Zoning. For instance, we had to get our dream ranch plans approved before we could build.

The design of the house had to not take away from the neighborhood.

Per Mark Simone, WABC, filling in for Hannity...

***************************

Mark tackled angry liberal callers who were calling the show to defend the construction of the mosque at Ground Zero. Dan from Washington D.C. asked, “What is the legal precedent that doesn’t allow the construction of a mosque.” “This is zoning law, it’s done in every city across America, do you know why there’s no Wal-Mart in Manhattan,” asked Simone, “The city planning board didn’t allow them to.” It’s true there are many who want to politicize this but the truth is, as the families of the 9-11 victims can attest, this is about common sense and a reiteration of why we have zoning laws in the first place. Zoning laws exist to reflect the sentiments of the community and it’s clear the community doesn’t want this mosque on the Ground Zero site.

Imagind if the Klan did put a HQ there.

Imagine the vandalism and attacks from the community that would surely occur.

Now imagine the media describing those actions as racist hate crimes.

You know that's how any anti mosque actions will be reported.

Actually I guess they have the legal "right" to place the building there, though it's pretty apparent it's for insult purposes.

And I don't think for a minute that a similar action by a "non protected" religion would be given the same kowtowing respect.

WSS

I guess libs think nothing is what it is.

Yep. I don't get it, either.

OF COURSE it is a MOSQUE !

you libs really don't get it? really? you really think it isn't "really a mosque" ????

I mean, SERIOUSLY?

******************************

<H1 id=firstHeading class=firstHeading>Mosque</H1>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. Muslims often refer to the mosque by its Arabic name masjid^[1] (Arabic: مسجد‎ — Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmæsdʒɪd] (pl. masājid, Arabic: مساجد‎ — [mæˈsæːdʒɪd]), which literally means a place of prostration. The word "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller, masjids dedicated for daily five prayers and the larger masajid where the daily five prayers and the Friday congregation sermons are held (مسجد جامع, masjid jāmi‘), which is attended by more people and play more roles such as teaching Qur'an.

The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for salat (prayer) (Arabic: صلاة‎, ṣalāt) as well as a center for information, education, and dispute settlement. The Imam leads the prayer.

@ballpeen said:

Are stone layers and brick masons going to take the job?? Steel workers??? Plumbers??? Construction engineers???

These guys will be the first in line.

@calfoxwc said:

Can't you see that the location is what makes it hate speech in intention and action, rather than an oddity ?

In this case, the mosque wouldn't even be of, necessarily, a disreputable group... IF the imam was

an upright, outspoken critic of terrorism.

But THIS imam loves him some Hamas.

And the Cordoba name? forget it. It's hate speech in location, and his intention seems to be just that...

unless inspiring controversy so he and others around the world can claim "see? all muslims must now fight all infidels"

It's the locations, the imam's history and statements and radicalism, the funding, the number of floors that

included 3 floors for the sharia law index project.....

I see it as intimidating hate speech. No one is criticizing the other ONE HUNDRED or so mosques already built

and worshipped in in NYC.

It isnt a mosque.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/20...und-zero-mosque

Things seem awfully heated in America right now; so heated you could probably toast a marshmallow by jabbing it on a stick and holding it toward the Atlantic. Millions are hopping mad over the news that a bunch of triumphalist Muslim extremists are about to build a "victory mosque" slap bang in the middle of Ground Zero.

The planned "ultra-mosque" will be a staggering 5,600ft tall – more than five times higher than the tallest building on Earth – and will be capped with an immense dome of highly-polished solid gold, carefully positioned to bounce sunlight directly toward the pavement, where it will blind pedestrians and fry small dogs. The main structure will be delimited by 600 minarets, each shaped like an upraised middle finger, and housing a powerful amplifier: when synchronised, their combined sonic might will be capable of relaying the muezzin's call to prayer at such deafening volume, it will be clearly audible in the Afghan mountains, where thousands of terrorists are poised to celebrate by running around with scarves over their faces, firing AK-47s into the sky and yelling whatever the foreign word for "victory" is.

I'm exaggerating. But I'm only exaggerating a tad more than some of the professional exaggerators who initially raised objections to the "Ground Zero mosque". They keep calling it the "Ground Zero mosque", incidentally, because it's a catchy title that paints a powerful image – specifically, the image of a mosque at Ground Zero.

