[newman]

Tolerance of intolerance is a contradiction in itself. This isn't a minor point these people are wrong about. Basic freedoms, like freedom of speech, religion, etc, should never even be a matter of debate. They're just there. And trying to spin it so it seems they're tolerant when they're really not is a load of bs as well. I'm referring to the "oh yea they do have the right to proceed but it's in poor taste so they shouldn't" demagoguery. They're still trying to get them to abandon their rights but they're trying to look tolerant so they're guilting them out of it.
Heck if I was a Muslim I'd probably consider abandoning the project just because it's tied to Islam as admitting publicly that the whole of Islam=9/11 terrorists.

[Bobboau]

I'm not saying it should be blocked.

[Unknown Target]

No, I know you're not - earlier I wasn't saying it should be blocked either. I, like you, was saying there should be compromise, because I believe that's the best way forward in 99% of situations. In this one, though, compromise is the same as losing - it's that 1% exception.

[mxlm]

because it was in fact members of their community that caused the destruction in the near by area.

No it wasn't. Please explain how, exactly, you've come to the conclusion that the folks building the community center are in the same community as mother****ing al-qaeda.

I'm going to repost the slacktivist bit, since you didn't read it.

[Scotty]

To reference Battuta's point, the Oklahoma City bomber was a white American, and his attack killed dozens or hundreds of people, yet white Americans still participated in the reconstruction of the area and rescue operations.

Of, if you want to look at it differently, it's like saying some Siberian town is made up of members of your community because they may be Christians.  They aren't.  At all.  Two completely different communities.

[Nemesis6]

No, I know you're not - earlier I wasn't saying it should be blocked either. I, like you, was saying there should be compromise, because I believe that's the best way forward in 99% of situations. In this one, though, compromise is the same as losing - it's that 1% exception.

Indeed. These are the people with whom you cannot reason, because Fox implicitly tells them that Muslims are all terrorists and all mosques churn out terror babies. Racism is an ugly thing, even in its distilled "we just don't want a mosque there" form that the right wing people like Glenn Beck are spouting out. The funny thing is, the same thing is going on elsewhere. I can't remember the article, but it was about some outrage about another mosque being in another part of the country. It's racism, plain and simple. Another interesting thing is that this is not about facts, as shown in how the mosque is described by the opponents of the mosque - "Ground zero mega-mosque". I'll leave it at that.

[Bobboau]

racism toward a religion.
because Islam is a race.

[mxlm]

So you're not going to explain why you think AQ and Rauf are part of the same community, then? That's alright, we all know why you think that: they're Muslims.

Which is stupid.

[Unknown Target]

racism toward a religion.
because Islam is a race.

Anti-semitism.

Nemesis: I would not say they can't be reasoned with. I'm sure there is a large portion of the crowd that can be - it's the 25% that takes Fox News as the Lord God's Word and believes that if they don't get their way, it's not a democracy.

[NGTM-1R]

racism toward a religion.
because Islam is a race.

You say that like you can somehow plead down to a lesser charge of bigotry.

[Liberator]

Waaaait a minute.

So it's OK ok to be bigoted towards Christianity et al, but Islam gets a pass why exactly?  My hypocrite meter just went off the scale.

[Scotty]

Take a look at who's been saying what, Lib.  No ones saying they get a free pass, they're just saying take shots elsewhere, and not in the Constitutional rights department.

[NGTM-1R]

So it's OK ok to be bigoted towards Christianity et al, but Islam gets a pass why exactly?  My hypocrite meter just went off the scale.

I think what you say is idiotic, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. And my right to ridicule it.

I know that whole free speech thing is a really hard concept to grasp, sometimes...

[mxlm]

So it's OK ok to be bigoted towards Christianity et al, but Islam gets a pass why exactly?  My hypocrite meter just went off the scale.

Name names.

[Scotty]

To play devil's advocate: the usual suspects.

Zack, Tura, etc.

[Turambar]

I was raised muslim before i figured out religion was bull****

I freely admit to being totally biased.

[Scotty]

You were raised muslim before you formed the opinion that relgion was bull****.

It's impossible for either side to call religion factual true or factual bull****.  There is only opinion and belief.

[StarSlayer]

[vader]No No Noooo!!![/vader]

We were doing so well, don't ruin it with with a there is(n't) a supreme being debate.

[Bobboau]

what's there to debate, there isn't.

</troll>

[StarSlayer]

what's there to debate, there isn't.

</troll>

"Take us into orbit, Mr. Malsteen, we've seen enough"