The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization devoted to fighting bigotry, has come out against the building of Cordoba House, a proposed Muslim center, on a cite two blocks from Ground Zero. The ADL gave two reasons for its opposition, both of which deserve comment.
First, the ADL said that building a Muslim center so close to Ground Zero would unnecessarily hurt the feelings of those who lost loved ones there. I have two problems with this argument: 1) many among the 9/11 families support the center, so why side with one group and not the other? And, 2) this argument links all Muslims to the acts of extremists among them. Any mosque of any kind would be offense simply because it is Muslim. This is the kind of thinking that even President Bush warned us against, and this is the kind of libel against which the ADL fights; how sad that it would use it against Muslims.
Everyone should oppose any religious institution that supports terrorism and preaches hatred, but the Cordoba House is nothing of the kind, and deserves the support of progressives everywhere. Including the ADL.
The ADL’s second concern regarding Cordoba House’s funding is rooted in the fact is that Saudi Arabia funds Wahabi mosques around the globe, and these mosques do promote hatred, misogyny, and terror. The fact that the United States supports the Saudi dictatorship which in turn buys the support of Wahabists who agree not to topple the House of Saud as long as they fund Wahabist activities is just one of many geo-political absurdities that plague our world. And while the concern is genuine, it is also loaded.
Just asking the question, “Who funds Cordoba House” raises doubts in the minds of people. Who does fund Cordoba House? We don’t know. Why don’t they list their donors on their website? We don’t know. What have they got to hide? Well, it must be something…
But the same can be asked of the ADL. Who funds them? We don’t know. Maybe they get money from right wing extremist groups in Brooklyn or Jerusalem. We don’t know. And why don’t they list the names of their donors on their website? What have they got to hide?
I know Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, the leader of Cordoba House. I have taught with him, dined with him (and his wife), and argued with him about the Middle East. And I am proud to call him a friend. I believe we need more ventures like Cordoba House, not less. I believe it is long past time for progressive clergy to come together and support one another, and condemn and actively oppose the work of those hate-mongers in all faiths. And I am saddened that the ADL lacked the guts to do so in this case.
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8 comments:
"This is the kind of thinking that even President Bush warned us against,..."
Oh snap! Rabbi Rami using the Bush card, watch out!
And why not use "the Bush card, Eruesso? The Republican Party, of which Bush was the leader, used divisive politics to win elections. Using "liberal" as a pejorative, talking about "The Gay Agenda" like it was some nefarious takeover scheme.Even if he was not personally a "hater" of Islam (particularly with his family's close links to the Saudi government) the Republican Party is the party of fear and hatred. Rabbi Rami is not wrong to use that phrase. Snap yourself!
It's a shame that a Jewish organization, particularly the ADL, would give in to this hysteria.
I meant my comment in support of Rami using the phrase, I love it when he gets fired up and serious. Snapping myself? I wonder if I could "snap" myself whatever that may mean.
Snap out of it, boys. The truth is I don't l know what "snap" means or where it comes from. As for the Bush card, I understand Sam meant to be supportive, so we are all on the same team. I have to sign off now to snap myself.
My apologies to Sam (Eruesso) and others reading this blog. I've been "fired up and serious" myself lately, and overreacted. I also do sometimes like to start trouble.
No problem. Trouble is good for us it keeps us on our toes.
Yarrrr!!! Snap means "Oh no he didn't!!" or expletivie deleted.
BTW I just read an interesting blog post that purports that Elena Kagan supports and will inflitrate US Justice system with Shariah Law.
Oh snap! This shikza is so confused.
They did post who funds them, its globalists from the Council on Foreign Relations, America's real government, made up of both Conservatives and Liberals, more importantly, war mongerging corporations like DynCorp and KBR.
Took me 5 minutes to find this information.
http://www.asmasociety.org/about/p_support.html
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