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Ron Paul On Mosque Opposition: "All About Hate, Islamaphobia"
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 23, 2010
Modified Aug 23, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 23, 2010
Modified Aug 23, 2010
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Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is speaking up in favor of the not-really-at-Ground Zero mosque! A strong defender of property rights, he's shared his thoughts on the proposed mosque and community center planned for 45-47 Park Place—and he basically thinks that the project's opponents are narrow-minded, bigoted demagogues! Here's an excerpt:
The debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque.
Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be “sensitive” requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from “ground zero.”...
The outcry over the building of the mosque, near ground zero, implies that Islam alone was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. According to those who are condemning the building of the mosque, the nineteen suicide terrorists on 9/11 spoke for all Muslims. This is like blaming all Christians for the wars of aggression and occupation because some Christians supported the neo-conservative’s aggressive wars...
This is all about hate and Islamaphobia.
We now have an epidemic of “sunshine patriots” on both the right and the left who are all for freedom, as long as there’s no controversy and nobody is offended.
Political demagoguery rules when truth and liberty are ignored.
Paul also points out, "The nineteen suicide bombers didn’t come from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran. Fifteen came from our ally Saudi Arabia, a country that harbors strong American resentment, yet we invade and occupy Iraq where no al Qaeda existed prior to 9/11."
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9/11
ground zero mosque
islamophobia
mosque
never forget
property rights
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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