THEY CAN'T REALLY BE SUGGESTING...:

Zero tolerance: The misleading case against a mosque (Chicago Tribune, July 26, 2010)

[I]t's a 13-story, YMCA-style community center, with a gym, pool, lecture hall, performing arts venue and library, all of which will be open to the public — and it will have a mosque occupying one floor. [...]

The proposal hasn't aroused much opposition among residents of the neighborhood. The local community board approved the center by a 29-1 vote, partly because it will provide amenities the area sorely lacks.

Critics say Muslims are building a monument to terrorism. But it's grossly unfair to think that all or even many Muslims support violent extremism. The congregation behind it has a reputation for moderation. And it's hard to imagine hard-core militants wanting to create a space that will be used by a lot of non-Muslims. [...]

The imam of the mosque says the purpose is to promote interfaith understanding. But if critics think the result will be just the opposite, they might try sitting down with the sponsors and discussing the matter calmly, with a due regard for freedom of religion.

That may not be the practice in Saudi Arabia. But in America, thankfully, we do things differently.

...that decent white folk mix with Muslims, can they?

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 26, 2010 2:19 PM