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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

I've changed my mind, build the Ground Zero area mosque

Posted on Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 12:35 PM

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I've changed my mind on the Ground Zero mosque.

I opposed it but now I want to see it built.

I now see the damage that will be done to America's reputation worldwide if we don't allow it to go ahead.

From Pakistan to Persia they are lining up to slam the Great Satan America if we don't give the permission.

We should not play into their hands, especially since these countries have only the slightest understanding of democratic rules anyway.

Watching BBC World News this morning, the main story was threats by the Pakistani Taliban against foreign aid workers helping the desperate victims of the terrible floods there.

These are the kind of dreadful haters we are up against world wide.

I think we can show them and the watching world that we value free speech even when it clearly hurts so many vulnerable Americans in the wake of 9/11.

That is the greatest strength of this country, disagreeing with what someone says but giving them the right to say it

I've also come to hate the hypocrisy of some of those who oppose --like the idiot minister in Florida who is ready to burn Korans on 9/11.

Or The Murdock-controlled publications, who , while railing against Saudi Arabian money for the Mosque, have neatly hid the facts that one of their main investors is a Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

How's that for hypocrisy? Saudi Arabia supplied 15 of the hijackers on 9/11.

Let's show the world what America is made of and why what makes us great is we value human rights, free speech and the right to be different.

I share no fond thoughts of the religion that will be practiced in the new mosque.

The treatment of women,the stoning of adulterers, the blinding of young girls going to school are all part of a lunatic fringe that is tolerated by the mainstream muslims far too much.

But maybe the way forward is to show and lead by example like New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is doing.

So build the mosque or the community center or whatever it is called.

Let's move on. We have more important things to focus on

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101 Comments

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Temerity | Sep 12, 2010, 10:38 PM EDT

DennisQ I dont give a rat's A wether it is being used as a political foorball or not.Bottom line they should have enough sensitivity to know that it is bad form to blatantly erect a monument persay to the terrorist attack by Muslums911 on America. If showing no will or back bone when their fellow citizens are killed maimed and burnt alive when only doing their job working to make America a better place Is that kind of jelly back bone what America is about.I don't think so!Please spare me that collective guilt psychology crap.As long as it is common knowledge that those who carried out the attack were Muslims who lived among their American neighbours then that's it.Unless you can prove otherwise.? Build it some place else is all I am saying out of courtesy and respect for those who lost their lives.and their loved one's who still bear the pain and sorrow.

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hancock | Sep 05, 2010, 08:00 PM EDT

I don't care about dancing Israelis, screw them. A lot of people deserted the US army and a lot of people were involved in that riot. I'M not sure what your point is besides bashing The 19 century Irish. They were not exactly treated well by the native populace at the time but still managed to serve in overwhelming numbers in all wars in this countries history. I like that you use Scorcese movies as your research. Maybe we will see Muslims who are treted infinitely better in the 21 century step up to the plate in their new adopted country. I guess anything is possible

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Edinboron | Sep 05, 2010, 07:40 PM EDT

Do a search on the dancing Israelis, 9/11. It's there, see for yourself. Did Catholics 150 years ago kill thousands of Americans? Maybe, maybe not, but a bunch of them deserted from the US Army, joined the Mexican army and then fought against America. Some engaged in pretty big riots to protest being drafted to fight the Civil War. In Gangs of New York the author claimed 2000 people died in the rioting.

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hancock | Sep 05, 2010, 07:34 PM EDT

The down under wonder, is that all you got , spellcheck?

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seanomelbourne | Sep 05, 2010, 07:26 PM EDT

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee Hancocks off the planet he's so angry he misspells words. Well I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that is the reason for his misspellings.

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hancock | Sep 05, 2010, 04:12 PM EDT

I aaw what my own eyes what happened. You want to call me a liar ? You didn't see what happened but you know for a fact that it did. You got some pair of balls. Those Israelis should have gotten their heads handed to them if what you didn't see is true. Did Catholics 150 years ago kill thousands of Americans?

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Edinboron | Sep 05, 2010, 01:34 PM EDT

I believe you think it happened but I know for a fact there were Israelis dancing and celebrating. They were apprehended and arrested, to be released later. 150 years ago people were protesting and rioting over Catholic churches being built. They feared Popery and it's insidious influence in America. History repeats itself.

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hancock | Sep 05, 2010, 10:13 AM EDT

They were dancing in the streets in Brooklyn, and were told by somebody with obviously two brain cells to rub together to stop. Their initial reaction was happiness and payback. You can't be so naive to think this happened , could you? I know they were wrong about bombing that day. That proves though that people knew damn well or thought they knew who took out the towers . They ended up being right of course.

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Edinboron | Sep 05, 2010, 08:04 AM EDT

Look, all you've established is that a Middle Eastern looking guy was assaulted for practicing his 1st Amendment rights. But earlier you claimed Muslims were dancing in the streets in NJ and Brooklyn. And whoever told you we were already bombing Afghanistan at 4 on 9/11 was obviously wrong.

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hancock | Sep 04, 2010, 08:50 PM EDT

I'm just tellig you what he said, and what the guy did. Around four o'clock somebody said we were already bombing Afghanistan. The guy wasn't dancing, he was pontificating on a messenger bike. He was soon unconscious and his bike was in a dumpster. P.S. it wasn't a far leap to figure out what happened that day.

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Edinboron | Sep 04, 2010, 05:54 PM EDT

You must have a great intelligence network if you knew who attacked the Trade Center while it was going on. What dance was the guy doing? Electric Slide? 10% of Arabs are Christian. Neither Iraq nor Afghanistan are Arab countries.

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jamieLM | Sep 04, 2010, 05:34 PM EDT

I think they should build a synagogue, a Catholic cathedral, a Protestant church, and a Greek Orthodox church next to the mosque and call them all "recreational community centers."

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hancock | Sep 04, 2010, 02:51 PM EDT

When the guy says America deserves it because of bad foreign policy against Arab contries and looks like a Muslim....he s a Muslim. A guy in a suit laid him out because his sister worked in the towers. I hope she made it.

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hancock | Sep 04, 2010, 12:30 PM EDT

Yeah really, some guy whose sister might have been killed punched him out. He was talking s**t about America foreign policy and yeah hew was Muslim looking. Incidents in Brooklyn as well if you don't think that happened all over country you are naive to the extreme. P.S. screw the Iraelis too, there all a bunch of pains in the a**.

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celticsol | Sep 04, 2010, 11:02 AM EDT

Sorry, I was being a little facetious. just trying to inject a little humor as a way to ease off on all of the anger.

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