Thank you, New York Post. We have a report Saturday that “[a]ppearing in public for the first time in weeks,” the man behind the Ground Zero mosque, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, has surfaced – speaking at a mosque in Bahrain. This is part of the State Department-hosted “public diplomacy” tour in which U.S. taxpayers are footing a $16,000 tab so Rauf from Aug. 19-Sept. 2 can travel to Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. With this jaunt, Rauf is rounding out a summer in which he has already found time to disappear for weeks in Malaysia. But he has evidently had no time — zero, as in, none at all – to answer any tough questions from the American media and public about his money, and his plans for a $100 million 15-story Islamic center topped with a mosque near the site of the crater that was once the World Trade Center (destroyed, as we all know, by “extremists” who in 2001 perpetrated a particularly large “man-caused disaster”).
But let’s not be too hard on Rauf. As he has told his public, he is a peace-making outreaching “bridge-builder,” a healer, a bringer of harmony. As he told the New York Times last December, he’s a guy who (unlike most of us clods out there) realized the Burlington Coat Factory building near Ground Zero is the perfect site for an Islamic hub and mosque, because during the Sept. 11 Islamist attacks, it was “where a piece of the wreckage fell.” If you see a problem with Rauf’s plan, you are probably an anti-bridge-builder bigot, full of antiquated ideas that your rights as an American include freedom of thought, and possibly even freedom of speech. No healing for you!
A visionary like Rauf doesn’t have time to explain himself, let alone open his financial books, or give any weight to the views of all those Americans back home who have been so insensitive as to form their own opinions about what constitutes harmony. He’s too busy planning his bridge. In some ways, Rauf’s plans for his Cordoba House mosque and Islamic center have come to resemble Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s approach to the health-care bill jammed down America’s throat earlier this year: we are adjured to let him build it to find out what’s in it.
But I digress. From Bahrain, Rauf for the first time in weeks has actually spoken, in person, to the media. Along with speaking at a Bahrain mosque, he gave a brief interview to the Associated Press Television News, as reported by the New York Post — in which he “dodged questions about the uproar over his planned mosque and community center.”
According to Rauf himself, he is on a trip right now of “great importance.” (That follows the “important meeting” in Malaysia which, when I surprised him with a phone call there last month, prevented him from answering any questions). Rauf told the AP TV News that in his travels he is discussing “extremism” and working on a way to “Americanize Islam.”
Really? And what exactly is Rauf’s version of an Americanized Islam? Rauf does not speak for all American Muslims, some of whom have been voicing their disagreement with his plans. But as far as Rauf himself is an example of this “Americanized Islam” he seeks to spread, it seems to entail dismissing the views of a majority of Americans, causing great anguish to some of the families of the thousands murdered on Sept. 11, and refusing to answer any real questions — all while working on his own plans to Islamize Ground Zero.
Can’t wait for the tagiyya when he finally says something.
The oily charm. The beguiled audience. What could possibly be wrong? Or, in Rauf’s vision, go wrong?
There was a time when the world had cohones that this man would have been laughed out of the room with his preposterous ideas.
Now, so softened by PC and ‘diversity’ obsession , we roll over. Time after time.
Remember Gen. Casey’s overall concern after Nidal Hassan had killed thirteen of his men and women?
“Our diversity, not only in our Army, but in our country, is a strength. And as horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse,” Casey said.’
So Islamists can now join the US military, kill fellow soldiers and all those Generals worry about is diversity?
The lives of the men takes second place to his half baked ideology.
In similar vein, they kill 3000 Americans, decide to place a gloating monument to this atrocity a couple of blocks away and we’re off again on a diversity jag?
After the cream of Cardigan’s elite Light Brigade had been cut down at Balaklava French Marshal Pierre Bosquet stated “C’est magnifique, mais ce n’est pas la guerre.” (“It is magnificent, but it is not war.”)
Well, according to many Islamists we are at war but this is certainly far from being ‘magnificent’, it is hollow capitulation bereft of any honour or decency. Where is the shame?
Bosquet continued, “C’est de la folie” — “it is madness.” And as appropriate now for completely diametricaly opposite reasons as it was then.
A superb response!
“This is part of the State Department-hosted “public diplomacy” tour in which U.S. taxpayers are footing a $16,000 tab so Rauf from Aug. 19-Sept. 2 can travel to Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.”
Where are all the liberals in this country screaming about the separation of church and state? Liberals can’t tolerate FREE prayers in a public school, yet they don’t mind the Federal government actually PAYING for a Muslim imam to go around the Persian Gulf asking for money for a mosque. And the liberals see nothing wrong with this? Why should any tax dollars be used to fund this guy in the first place? Why should the Federal government be in the business of encouraging the building of ANY religious structure? Where are the ACLU law suits? Where are the far left liberal protests?
