Frank Rich: The Right's Criticism Of The Islamic Cultural Center Destroys Their Case For Afghanistan

New York Times:

The prime movers in the campaign against the "ground zero mosque" just happen to be among the last cheerleaders for America's nine-year war in Afghanistan. The wrecking ball they're wielding is not merely pounding Park51, as the project is known, but is demolishing America's already frail support for that war, which is dedicated to nation-building in a nation whose most conspicuous asset besides opium is actual mosques.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[jimbatto]

09:52 AM on 09/11/2010

The controversy surrounding the proposed Islam Cultural Center near Ground Zero presents our country and the city of New York with an opportunity to demonstrate our religious diversity, tolerance and desire for freedom. Instead of trying to stop the building of the Islamic center, we should do all we can to encourage the establishment of an all faiths cultural center district representing all religions on the same block or within blocks of this center. Imagine a Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhism and all faiths neighborhood where people can visit, learn and discuss our similarities as well as our differences.

[antmousie]

06:52 PM on 08/23/2010

The sheeple don't see the contradiction. Do they really understand what is going on?

[willandjansdad]

10:57 AM on 08/23/2010

The difference between Islamofascists and Christofascists is simply one of degree.

[wallyone]

09:45 AM on 08/23/2010

Just another internal contradiction of the right wing.

And thanks to Gingrich for injecting the straw man of Shiria law into the rampant fear mongering. May he rot....

I am almost in tears over my beloved country.

[SocialistBoy]

11:18 AM on 08/23/2010

May I join you!??

[Countess]

09:33 AM on 08/23/2010

Bashing foreigners has always paid electoral dividends in America and this latest episode of mass ignorance and hatred is no different. We should pay close attention to see which few politicians will have the guts to challenge the mob and respect them irregardless of their party affiliation.

[antmousie]

06:37 PM on 08/23/2010

It's certainly refreshing when they do, on those rare occasions.

[ChicagoSuz]

04:00 AM on 08/23/2010

It's a good article... even has a few of those pesky facts thrown in.

[SteveSFM]

05:19 PM on 08/23/2010

Which is why it confuses and frightens the wingnuts.

[antmousie]

06:55 PM on 08/23/2010

They're not confused, they only take "news" from the direct-to-brain daily downloads. Other than that, they don't even see it.

[cbwHouston]

03:21 AM on 08/23/2010

In summary, it’s boils down to the old fabled tale: “The straw that broke the camel's back!"

Fox News' full-throttle Islamophobia will erode what's left of Afghan confidence... watching Muslim-Americans daily demonized, any subsequent surge-strategies implemented by Gen. Patraeus are now gravely jeopardized... even the overall Afghanistan War Mission.

Combine Fox New’s Islamophobia with Wikileaks Julian Assange divulging “Top Secrete” military data, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai ousting all "Mafia-like" private contractors, and “whoop there it is:" President Obama's “get out of jail free card”… rather “get out of Afghanistan now card.”

Fox News quite literally may have achieved that which the Netroots dared even aspire: so Imperil President Obama’s Afghanistan policy it's deemed futile.

Recent AP-poll indicating “6 out of 10” Americans now oppose the Afghanistan War effort. Now that's nearing former President Johnson’s Vietnamization poll-numbers.

A gifted-wrapped premature Exist Strategy, all thanks to Fox News morphing a local Lower Manhattan community issue into that of a national… international, partisan political-imbroglio.

President Obama, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, and Gen. David Petraeus now seriously will have to contemplate a responsible end to this conflict.

While not a a ticker-tape parade along 45-51 Park Place, in the coming days, weeks, and/or months upon America shuttling its Afghanistan War Mission, Americans need only to thank Fox News if they yet deem America unsafe.

And to think, Fox News' parent company News Corps' largest shareholders themselves are Saudi Muslims?

[UpFromLiberalism]

03:17 AM on 08/23/2010

the left readily admit they want to silence opponents via eliminating freedom of speech.

Nancy Pelosi Questions Opponents Of 'Ground Zero Mosque'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/18/nancy-pelosi-calls-for-pr_n_686049.html

Daniel Blatt over at Gay Patriot has the best take:

Why, may I ask, does she need to know how this is being “ginned up”? Why can’t she jut take issue with their arguments without casting aspersions at their motives?

Wonder if she also wants to investigate her Senate counterpart, Harry Reid who thinks the mosque should be built elsewhere? Guess she’ll also be calling for an investigation of Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid, director of Al-Arabiya TV who wrote that the “last thing Muslims want today is to build just a religious center out of defiance to the others, or a symbolic mosque that people visit as a museum next to a cemetery.

http://www.gaypatriot.net/2010/08/18/has-nancy-pelosi-read-the-first-amendment/

[Democrattothecore]

03:30 AM on 08/23/2010

Gay patriot's blog is the most saddest things I have ever read. Does the man honestly think republicans will bring him gay marriage? Oh what a twist of irony that would be.