When I heard about it – in passing, in a soundbite – I figured it was a US example of the sort of inanely confrontational fantasy scheme Anjem Choudary might issue a press release about if he fancied winding up the tabloids for the 900th time this year. I was wrong. The "Ground Zero mosque" is a genuine proposal, but it's slightly less provocative than its critics' nickname makes it sound. For one thing, it's not at Ground Zero. Also, it isn't a mosque.

Wait, it gets duller. It's not being built by extremists either. Cordoba House, as it's known, is a proposed Islamic cultural centre, which, in addition to a prayer room, will include a basketball court, restaurant, and swimming pool. Its aim is to improve inter-faith relations. It'll probably also have comfy chairs and people who smile at you when you walk in, the monsters.

To get to the Cordoba Centre from Ground Zero, you'd have to walk in the opposite direction for two blocks, before turning a corner and walking a bit more. The journey should take roughly two minutes, or possibly slightly longer if you're heading an angry mob who can't hear your directions over the sound of their own enraged bellowing.

Perhaps spatial reality functions differently on the other side of the Atlantic, but here in London, something that is "two minutes' walk and round a corner" from something else isn't actually "in" the same place at all. I once had a poo in a pub about two minutes' walk from Buckingham Palace. I was not subsequently arrested and charged with crapping directly onto the Queen's pillow. That's how "distance" works in Britain. It's also how distance works in America, of course, but some people are currently pretending it doesn't, for daft political ends.

New York being a densely populated city, there are lots of other buildings and businesses within two blocks of Ground Zero, including a McDonald's and a Burger King, neither of which has yet been accused of serving milkshakes and fries on hallowed ground. Regardless, for the opponents of Cordoba House, two blocks is too close, period. Frustratingly, they haven't produced a map pinpointing precisely how close is OK.

That's literally all I'd ask them in an interview. I'd stand there pointing at a map of the city. Would it be offensive here? What about here? Or how about way over there? And when they finally picked a suitable spot, I'd ask them to draw it on the map, sketching out roughly how big it should be, and how many windows it's allowed to have. Then I'd hand them a colour swatch and ask them to decide on a colour for the lobby carpet. And the conversation would continue in this vein until everyone in the room was in tears. Myself included.

That hasn't happened. Instead, 70% of Americans are opposed to the "Ground Zero mosque", doubtless in many cases because they've been led to believe it literally is a mosque at Ground Zero. And if not . . . well, it must be something significant. Otherwise why would all these pundits be so angry about it? And why would anyone in the media listen to them with a straight face?

According to a recent poll, one in five Americans believes Barack Obama is a Muslim, even though he isn't. A quarter of those who believe he's a Muslim also claimed he talks about his faith too much. Americans aren't dumb. Clearly these particular Americans have either gone insane or been seriously misled. Where are they getting their information?

Sixty per cent said they learned it from the media. Which means it's time for the media to give up.

Seriously, broadcasters, journalists: just give up now. Because either you're making things worse, or no one's paying attention anyway. May as well knock back a few Jagermeisters, unplug the autocue, and just sit there dumbly repeating whichever reality-warping meme the far right wants to go viral this week. What's that? Obama is Gargamel and he's killing all the Smurfs? Sod it. Whatever. Roll titles.

@ballpeen said:

Are stone layers and brick masons going to take the job?? Steel workers??? Plumbers??? Construction engineers???

/s Havent you heard the masons are in with the illuminati. Which is very anti-American so theyll more then happily do it. /s

Oh, and baloney is spelt balogna

Are stone layers and brick masons going to take the job?? Steel workers??? Plumbers??? Construction engineers???

Can't you see that the location is what makes it hate speech in intention and action, rather than an oddity ?

In this case, the mosque wouldn't even be of, necessarily, a disreputable group... IF the imam was

an upright, outspoken critic of terrorism.

But THIS imam loves him some Hamas.

And the Cordoba name? forget it. It's hate speech in location, and his intention seems to be just that...

unless inspiring controversy so he and others around the world can claim "see? all muslims must now fight all infidels"

It's the locations, the imam's history and statements and radicalism, the funding, the number of floors that

included 3 floors for the sharia law index project.....

