[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Alex

And why would that be? Because atomic bombs killed a lot of people there. That's not remotely analogous to a mosque and 9/11.

It is to many people. Radical Islamic terrorists are certainly responsible for 9/11. When the Imam won't condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization, it raises questions about his sensitivities.

Fine. Again not remotely analogous until people start opposing the temple because a Mormon offshoot of polygamous engaged in pedophilia and forced marriage of young girls. And when that happens I'll take the exact same stance in defense of the Mormons.

I was simply pointing out the obvious in that there are a variety of reasons that things are protested in response to GD's point of the uproar if other projects were protested. It was simply one that came to mind because it's local.

The idea that a mosque is inherently in poor taste and insensitive is entirely based on a faulty assumption.

And I'll credit you with honest doubts about sensitivity. But having read the comments on most discussions on this topic I can't help but feel you're relatively isolated in that view. They always seem to devolve quickly from concerns over appropriateness to just hatred of Muslims in general.

Those that are bigoted and hateful are always the loudest. This does not discount that there are others that think this could be handled better, nor does it mean that everyone who thinks this is a bad idea is a bigot or an Islamophobe. Imagine the good will that could be generated toward the Islamic community if the Imam had at least agreed to meet with (and followed though on the meeting) Patterson and discussed moving the site. As I said earlier, they have the right to build there and no one is stopping them. Moving the center would be seen as a tremendous act of good will and would be a remarkable public relations move on behalf of this Imam. Certainly doesn't have to. But it might be a good idea.

It couldn't just be that it was seized upon as an election season billy club, could it?

It most certainly could be just that. That's what politics is, I suppose. I admittedly don't know anything about the Imam prior to this become big news.

Really? Then why are proposed mosques hundreds and thousands of miles away being protested and opposed?

I never said they weren't. But they aren't the huge story that this is. In fact, I even said the center would likely still be protested if built further away, but it wouldn't be the huge uproar it is now.