[UpFromLiberalism]

03:39 AM on 08/23/2010

Good old liberal debate tactics

If asked direct questions about the news you have provided, respond indirectly. Never actually answer the specific of the question.

Accuse your opponent of being uninformed. This works especially well when you are asked to provide your sources. It is especially effective if you work in a reference to someone you have already demonized. rush and beck and fox news are currently the demons of choice.

Change the subject.

[cartach]

04:22 AM on 08/23/2010

As more and more of the hypocritical right come out of the closet that might become a disrinct possibility.

[efffox]

03:37 AM on 08/23/2010

The left do NOT want to silence critics by eliminating free speech - that's complete b.s.!!! All we really want is to debate using TRUTH and FACTS - not lies and innuendo - which seems to be all the righties have left! If you can't win your argument without manipulating and deceiving - then you have a pretty weak argument to begin with. FAIL!

[Privatepractice]

05:57 AM on 08/23/2010

Had to FAN you. Talking about throwing the baby out with the bath water. Well these folks will do anything even if it means ripping the country apart for the sake of power. How can they say they love this country yet will do anything including destroying the country just for votes to again lead and do more distruction? And are people so easily led that they believe every single propaganda / mud slinging nonsense the Rethugs utter? No this cannot be happening. Their followers especially the poor, gays and even muslims cannot be so blinded by their agenda to support them so who are these people out there protesting for them while they are in the comforts of their mansions? Are they being paid? There must be more to this sheep like behavior of their supporters. They cannot be that stupid to be used as puppets.

[JudgeMoonbox]

09:57 PM on 08/23/2010

"The left do NOT want to silence critics by eliminating free speech - that's complete b.s.!!! All we really want is to debate using TRUTH and FACTS "

Is there a difference? In either case, the cons won't be able to speak.

[AlGionfriddo]

03:07 AM on 08/23/2010

FOX is the enemy of truth and clear thinking. Too many Americans are little better than uneducated rubes. It's a free country... and FOX gets people to vote against their own self interest by using demagoguery and scaremongering. It's Father Coughlin on steroids. These people are very dangerous fanatics.

[Privatepractice]

06:02 AM on 08/23/2010

B.I.N.G.O!!! And FAN! How can we send Murdock back down under and give Ailes the runs for about a lifetime? WHO are these people and who is driving their agenda? Just imagine this great country is being held hostage by these two clowns and their minions!

[antmousie]

07:11 PM on 08/23/2010

That's why it's so important for the rest of the media to keep reporting about these people. If they are ignored, while being fostered by FOX, they can grow and fester without anyone knowing what is going on.

[MajorJim]

02:28 AM on 08/23/2010

Thank you Mr. Rich, this should be the main talking points for those who want to make this controversy an issue this election season:

The Republicans and their supporters are helping Al Qaida by creating a manufactured controversy over this mosque issue, CALL THEM OUT ON IT!!!

[AnimalLover6]

02:51 AM on 08/23/2010

They've been "called out" on this crap for two years now. They don't care. Don't you get that? What they care about is stopping national discourse on the issues that matter. Week after week, they create a distraction in order to stall the system: stall Obama's progressive efforts, confuse the uneducated, infuriate the educated, etc. The important thing is that the nation remain in a state of reaction to THEM. That THEY dominate the cultural discourse of the nation. And they are succeeding. They are succeeding because the media promotes them as legitimate voices of the nation. If no media showed up at their stupid rallies, if CNN and MSNBC and HuffPo never reported and never reacted, their power would be gone. Instead, HuffPo and Olbermann and Maddow take the bait. Every single day. And the rest of us are forced to witness the spectacle. It amazes me that the Left STILL has not learned this lesson.

[evgolightly]

02:21 AM on 08/23/2010

Bravo. This illuminating article should be read and debated in classrooms across America.

I say this with tears of frustration and outrage at what has become of the USA, and how easily too many of our citizens are repeatedly manipulated through blatant propaganda.

[geelyn2]

02:53 AM on 08/23/2010

They have torn this country to shreds all because of their hatred for those who are different.

[antmousie]

06:50 PM on 08/23/2010

Fear of losing their Supremacy.

[gevan]

02:07 AM on 08/23/2010

The Anti-American crowd who wish to "move" the Islamic Center are buying into the same argument which that criminal gang of terrorists use in claiming the American troops in the Middle East are "too close" to their holy places.

[kaymalo]

02:00 AM on 08/23/2010

Dr Laura's N word rant is a stab in the heart from the right. She has the right but is wrong

[rossitheaussi]

01:57 AM on 08/23/2010

Amen to that Mr Rich, shame on them all, for their insideous propaganda.

[timesprout]

01:46 AM on 08/23/2010

I recently saw Penn & Teller's Bu.llSh$t episode on the rebuilding of Ground Zero and after watching it I was so ashamed of the outrage over this community center 2 blocks away when nary a peep was heard about the ridiculously botched non-effort to rebuild the World Trade Center, most of which is still not completed, 9 years later. We've really got our priorities screwed up.