I see it as intimidating hate speech. No one is criticizing the other ONE HUNDRED or so mosques already built

and worshipped in in NYC.

You think if someone wanted to erect an "eternal flame" in the shape of a giant cross at the site of the Martin Luther King assassination you guys would be as supporting?

If they owned a building near the site and put it inside of the building where no one had to see it (you know, like this mosque is going to be) I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'd be horribly offended if they wanted to do an open-air one where everyone that wanted to see an MLK memorial also had to see, but again, I wouldn't overturn the Constitution simply because I'm offended.

WSS

@vaportrail said:

This is their property. How can you honestly say they shouldn't be allowed to build it? Is it an asshole move on their part? In my opinion, yes. But we CANNOT override the Constitution simply because we're offended.

Oh come on.

You think if someone wanted to erect an "eternal flame" in the shape of a giant cross at the site of the Martin Luther King assassination you guys would be as supporting?

WSS

This is their property. How can you honestly say they shouldn't be allowed to build it? Is it an asshole move on their part? In my opinion, yes. But we CANNOT override the Constitution simply because we're offended.

We have the freedom of speech, but it is irresponsible to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater.

ditto, but burning a cross KKK style to offend blacks in the community is hate speech.

And building the multifunctional ISLAMIC mosque, with the NAME of "CORDOBA",

is in affect, hate speech, intimidation and frightening a whole lot of folks there for good reason.

That lends itself to being wrong. It is the LOCATION and the CORDOBA that is a hate speech slap

in the face to Americans all over the country, and intentionally so.

It must not be built THERE. There are plenty of mosques in NYC. Over a hundred, I believe I read.

that could be from overseas supporters of terrorism?

That's not a good enough reason to stop it from being built.

With the sharia law index project?

What is your opinion on that? don't just go by this author, then, fine.

Research it on the net, and you will get your facts.

Then you should start realizing that this "center" is a trojan horse.

I just googled shariah law index and couldn't find anything that looked remotely reliable. A couple of statements suggesting that they're making Islamic enclaves that will follow Shariah law. I mean, could it happen? Maybe. Would I like it if it did happen, no, Shariah law scares the piss out of me. Muslims that want the whole world to be Muslim scare the shit out of me. Religion scares the shit out of me. However, if they're not breaking any laws (which they likely wouldn't be because you know that these communities will be under a huge microscope once in place, the media, CIA, FBI, etc. will be all over them), then we have no place to stop this from happening.

This is what happened earlier in America, all sorts of Christians grouped together to practice their religion. The first amendment allows freedom to practice any religion. And if you legally own a building, then I will fight for your right to practice whatever f'cking religion you want to in that building. You can't just throw away the Constitution when it covers a group that you're scared of. Obviously, you keep an eye on them and send spies in to make sure that they're not conspiring to attack us, though it's doubtful they'd be dumb enough to conspire there, when an entire country is suspiciously watching this specific mosque.

When you start saying, oh, this COULD happen, or this MIGHT happen, or that it can only lead to terrorism, then it's a horribly weak argument, and it should be trumped by amendment #1 every single time. This type of argument has as much substance to it as arguments for gun control.

but it doesn't negate the entire line of reasoning.

You'd discount it regardless, yes?

I am fine with the mosque at the pentagon, if there is one.

but a Ground Zero mosque, built by this "imam" ??? With money

that could be from overseas supporters of terrorism?

With the sharia law index project?

What is your opinion on that? don't just go by this author, then, fine.

Research it on the net, and you will get your facts.

Then you should start realizing that this "center" is a trojan horse.

@calfoxwc said:

of the Ground Zero mosque, and the dangers were it to be built:

**************************************************

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-...ear-ground-zero

The Cordoba Initiative mosque near Ground Zero

June 4th, 2010 11:09 pm

.

A deeper look into the Cordoba Initiative and its president, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf

On May 25, Manhattan’s Community Board One voted 29-1 in favor of the mosque, called the Cordoba Initiative, to be built 600-feet from the North Tower’s foot print at Ground Zero.

Prior to the board vote, a second mosque, the Masjid announced plans to build their mosque in the shadows of Ground Zero as well.

Support for such an insult is to be expected by certain segments of American society. Sadly, many freedom loving people with a suicidal grip on the Constitution are also in support of the mosques going up near Ground Zero.

