People like Mr. Feisal Rauf reveal the "street face" of Islam. If his intention is to "build bridges" to narrow the chasm of misunderstandings about Islam and be a "peace-maker", what needs to be done is very simple: listen to the people who do not want this building there; respect their sensitivity over this matter; comply and move to another location. He will have done all he claims he wants to do to make Islam understood in the right light.
No. He is Islam's extremist face. Move it, and he cites "national security" concerns. This is a threat couched as "concern". In the face of opposition, he is obtuse to the sensitivity of people who hurt over the 9/11 events rejoiced by his "misunderstood" Islam. Furthermore, he is insistent that it be built as per current plans for otherwise, the "extremists will have won": really? Why not show his extremist colleagues that accommodation based on the will of the majority is a better gradient of the worth of faith than his toeing the line which continues to embody its dogma, "My way or the highway"?
What was more telling was his questioning the "sacredness" of the area: to him it cannot be sacred because of the "strip joints" in the area! How telling! And, how typical of his faith that he should miss the boat totally on what is "sacred" about Ground Zero and should be riled by the thought of female nudity which challenges his traditional views on the role of females, not beyond worthy of being stoned!
Florida's Jones may be called "crazy": but he is refreshingly honest about how the majority of America feels, and if their sentiments get respected and represented, all credit goes to Mr. Jones, and not to a single American politician
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