philbymon wrote:
Are you suggesting that Fox's argument was a more correct one?
The Fox pundits didn't have an argument. They alluded to questionable ties by this Imam to radicals, and they called for the list of major donors to be looked into. I don't think that is unreasonable, given the sensitive nature of the project in relation to it's location, as basically a part of ground zero.
But... Claiming that Obama was raised as a Muslim and attended a Madrasah as a child? Both stories were untrue, but that didn't stop Fox from claiming that it was true, on their morning show, during the elections.
THAT was improper, and shoddy reporting.... Not this!
philbymon wrote:
Or was it sneaky snide questions & remarks used to cloak their overall desire to keep us divided
Fox News has no secret desire to "divide" us. They have a very open and obvious desire to... be successful, and to... MAKE MONEY! Sensational stories keeps ratings up. But with 70% of the public against this Mosque, the story is ALREADY sensational. They don't need to make anything up.
They are calling for public disclosure of the secret donors behind this. This thing is in effect, a part of ground zero, and it costs a staggering 100 Million dollars U.S. - It's not just Fox... "I" would like to know what organizations have committed funds to the project. So too, I believe, would the MAJORITY of Americans!
philbymon wrote:
That's the only reason that the major investor, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, would put up with their bullshit, ain't it? They're making him $.
I think it is obvious, that BOTH BILLIONAIRES, plan on making money off EACH OTHER! Personally I think their joint project, an Arab News Show that will compete with Al Jazeera, could be very powerful, in offering the Arab world a more independent voice in news, spoken in their own language. Maybe it will give them REAL choices, and open some minds?
philbymon wrote:
Look, I freely admit that I think it's in very poor taste for any moslem to WANT to put a mosque in the location where terrorists killed so many in the name of his religion.
I don't think it is in poor taste myself. The initial feeling, I admit, is one of shock or incredulousness, but a little logic, tells someone, that it is wrong to blame an entire religion, for the radicals among it's ranks. There are plenty of "Christians" responsible for heinous and even terrorist acts, but we can't blame the religion itself, for the whackos who claim allegiance to that particular faith.
I agree with Obama on this, that Muslims have just as much right to purchase property and use it for their religion, as Christians or Buddhists do! If the group backed down, it would be, in effect, a decree, accepting blame and responsibility for 9/11.
But realizing that many (hell... MOST) Americans, will not separate themselves from the EMOTION of the issue, and deal only in the facts, I think they would have been wiser, to call it a "Peace Center" or maybe: "The Muslim Center for Interfaith Dialogue" billing it as a place of dialogue for interfaith cooperation, and a better understanding of Muslim theology.
But too much pandering, and they look like they are accepting guilt for something that is probably NONE of their faults.
I would have liked to see donations coming in from MANY RELIGIONS for a project like that, with these other faiths making the statement... "We support your peaceful project, and we won't let the extremist radicals prevent progress, in interfaith dialogue, and we won't allow radicals to get away with acting as if THEY are the voice of Islam.
Something like that would have shown sensitivity by the Muslims creating this project, and would have shown a higher nature, by those of other faiths... hell... by AMERICA herself! A statement that Americans oppose VIOLENT RADICALS, but not the Muslim religion as a whole.