The U.S. is currently engaged in a war effort against Islamic jihadists. True, we are not at war with Islam, but Islam (by decree) is at war with the West and all infidels (non-believers of Allah). There are many occurrences of jihad waged on American soil under the banner of Islam, but none as pivotal or devastating as the terror attacks that occurred on 9/11/2001.

Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, NYC, is one of the sites where Islamic jihadists struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) killing tens of thousands of innocents.

From the rubble of the WTC, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, president of the Cordoba Initiative, called for Islamic dawa and sharia law on American soil, usurping the American Constitution.

Some that pride themselves as Patriots believe it is their constitutional duty to protect that Imam’s “right” to build his Initiative in the shadows of Ground Zero.

The framers did not intend the Constitution to be a suicide pact, nor did the framers desire that the Constitution be used by our enemies or supporters of the same to tear us asunder, or as a tool to promote useful idiots.

Supporters of dawa, jihad and sharia law and the furtherance of the same wrap themselves in a cloak of religious freedom and we say, “Welcome to America.” How easy are we?

What is Dawa?

Simply defined, dawa is a call to Islam. It is the manner in which dawa is utilized that poses the danger to the West.

Robert Spencer, expert on Islamic studies and director of Jihad Watch, explains:

“Dawa is Islamic proselytizing and in Islamic law dawa precedes jihad. You call the nonbelievers to Islam. And if they refuse to accept it, then you initiate a jihad against them. But the whole goal of both dawa and jihad is to impose Islamic law or sharia upon the nonbelievers as a political system, not as a religious one.”

Abu ‘Ubeid Al-Qurashi, Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda lieutenant, Admits to September 11 and Explains Al-Qa'ida's Combat Doctrine; in that doctrine those responsible for creating the rubble at Ground Zero called dawa “integral to triumph in fourth-generation warfare.”

The Islamic Dawa Party, the current ruling Party in Iraq, is rooted in a radical past and along with The Islamic Jihad Organization is linked to the 1983 suicide terrorist bombing of the US embassy in Kuwait.

As mentioned earlier, the president of the Cordoba Initiative, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf calls for sharia law in America and from the WTC Rubble, Islamic Dawa; this is the imam’s own words and in the title and content of his books.

The Cordoba Initiative purchased the property near Ground Zero for 4.85 million-dollars and paid cash (no paper trail).

The Cordoba Initiative: What’s in a Name

The Cordoba Initiative is an organization whose very name makes reference to what was, 1,000 years ago, one of the world’s most advanced cities, Cordoba, Al-Andalus (Spain). This was a city that was politically and religiously dominated by Islam, and a city that was conquered by jihad (holy war).

“History is usually interesting, but always relevant.”- AmericanAngle

Cordoba, Spain was rich with grand mosques and for centuries Spain endured Muslim tyranny, only to be replaced by even more radical Islamic regimes. That was until the Reconquista finally wiped out memories of those dark centuries when Spain had its identity subsumed by being a colony of the Muslims. Not only was Spain reborn, so was a New World.

Imam Faisal’s Cordoba initiative may restore some of Islam’s lost glory. No wonder he calls for dawa from the heart of America; Ground Zero, the site of the rebirth of Islam’s holy war in the West.

Additional Background

The Cordoba Initiative was founded in 2003 by Rauf and is funded by the Malaysian government. Sharia law operates in some Malaysian states and has been applied to non-Muslims in that country. Malays are defined as Muslim by law and forbidden from converting.

Hard-line Islamic law could be introduced across all of Malaysia under reforms proposed by the country's chief justice.

In 2006, Imam Rauf started the Shariah Index Project, which will be carried out by the Cordoba Initiative. In addition to its New York office, the Cordoba initiative has offices in Malaysia.

Faisal Rauf’s father Dr. Muhammad Abdul Rauf (1917-2004) was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brotherhood believes in a radical application of jihad. Their ideology was adopted by terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and Hamas. The Muslim Brotherhood also promotes violence against the U.S. and Israel.

The Nazi regime needed useful idiots as did Lenin who coined the phrase, “useful idiots of the West.”

Has the West given birth to a new generation of useful idiots for an Islamic ideology and regime?

