August 6–The Weekly Standard reports today that three senators oppose the so-called “Ground-Zero Mosque.” So called because: 1) proposal is for a community center that includes a mosque and 2) the proposal is not at Ground-Zero. Rather, it is several blocks away. By calling it the “Ground-Zero Mosque” the media and demogogic politicians who oppose it, are intensifying fears and falsehoods.

 

The problem with Senators McCain’s, Isakson’s, and Snowe’s argument is that it is based on flawed logic and layers demogoguery on top of demogoguery that has convinced too many Americans that there is something intrinsically wrong about the Muslim faith. (There is not.) After 9/11, in response to the emotional need of people for someone to blame, many politicians equated all Muslims with the subgroup of terrorists called Al Qaeda. This is flawed basic logic but it served and serves the demagogic needs of politicians and the emotional needs of a traumatized population. What would it have been like had politicians led instead of followed after 9/11? Instead, they further victimized the families of those who died in the 9/11 attacks by feeding them and us falsehoods.

 

The logic being used to argue against the community center and mosque is this: 9/11 Terrorists were Muslims, therefore all Muslims = terrorists. If we applied this logic to other areas of life, the following would be true:

 

–Dogs are mammals, therefore all mammals are dogs

 

–Women are humans, therefore all humans are women

 

–Brazil is a country, therefore all countries are Brazil

 

–Oklahoma City terrorists were white men, therefore all white men are terrorists (including Sens. McCain and Isakson)

 

Enough is enough! Bigotry is bigotry! Senators McCain, Snowe, and Isakson are either bigoted against our Muslim sisters and brothers or they are manipulating the fears of non-Muslim Americans for political gain.