The “Ground Zero Mosque” story is unlikely to go away anytime soon.Republican politicians apparently believe it to be an issue that works in their favor, and the media are doing little to challenge the bogus storyline in the first place.
Over at Salon.com, Justin Elliot hasa useful timeline that shows how little controversy the Park51 development attracted early on– even on Fox News Channel:
Dec. 21, 2009: Conservative media personality Laura Ingraham interviews Abdul Rauf’s wife, Daisy Khan, while guest-hosting the O’Reilly Factor on Fox. In hindsight, the segment is remarkable for its cordiality. “I can’t find many people who really have a problem with it,” Ingraham says of the Cordoba project, adding at the end of the interview, “I like what you’re trying to do.”
For the record, Ingraham’s current position is that the Park51 development is a sign that the “terrorists have won.”
Peter, I’m trying to understand this.
Was this during a period when FOX was being heavily criticized for Muslim-bashing, and used this segment to showcase their “tolerance”, not seeing any propaganda upside to making it a cause c
Peter, I’m trying to understand this.
Was this during a period when FOX was being heavily criticized for Muslim-bashing, and used this segment to showcase their “tolerance”, not seeing any propaganda upside to making it a cause c
(Must be the accents for “celebre”. Let’s see if removing them works.)
Peter, I’m trying to understand this.
Was this during a period when FOX was being heavily criticized for Muslim-bashing, and used this segment to showcase their “tolerance”, not seeing any propaganda upside to making it a cause celebre?
But later, as the tea crackpots zeroed in on this and other attacks on Muslim communities, that assessment changed?
Any intel on this?
The terrorists HAVE won – Laura Ingraham, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, et al. Sadly, one of the reasons that have won is the lack of opposition from people who should know better, like President Obama. Outside of Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann, the opposition to this inanity is almost non-existent in the “mainstream” media.
Well, part of the answer to my question might have been revealed in today’s DEMOCRACY NOW! segment on the issue.
Imam Feisal worked with the Bush State Department in its “outreach” to Muslims abroad, so perhaps Ingraham and others of her ilk saw him as a “good Muslim”, open to playing ball with the power structure.
How would the imam characterize his collaboration? He wasn’t a guest, and Goodman and company never saw fit to pursue the matter. In fact, that seemed to be a point in his favor, which might appear to belie the program’s claim to be “The exception to the rulers”.
What do you think?
As someone said on NPR this morning, could we stop calling it the “Ground Zero Mosque”???? Is there a “Ground Zero Starbucks”? A “Ground Zero McDonald’s”? A “Ground Zero Fruit Market”? I think this phrase is demeaning to Islam/Muslims. I think it plays into the hands of the religiphobes that have made this an issue.
I call it the Islamic Mall. How come no one talks about what is going to me inside this Center, besides a Mosque? The boobs are talking like that’s all it is, a Mosque. How stunningly ignorant of those morons.
Then there’s the jobs it will create. How come no one talks about the jobs? I thought that’s what everyone was upset about NOT having before the Mosque became the number one target of hate.
I call it the Islamic Mall. How come no one talks about what is going to be inside this Center, besides a Mosque? The boobs are talking like that’s all it is, a Mosque. How stunningly ignorant of those morons.
Then there’s the jobs it will create. How come no one talks about the jobs? I thought that’s what everyone was upset about NOT having before the Mosque became the number one target of hate.
It’s about the First Amendment, Laura. It is NOT about electoral politics, as you and your ilk are trying to make it. Is there any limit to the hypocritical opportunism that these wingers will descend to in order to make political points with the gullible and unthinking dupes whose limited minds–and VOTES– they are trying to corral??!!
Im one of those Tea bag wingers as you would call it.Here is my take.
Is it stupid?….Yup.Do I believe they are forcing this issue because this was the best place to build a bridge between Muslim’s and the rest of the world?No that is counter intuitive.Do I think this will be home base to the rising up of peace loving muslims against sheria law and radical Islam?Nope..Where are they getting the funding?I’d like to know.What is the head honcho’s feeling on a whole host of things ?Id like to know.But in the end all that is wishing in the wind.Our constitution is clear on this.They have the right to build.Just as that Greek orthodox church has the right to rebuild(well as soon as the government stops fast tracking Muslim churches and quits hampering the building of the Greek church.).
Americans have rights too of course.Union members may come down with the flu or just refuse to work on the Mosque.Non union workers can be picketed.,as well as the sight.A gay club could open on one side and on the other a woman’s legal rights center.Next to that a synagog.It could become our ground zero for protests against islamic extremism(not because this group is tied in at all to that).It will be a great place for that because this will have the media’s eye on it….And for no other reason then we just feel like it.Look they don’t see(or maybe they do)that this is a finger in our eye.But get real people …who is better than delivering a finger to the eye, than a pissed off New yorker?I say welcome to the neighborhood boys…it looks like cloudy days ahead.
P.S I wish of course we had figured out what to do on the sight.I would love building’s higher than those that came down.But we sadly- are broke.So for now it is back to work and hope for a better day ahead.
Mike, learn how to spell and avoid homophone errors.
You are a very spiteful person.