi Arabians?
The Iranians?
The Pakistanis?
The Venezuelans?
…you get the picture don’t you?
Legion — I don’t know that he hasn’t or that he won’t condemn hamas. If he did, in no uncertain terms, would that change your view?
Part of my problem with much of the opposition her is that the “I know it when I see it” leaves a lot of room for demagoguery with little responsibility for principle. I do not trust that this is face value opposition. I see much of it as an attempt to move the zeitgeist to the right with the project as collateral damage.
We disagree on propaganda. I think we are a sufficiently big and strong nation that we do not need to stop projects because of how we anticipate they might be used for propaganda. So the risk that this might — I repeat might — be used for propaganda purposes does not bother me. I worry more about the damage to our national culture and frist amendment principles that we have groups not only hounding this project, but lots of mosques, and I don’t see the Palins and Gingriches of the world saying “hey, slow down, a big project by GZ is one thing, but the constitution protects religious freedom” and I don’t see them drawing careful distinctions or correcting misinformation that goes out about this. I think lots of folks are finding the frenzy useful, even when it goes to extremes, like a letter I saw in the Daily News today from someone saying he expects that Park 51 will have dormbeds full of jihadists in training.
I also don’t have a problem with scale. Comparable to west side JCC and similar in function.
I really think this has mutated away from legitimate concerns into a vehicle for right wing scream machine, again with goal of moving zeitgeist. I don’t think electoral per se, but with that as but one clear intended effect.