I guess the separation of church and state only applies to Christians and NOT Muslims. I wouldn’t give this guy a dime.
Apparently you lack the ‘understanding’ that our administration possess. If we’re nice to them they’ll be nice to us. So simple really.
Wonder what that ‘nice’ is the islamists have in mind? Probably a quick lopping off of the head vs what they did to Daniel Pearl – using what looked to be pocket knives to viciously hack his head from his body.
This is a barbarian’s religion and has no place in the 21st century. These barbarians are laughing at us with our PC and ‘diversity’. Diversity can kiss my ass. So can this administration.
Excellent point!
What’s happened with all the tapes of this Jihadist and State Department mascot where he calls for the destruction of Israel, proclaims his love of Wahhabism and al-Qaida, and hatred for America?! We need to strike the iron while it’s hot with this one!
Americanized Islam. Presumably this is Islam without Sharia, Taqiyya and Intolerance, which is to say, it’s not Islam at all.
Muslims who want to live pious lives should abandon hate-filled Allah and convert to one of the many tolerant peace-loving religions.
Americanized Islam retains the goals of Islam, but adopts the tactics of the Left — sanctimony, disinformation and barratry.
I am all for freedom of religion, but I am also for freedom of sensitivity. The fact is that a bunch of murderers took 3000+ lives in the name of Islam.
They want a mosque that badly, or sorry, a community center, build it the hell away from Ground Zero.
Government money funding a speaker at a mosque? What happened to the separation of church and state? What exactly did Rauf say at that mosque? Videotapes, anyone?
It’s beyond disturbing to think that public money is being used in this way.
And were there women in that mosque? Were they segregated? Relegated to side/back door entry? Did they sit front and centre to hear Rauf? If not, how can US taxpayer money be used for someone to participate in a gender segregated event?
Rauf may have been told not to fundraise on this trip, but is anyone so dull that they can’t see that making connections, renewing acquaintances, promoting Islam in America, garnering sympathy — these things will all help Rauf and his plans for the Ground Zero Mosque?
many people see through the lies of the muslims.
there is no moderate islam ..granted there are muslims who are moderate …but they are not following the religion if they are moderate.
Islam is not just a religion but, they use it to hide what the rest of it is and so far, they have managed to control debate to avoid talking about it and expose their intent;
What Islam Isn’t By Dr. Peter Hammond
http://tinyurl.com/62dxdg
“Islam is not a religion nor is it a cult. It is a complete system.
Islam has religious, legal, political, economic and military components. The religious component is a beard for all the other components.
Islamization occurs when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their so-called ‘religious rights.’
When politically correct and culturally diverse societies agree to ‘the reasonable’ Muslim demands for their ‘religious rights,’ they also get the other components under the table. Here’s how it works (percentages source CIA: The World Fact Book (2007)).
As long as the Muslim population remains around 1% of any given country they will be regarded as a peace-loving minority and not as a threat to anyone. In fact, they may be featured in articles and films, stereotyped for their colorful uniqueness:
United States — Muslim 1.0%
Australia — Muslim 1.5%
Canada — Muslim 1.9%
China — Muslim 1%-2%
Italy — Muslim 1.5%
Norway — Muslim 1.8%
At 2% and 3% they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs:
Denmark — Muslim 2%
Germany — Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom — Muslim 2.7%
Spain — Muslim 4%
Thailand — Muslim 4.6%
From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence…”
……From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence…”
they do that with less then 1% …they do that everywhere. A little less loudly but none the less they are doing it.
the muslim hordes leave nothing but misery and feces in their wake.
…they breakdown and destroy civilizations. the rape and pillage, they contribute nothing. they take …take …take and give nothing but misery.
they are the ultimate racists. nothing good comes from islam ….NOTHING.
they claim to have discovered ZERO ….no that is what they create !
I am always amazed at the verbal skills of people like Imam Rauf, his wife Daisy, and all other Muslim spokesmen such as the CAIR crew. These people are extremely clever wordsmiths. I am getting to where I really enjoy listening to them carry on so I can amuse myself by discovering all the hidden definitions in their language. For example, Rauf’s term Americanized Islam.” My guess is that would translate into an Americanized version of Sharia, one without stoning or amputations in order to satisfy the tender sensibilities of the squeamish Americans.
Other example of Muslim-speak translated into English are “terrorism” and “innocent.” In Muslim-speak terrorism is not terrorism if conducted against infidels, and unbelievers are by definition not innocent.
