Obama makes proposed mosque in New York a national issue

The controversy surrounding a proposed Islamic center and mosque near the site of the 9/11 attacks in New York City has gone from a local issue to a national one, with President Obama smack in the middle.

Obama sought to clarify his position Saturday, saying that Muslims have the right to build a cultural center, but declining to say whether it's good idea to build it so close to Ground Zero.

"In this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion," Obama told reporters in Florida. "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about."

Some of Obama's Republican critics said the Islamic center at that location is a bad idea, and criticized his remarks.

"This is not an issue of law, whether religious freedom or local zoning," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "This is a basic issue of respect for a tragic moment in our history."

Another discussion of the mosque issue can be found on our Faith & Reason blog.

The mosque/New York issue dominated the Sunday talk shows. A sampling:

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, on Fox News Sunday: "It's unwise to build a mosque at the site where 3,000 Americans lost their lives as a result of a terrorist attack. And I think to me it demonstrates that Washington, the White House, the administration, the president himself seems to be disconnected from the mainstream of America."

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. on CNN's State of The Union: "Islam did not attack us ... It is only insensitive if you regard Islam as the culprit, as opposed to al-Qaeda as the culprit."

Democratic Party chairman Tim Kaine, speaking on CBS' Face The Nation: "This wouldn't be a controversy if it was a proposal to build a synagogue or a church ... I'm not the New York zoning commissioner, don't know the reason for the siting decision, but we can't stop people from doing something that others could do because of the religion they practice."

GOP strategist Ed Rollins, also on CBS: "It was probably the dumbest thing that any president has said or candidate has said since Michael Dukakis said it was OK to burn the flag. And it was very similar. This is an emotional issue. Intellectually, the president may be right, but this is an emotional issue, and people who lost kids, brothers, sisters, fathers, what have you, do not want that mosque in New York, and it's going to be a big, big issue for Democrats across this country."

Obama's initial comments about the mosque came Friday night during remarks at an Iftar dinner for Ramadan.

Regarding the New York situation, Obama said:

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. 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 unshakable. 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.

White House spokesman Bill Burton said Obama's clarification Saturday does not mean he is backing off his Friday comments.

"It is not his role as president to pass judgment on every local project," Burton said. "But it is his responsibility to stand up for the constitutional principle of religious freedom and equal treatment for all Americans. What he said last night, and reaffirmed today, is that if a church, a synagogue or a Hindu temple can be built on a site, you simply cannot deny that right to those who want to build a mosque."

Organizations of 9/11 survivors are divided by the president's comments.

"We are stunned by the president's willingness to disregard what Americans should be proud of: Our enduring generosity to others on 9/11, a day when human decency triumphed over human depravity," said Debra Burlingame, co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe & Strong America.

Donna Marsh O'Connor, spokesperson for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, praised the president.

"We lost our family members on 9/11/2001, but will not lose our nation, too," O'Connor said. "America, the concept and the people and the land, thrive when we chose to trust in our principles rather than cave to our basest fears."

(Posted by David Jackson)