The Cordoba Initiative is raising an additional 100 million dollars for construction. Once completed the mosque will be housed on the top floor of the 13 or 15 story building and will enjoy an expansive view of Ground Zero.

I stopped after the author said that the. 9/11 attacks killed 'tens of thousands of innocents.' It was about 3000, which is still every bit as terrible. However, that level of ignorance and disregard for facts makes one question everything else you've stated.

THESE ARE FACTS?!

@calfoxwc said:

The plenty of the towers' rubble ended up far beyond those two blocks.

Who is the one being ignorant?

that all depends. Have you ever been to Nyc? do you still believe it to be a mosque? and whats your stance on the mosque in the pentagon?

The plenty of the towers' rubble ended up far beyond those two blocks.

Who is the one being ignorant?

secretly ? in that same building.

IOW's, we're talking about a jihadist Trojan Horse.

Isn't it nice to know the truth about things?

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/203619.php

We now return you to the silly yet dangerous "head in the sand" programming for your entertainment.

of the Ground Zero mosque, and the dangers were it to be built:

**************************************************

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-...ear-ground-zero

The Cordoba Initiative mosque near Ground Zero

June 4th, 2010 11:09 pm

.

A deeper look into the Cordoba Initiative and its president, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf

On May 25, Manhattan’s Community Board One voted 29-1 in favor of the mosque, called the Cordoba Initiative, to be built 600-feet from the North Tower’s foot print at Ground Zero.

Prior to the board vote, a second mosque, the Masjid announced plans to build their mosque in the shadows of Ground Zero as well.

Support for such an insult is to be expected by certain segments of American society. Sadly, many freedom loving people with a suicidal grip on the Constitution are also in support of the mosques going up near Ground Zero.

The U.S. is currently engaged in a war effort against Islamic jihadists. True, we are not at war with Islam, but Islam (by decree) is at war with the West and all infidels (non-believers of Allah). There are many occurrences of jihad waged on American soil under the banner of Islam, but none as pivotal or devastating as the terror attacks that occurred on 9/11/2001.

Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, NYC, is one of the sites where Islamic jihadists struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) killing tens of thousands of innocents.

From the rubble of the WTC, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, president of the Cordoba Initiative, called for Islamic dawa and sharia law on American soil, usurping the American Constitution.

Some that pride themselves as Patriots believe it is their constitutional duty to protect that Imam’s “right” to build his Initiative in the shadows of Ground Zero.

The framers did not intend the Constitution to be a suicide pact, nor did the framers desire that the Constitution be used by our enemies or supporters of the same to tear us asunder, or as a tool to promote useful idiots.

Supporters of dawa, jihad and sharia law and the furtherance of the same wrap themselves in a cloak of religious freedom and we say, “Welcome to America.” How easy are we?

What is Dawa?

Simply defined, dawa is a call to Islam. It is the manner in which dawa is utilized that poses the danger to the West.

Robert Spencer, expert on Islamic studies and director of Jihad Watch, explains:

“Dawa is Islamic proselytizing and in Islamic law dawa precedes jihad. You call the nonbelievers to Islam. And if they refuse to accept it, then you initiate a jihad against them. But the whole goal of both dawa and jihad is to impose Islamic law or sharia upon the nonbelievers as a political system, not as a religious one.”

Abu ‘Ubeid Al-Qurashi, Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda lieutenant, Admits to September 11 and Explains Al-Qa'ida's Combat Doctrine; in that doctrine those responsible for creating the rubble at Ground Zero called dawa “integral to triumph in fourth-generation warfare.”

The Islamic Dawa Party, the current ruling Party in Iraq, is rooted in a radical past and along with The Islamic Jihad Organization is linked to the 1983 suicide terrorist bombing of the US embassy in Kuwait.

As mentioned earlier, the president of the Cordoba Initiative, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf calls for sharia law in America and from the WTC Rubble, Islamic Dawa; this is the imam’s own words and in the title and content of his books.

The Cordoba Initiative purchased the property near Ground Zero for 4.85 million-dollars and paid cash (no paper trail).

The Cordoba Initiative: What’s in a Name

The Cordoba Initiative is an organization whose very name makes reference to what was, 1,000 years ago, one of the world’s most advanced cities, Cordoba, Al-Andalus (Spain). This was a city that was politically and religiously dominated by Islam, and a city that was conquered by jihad (holy war).

