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Obama endorses rights of Muslims to build Ground Zero community center

New York Times Article - hopefully it stays active (they don't alwa...

“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.”

The president of the United States, enthusiastically upholding the very first sentence of the very first amendment of our Bill of Rights? Imagine that!

I for one give Obama a standing ovation. While I'm certainly not a fan of religion, and especially the gruesome, mutant, evil twins that are Islam and Christianity, in lieu of a secular planet, I for one am quite glad that 99.9% of the 1 billion Muslims on Earth are practicing the non-terrorism flavor of their faith. If it was a Christian fringe group that took down the World Trade Center, I'm betting the happy-fluffy-Jesus crowd would be stumbling over themselves to build a church at Ground Zero as a way of saying "Our faith is normally way more peaceful than that, really." (And as a way to prey on the grief of the victims' families, but that's another discussion).

Just like my support of freedom of speech means supporting the rights of assholes to say offensive crap, I may not like the religion but so long as they aren't actively breaking any laws, I fully support their right to practice it.

Meanwhile, a black, Democratic president with a funny, Muslim-sounding name, daring to say publicly that the Constitution applies to everyone, not just Conservative Christians?!?

Cue the Rightwing outrage in 3...2...1...

Tags: 9/11, Islam, bill, center, ground, mosque, obama, of, rights, trade, More…world, zero

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michelle on August 17, 2010 at 10:30pm

She has Twitter and Facebook, post the question (if it is allowed)

Permalink Reply by Al-KADIM on August 18, 2010 at 3:09pm

You would have to friend her. The very idea is nauseating.

Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on August 15, 2010 at 10:28pm

It just absolutely astounds me how wrapped up the lunatic fringe has become in everything-Obama-touches-is-bad/everything-Republicans-touch-is-good ideology, to the point of contradicting their own ideology.

They whine about mosques being built anywhere in the country, but particularly near Ground Zero. Yet to stop it opens the door for the government to tell Christians "You can't build that church there." Just how well would that go over?

They whine about these mosques sinister intentions to spread Islam, as if a church's mission isn't to spread their religion.

They spread fear about "Muslims want to institute Sharia law in the U.S.!" As if Christians aren't trying to institute (and have instituted) Christian law in the U.S.

This issue is a solid test of our constitution and our basic freedoms, and the Teabaggers and Rethuglicans are failing miserably.

Permalink Reply by Louis on August 17, 2010 at 3:18am

It's a sad state of affairs that the PRESIDENT AGREEING WITH AMENDMENT ONE is making prime time news.

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on August 17, 2010 at 10:56am

The Democrats always find a way to back down, so prepare for trouble.

Permalink Reply by Louis on August 17, 2010 at 5:10pm

Hey hey, that's not fair. We all know they came through on their promises to end Don't Ask Don't Tell, close Guantanamo Bay in 2009, and put on trail those who ordered torture...

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on August 18, 2010 at 5:56pm

Uh, yeah, tear down all the churches ... good luck with that.

Permalink Reply by Susan Stanko on August 18, 2010 at 6:13pm

Are you one of the aliens that you are convinced visited us? The first amendment is both freedom from religion and freedom of religion.

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on August 19, 2010 at 11:44am

I'm beginning to think he's just a troll.

Permalink Reply by Jason Spicer on August 19, 2010 at 4:08am

JE, just because you say it's not a First Amendment issue doesn't mean it isn't. Tearing down all the churches would clearly violate the First Amendment in a huge way. Denying the siting of the mosque where it is planned is a clear violation of both the Free Excercise Clause (because religions are allowed to build houses of worship where they like, subject to zoning and other regulations) and the Establishment Clause (because denying a mosque where they almost certainly would allow a church or synagogue clearly favors one or more religions over another). There simply are no legal grounds for not allowing this mosque project to go ahead as planned. If you want to change the law, go for it, but until then what you are proposing is blatantly illegal.

I believe that religions should be vigorously monitored for fraud. If they advertise on TV saying that a $50 donation will be returned by God tenfold (which they do), then that's clearly fraud and prosecution should ensue. Free exercise of religion should not encompass fraud or anything otherwise illegal, like slander/libel, failure to adhere to zoning and building codes, etc. But simply having a bullshit opinion would be difficult to ban without eliminating most freedom of speech, not to mention freedom of conscience.

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on August 19, 2010 at 5:58pm

And we are arguing that building religious buildings does indeed fall under the "exercise thereof." Not only that, but it would fall under the right to assemble.

Permalink Reply by The Secular One on August 19, 2010 at 11:44am

How is tearing down churches not against the first amendment? How could you fit the defintion for prohibiting the free exercise of religion any more than tearing down places where people exercise their religion? On what grounds would we be able to do this? Why would we want to do this?

You, my friend, have lost your mind.