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Mosque Debate: Keith Ellison"Gets It," While Harry Reid Gets In the Way
Minnesota Congressman Keith
Ellison did a terrific job of explaining Monday why Democrats ought not
fear the sad little debate about whether to allow a moderate
Muslim group to build an Islamic Center near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Aug 17, 2010
Minnesota Congressman Keith
Ellison did a terrific job of explaining Monday why Democrats ought not
fear the sad little debate about whether to allow a moderate
Muslim group to build an Islamic Center near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Asked on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" whether President Obama's
support of a New York group's right to develop the Islamic Center would
hurt Democrats running in this fall's volatile election cycle,
the Minneapolis Democrat who was the first Muslim elected to
Congress answered: "Absolutely not."
"The truth is that we're a party of principle," Ellison continued. "We believe in the idea of religious liberty."
In fact, despite Republiacn harping on the issue, Ellison argued that
Democrats can and should position themselves as the party that respects
the whole Constitution -- including the part about "freedom of
religion."
"There's also a more important principle at work here: And that is that
the transnational terrorists who committed this outrageous act on 9/11,
they are arguing that America is at war with Islam," explained
the Minnesota Democrat, who has at the behest of the Bush and Obama
administrations taken to the international stage to champion the
U.S. commitment of the United States to religious diverity. "The
way to undermine and counteract that false narrative is to stand on our
sacredly held beliefs of religious liberty. That's how we demonstrate
that, no, America is a country ... for everyone where people worship as
they see fit. The problem with stopping this Islamic center is that it
implies that the Muslim world is responsible for it, when it was al
Qaeda that was responsible."
Ellison was offering Democrats exactly the counsel they need.
Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn't listening. The
embattled Nevada Democrat joined right-wing radio hosts, Republicans
flamers and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman in the chorus of
oppositiuon to construction of the Islamic Center in southern
Manhattan.
"The First Amendment protects freedom of religion," read a statement from Reid's office. "Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else."
Ellison's right. His Democratic Party is "a party of principle" -- and a
party that has faith in the American people to reject the spin and
embrace the Constitution.
Unfortunately, Harry Reid is a member of the other Democratic Party -- the one that never quite "gets it.".
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John Nichols
John Nichols is Washington correspondent for The Nation and associate editor of The Capital Times in Madison, Wisconsin. His books co-authored with Robert W. McChesney are: "Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex is Destroying America" (2014), "The Death and Life of American Journalism: The Media Revolution that Will Begin the World Again" (2011), and "Tragedy & Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy" (2006). Nichols' other books include: "The "S" Word: A Short History of an American Tradition...Socialism" (2015), "Dick: The Man Who is President (2004) and "The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism" (2006).
Minnesota Congressman Keith
Ellison did a terrific job of explaining Monday why Democrats ought not
fear the sad little debate about whether to allow a moderate
Muslim group to build an Islamic Center near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Asked on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" whether President Obama's
support of a New York group's right to develop the Islamic Center would
hurt Democrats running in this fall's volatile election cycle,
the Minneapolis Democrat who was the first Muslim elected to
Congress answered: "Absolutely not."
"The truth is that we're a party of principle," Ellison continued. "We believe in the idea of religious liberty."
In fact, despite Republiacn harping on the issue, Ellison argued that
Democrats can and should position themselves as the party that respects
the whole Constitution -- including the part about "freedom of
religion."
"There's also a more important principle at work here: And that is that
the transnational terrorists who committed this outrageous act on 9/11,
they are arguing that America is at war with Islam," explained
the Minnesota Democrat, who has at the behest of the Bush and Obama
administrations taken to the international stage to champion the
U.S. commitment of the United States to religious diverity. "The
way to undermine and counteract that false narrative is to stand on our
sacredly held beliefs of religious liberty. That's how we demonstrate
that, no, America is a country ... for everyone where people worship as
they see fit. The problem with stopping this Islamic center is that it
implies that the Muslim world is responsible for it, when it was al
Qaeda that was responsible."
Ellison was offering Democrats exactly the counsel they need.
Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn't listening. The
embattled Nevada Democrat joined right-wing radio hosts, Republicans
flamers and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman in the chorus of
oppositiuon to construction of the Islamic Center in southern
Manhattan.
"The First Amendment protects freedom of religion," read a statement from Reid's office. "Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else."
Ellison's right. His Democratic Party is "a party of principle" -- and a
party that has faith in the American people to reject the spin and
embrace the Constitution.
Unfortunately, Harry Reid is a member of the other Democratic Party -- the one that never quite "gets it.".
John Nichols
John Nichols is Washington correspondent for The Nation and associate editor of The Capital Times in Madison, Wisconsin. His books co-authored with Robert W. McChesney are: "Dollarocracy: How the Money and Media Election Complex is Destroying America" (2014), "The Death and Life of American Journalism: The Media Revolution that Will Begin the World Again" (2011), and "Tragedy & Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy" (2006). Nichols' other books include: "The "S" Word: A Short History of an American Tradition...Socialism" (2015), "Dick: The Man Who is President (2004) and "The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism" (2006).
Minnesota Congressman Keith
Ellison did a terrific job of explaining Monday why Democrats ought not
fear the sad little debate about whether to allow a moderate
Muslim group to build an Islamic Center near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
Asked on ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" whether President Obama's
support of a New York group's right to develop the Islamic Center would
hurt Democrats running in this fall's volatile election cycle,
the Minneapolis Democrat who was the first Muslim elected to
Congress answered: "Absolutely not."
"The truth is that we're a party of principle," Ellison continued. "We believe in the idea of religious liberty."
In fact, despite Republiacn harping on the issue, Ellison argued that
Democrats can and should position themselves as the party that respects
the whole Constitution -- including the part about "freedom of
religion."
"There's also a more important principle at work here: And that is that
the transnational terrorists who committed this outrageous act on 9/11,
they are arguing that America is at war with Islam," explained
the Minnesota Democrat, who has at the behest of the Bush and Obama
administrations taken to the international stage to champion the
U.S. commitment of the United States to religious diverity. "The
way to undermine and counteract that false narrative is to stand on our
sacredly held beliefs of religious liberty. That's how we demonstrate
that, no, America is a country ... for everyone where people worship as
they see fit. The problem with stopping this Islamic center is that it
implies that the Muslim world is responsible for it, when it was al
Qaeda that was responsible."
Ellison was offering Democrats exactly the counsel they need.
Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn't listening. The
embattled Nevada Democrat joined right-wing radio hosts, Republicans
flamers and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman in the chorus of
oppositiuon to construction of the Islamic Center in southern
Manhattan.
"The First Amendment protects freedom of religion," read a statement from Reid's office. "Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else."
Ellison's right. His Democratic Party is "a party of principle" -- and a
party that has faith in the American people to reject the spin and
embrace the Constitution.
Unfortunately, Harry Reid is a member of the other Democratic Party -- the one that never quite "gets it.".
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