“History is usually interesting, but always relevant.”- AmericanAngle

Cordoba, Spain was rich with grand mosques and for centuries Spain endured Muslim tyranny, only to be replaced by even more radical Islamic regimes. That was until the Reconquista finally wiped out memories of those dark centuries when Spain had its identity subsumed by being a colony of the Muslims. Not only was Spain reborn, so was a New World.

Imam Faisal’s Cordoba initiative may restore some of Islam’s lost glory. No wonder he calls for dawa from the heart of America; Ground Zero, the site of the rebirth of Islam’s holy war in the West.

Additional Background

The Cordoba Initiative was founded in 2003 by Rauf and is funded by the Malaysian government. Sharia law operates in some Malaysian states and has been applied to non-Muslims in that country. Malays are defined as Muslim by law and forbidden from converting.

Hard-line Islamic law could be introduced across all of Malaysia under reforms proposed by the country's chief justice.

In 2006, Imam Rauf started the Shariah Index Project, which will be carried out by the Cordoba Initiative. In addition to its New York office, the Cordoba initiative has offices in Malaysia.

Faisal Rauf’s father Dr. Muhammad Abdul Rauf (1917-2004) was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Muslim Brotherhood believes in a radical application of jihad. Their ideology was adopted by terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda and Hamas. The Muslim Brotherhood also promotes violence against the U.S. and Israel.

The Nazi regime needed useful idiots as did Lenin who coined the phrase, “useful idiots of the West.”

Has the West given birth to a new generation of useful idiots for an Islamic ideology and regime?

The Cordoba Initiative is raising an additional 100 million dollars for construction. Once completed the mosque will be housed on the top floor of the 13 or 15 story building and will enjoy an expansive view of Ground Zero.

http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/r...-at-ground-zero

Despite what you might have heard, a 13-story mosque is not going to be built at ground zero in lower Manhattan. For that matter, a 13-story mosque is not going to be built within a few blocks of ground zero. Rather a 13-story building is going up which will contain, among other things, a mosque.

This might seem like an academic distinction, but in the heated debate surrounding Park51, or as the building is known more commonly, the "ground zero mosque," it really is an important one.

First here are the facts: The building in question is planned to be a Muslim community center, a sort of YMCA (or, I suppose, YMMA). The plans are for it to have fitness facilities (swimming pool, gym, basketball court), a 500-seat auditorium, a restaurant and a cooking school, exhibition space, a library, art studios, a 9/11 memorial--the impudence! the outrage!--and childcare facilities (which no doubt will soon be referred to as a "Manhattan Madrasa"). And it's also going to house a mosque.

But calling the entire building a mosque is a bit like referring to the Empire State Building as a 103-story Walgreens because the pharmacy chain has a store on the ground floor.

And for that matter it's important to keep in mind that it's not at ground zero. It's two blocks north of ground zero, on a street running parallel to the old World Trade Center site. And as FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver has observed, Park51

although somewhat architecturally daring does not contain minarets or other spire-like features that would give it greater prominence than an ordinary, 12-story building. Like dozens and dozens of other buildings, and several other places of worship near to Ground Zero, it would be quite well concealed among Lower Manhattan's dense street grid.

In other words to look at the building, you wouldn't say: Aha! A mosque! But the press routinely refers to the building as a mosque, and its critics often blur or are unclear about its location. So over the weekend, Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said on Fox News Sunday that, "I do think it's unwise to build a mosque at the site where 3,000 Americans lost their lives as the result of a terrorist attack." (Emphasis added.)

Again, these may seem like small points, but they're not. This debate is taking place on a gut, emotional level. Reasonable critics argue, for example, that this is about sensitivity rather than about liberty. And on that gut level, there's a real difference between a 13-story mosque (which conjures images of a foreign looking structure with minarets and so forth) rising up out of--or even adjacent to--the hole in the ground that used to be the World Trade Center, and a 13-story community center tucked away on a side street a couple of blocks from ground zero. The former lends itself to the sort of irresponsible rhetoric of triumphalist Islamicists that Newt Gingrich goes on about. The latter is, well, reality.

I haven't seen THIS before...

but how do we know that this translation is accurate, and not fraudulent?

Beats me, but I do wonder...