Ground Zero Mosque Debate Rolls On; People Cannot Separate Islam from Terrorism

Reading today's New York Times article on New Yorkers' take on the Cordoba House really disappointed me. A key aspect of this entire project that people are completely failing to grasp is the connection (or lack thereof) of everyday Islam to terrorism. The article quotes people delusional enough to start naming how many blocks away from Ground Zero would be appropriate for a mosque to be located.

Mosque Debate Shows Democrats' Inability to Stay on Message

During the health care debate I was livid over the Democratic Party's inability to form a coherent, usable message to galvanize the electorate and pass progressive health care legislation. My post yesterday on Harry Reid's kowtowing to anti-property rights folks further shows Democrats' inability to be unified on any issue. If there were an issue that Democrats could be 100% together on, this would, and should, be it.

But from the word "go" the Democrats have resembled the Mets front office rather than a functioning body politic. Hoping to allow the Republicans to talk about Cordoba House until they got bored (akin to allowing a child to throw a temper tantrum in the hopes that he/she will simply tire him/herself out) and sidestep the mosque as a campaign issue, the Democrats seemed to be caught off guard by Obama's statement alluding to a "mosque in Lower Manhattan."

Harry Reid: Do Not Build Ground Zero Mosque

There is a great quote from one of the cinematic masterpieces of our time that I believe encapsulates Harry Reid's asking the Cordoba House to not build at Park51. In Super Troopers Police Chief Grady tells Captain O'Hagan that "Desperation is a stinky cologne." In that case, Harry Reid simply reeks. He put out a statement today, after being pressured by Sharron Angle, his opponent for his Senate seat, on the Ground Zero Mosque. Reid's statement explained, "The First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built some place else."

It is no secret that Reid's battle in Nevada is not going as well as he would hope. It's also no secret that Nevada is a relatively conservative state and its constituents would probably not like to see a Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan (even if it is over 2,000 miles away from the site.) It seems that Reid is going the way of John McCain in the hopes of clinging to his Senate seat, integrity be damned. What's most baffling is that it seems Reid is taking the advice of Sharron Angle's press release that had urged him to take a side in the matter. Her statement said, "As the Majority Leader, Harry Reid is usually President Obama's mouthpiece in the U.S. Senate, and yet he remains silent on this issue. Reid has a responsibility to stand up and say no to the mosque at Ground Zero or once again side with President Obama." Obviously, he chose the former.