Whatever, now he's setup a scenario where he must answer his own riddle by defining wisdom. In answering, will he recoil back to the First Amendment strawman, beating up on conservatives for Islamohate while calling them unpatriotic? Can he, at this point? If he does they'll continue to pester him about his waffling wisdom.
Or will he try to pretend he never said it, hoping the media eventually forget? Never underestimate that play.
Or will he shock everyone and take the Harry Reid path, throwing Muslims under the bus to help him with the bitter clingers and blue dogs? Maybe he can slip out an 'off-the-record' comment as he did with the Grammys (what a jackass). Since no official action would be taken it wouldn't really subvert his earlier words while serving notice to the mosque in that Chicago way.
That would also negate the need to fire Rauf as a State Dept emissary since he couldn't very well be kept on with the big guy questioning his wisdom. And they do not want to fire him.
Oh well, the constitutional law prof will think of something. Maybe he can consider a hypothetical where Fred Phelps buys some acreage right next to Arlington National Cemetery and proposes a 13 story church with a middle finger monument pointing at the graves. Hmm.
We await the exciting conclusion to this episode of 'The Moderate Muslim' starring Salmon Rushdie as Obama, brought to you by Mullah Flakes.
Meanwhile, this was posted here back in May, which proves that right wingers such as Geller have not been in favor of subverting the First Amendment despite Obama's scolding.
By the way, where in the world is Faisal Rauf anyway? The last State Department mention of the Imam's excellent adventure occurred on the 11th, as follows:
QUESTION: On another topic, can you just tell us if there are any more details on Imam Feisal Rauf’s trip to the Middle East?There have been two State press briefings since he went off looking for info and an interim story by Claudia Rosett. Is Rauf out of Blackberry range or something?
MR. CROWLEY: None beyond what I announced yesterday.
QUESTION: Do you have –
QUESTION: Can you say what days he’s going to be in what countries just for our foreign outlets –
MR. CROWLEY: Let me see what I can find out.
MORE 8/17/10
Various supporters of Rauf, when quizzed, simply cannot disagree with his view that America was partially responsible for 9/11. But what about that? What does he think Clinton did to provoke it? After all, surely he's not talking about W, who was only in office a few months before the attack and AFTER Mohammed Atta and crew had arrived. Why is Rauf blaming Clinton?
2 comments:
Let's see what the President said...
"Now, that's not to say that religion is without controversy. Recently, attention has been focused on the construction of mosques in certain communities -– particularly New York. Now, we must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of Lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country. And the pain and the experience of suffering by those who lost loved ones is just unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. And Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.
"But let me be clear. As a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. (Applause.) And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America. And our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country and that they will not be treated differently by their government is essential to who we are. The writ of the Founders must endure."
Obviously this isn't a popular statement, because xenophobia is popular these days, but what else would the President of the United States say? Should polls dictate whether or not we adhere to the principals of freedom of religion or freedom of speech?
"Let me be clear". That's usually followed by a strawman about 100 feet tall, and he didn't disappoint. There was no reason to scold anyone on the constitution when the constitution was never in jeopardy. So why did he do it, and not just come out with an opinion like Reid?
Well, I see you dropped the xenophobe card--which was probably the reason he did it--to stir up his political enemies. Mission accomplished.
As to freedom of speech, good point. We have it, and are using it to oppose the mosque. But you know what? If they build it, they build it. The call to prayer will probably echo down to ground zero when the wind is right but hey, that's our system.
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