Besides having their own special dictionary’s they also have their own rules of logic. By our rules if two things are in contradiction one must be false. But in Muslim logic there is no such rule. Mark Steyn likes to use the example where a Muslim will say that Muslims had nothing to do with 9/11 and then turn around and say that 9/11 was a great victory for Islam. They believe both statements to be true and get very angry if you try to convince them otherwise by using infidel [normal] logic. Studying Muslim wordsmithing and rules of logic is about the only comic relief we can get out of this depressing situation.
Maybe he was having cosmetic surgery so he’ll look his best on the Sunday morning pundit shows when he gets back to the U.S.
Take this murderous individuals passport away while he is where he belongs and not allow him back into the United states and ship his wife to him UPS
He was clearly at mosque frequented by guest workers (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, etc..). I don’t see a Bahraini face among any of the worshipers, not even the other imam. Guess he didn’t warrent an speaking event in Riffa or Muharraq.
Use taxpayers’ money to finance a religious’s grand tour. No separation of Mosque and State? Wonder what the MSM would say if Father Feisal, or Rabbi Feisal needs an R&R back home.
Our great healer and bridge builder Imam Rauf has it backwards. His goal is not to Americanize Islam but to Islamasize America. Can hardly wait to find out what is in the Americanized version of sharia law. When will we get it through our collective thick skulls that Islam is less a religion and more a political ideology. A cult of murder violence and hate. Winghunter in post #9 is right on. He is off fund raising for this mosque on OUR dime. It is embarrassing how dumb and sheeplike we are in the face of these people who would see our society replaced with their version. We need to be very careful. These people are like a cancer. Much like Obama and his minions are on the Democratic party. REFUDIATE
Rauf is a uniter in the same sense that Obama is a uniter. In other words, not at all. I see an obama cabinet position in rauf’s future, as well as a Nobel prize. Birds of a feather.
Feisal Abdul Rauf is not seeking to “build a bridge” — he is seeking to build a transmission belt — a transmission belt for importing Jihadist ideology into the heart of America.
There will be protest against this mosque on 9/11 in New York City. I plan to be there with a big sign that I believe summarizes the essence of the issue:
STOP the MOSQUE — NO ENEMY OUTPOSTS on U.S. SOIL in TIME OF WAR
We will hang the term islamist around the necks of Democrats. Since Islam will not disappear in our world, Democrats will.
Of course you can have your crescent and star in Red, White and Blue.
That, or you can have your head cut of to the patriotic melody of you choice!
Islam is a religion ruled by fanatics. Its followers do whatever their Imam or Ayatollah says. They are only “peace loving” until directed by their leaders to harm others. Their religion comes first not their country. Democracies are the enemy of Imams and Ayatollahs. Democracy threaten their power over people. They do not respect other religions. They build Mosques at the sites of their victories. Sharia Law is an abomination that would be against our Constitution yet the Imam wants to bring it to the USA.
We are paying for a guy to travel about the world seeking a way to “Americanize Islam”?
A guy who has declared hate-filled firebrand…
Yusef al-Qaradawi
…the most brilliant Islamic scholar on the planet?
More like Rauf-ie is hobnobing over there figuring out new taqiyya- filled strategies for the Brotherhood to Islamicize America.
Abu’s bridge is actually a Forward Operating Base for Sharia. Now what is so exciting about this particular mosque that it warrants a fundraising tour? Location, Location, Location. Six blocks farther away and what Wahabi prince will cough up some gold for one more NYC mosque? Princes are having a cash flow crisis these days so they want some value for their money. A Victory Mosque near the old WTC is a killer idea.
It’s nice to have a forum where an opinion that is not politically correct is not censored, to bad this is not that forum.
“All I Ever Needed to Know about Islam, I Learned on 9/11″
After those planes struck America on September 11th, 2001, many relatives of the victims roamed the smoking rubble and toxic air of Ground Zero in the vain hope of some word, any word, on their missing loved ones.
Few received any word.
By the very nature of their quest, all of those who posted notices on those dusty, dirt- encrusted doors and walls left standing in the vicinity of Ground Zero seeking information on fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters were emotionally moving but one was exceptionally so. A small boy carried a large sign asking, “Has Anyone Seen My Daddy?” with a photo of his dad attached.
It’s unlikely that anyone had seen the boy’s father.
It’s far more probable that he was one of those vaporized by the ferocity of the planes’ impacts, burned alive, crushed in the falling debris of two thousand-foot towers, or he was one of those many and still-uncounted who chose to escape the searing flames by a few moments of deadly exhilaration before they were literally obliterated when their bodies smashed into the pavement.
Too graphic? Too Much Information? Well, too damned bad for any overly-sensitive psyches out there. 9/11 is what it is, was what it was, and to hide from its realities is both an act of pusillanimity and perilously un-American. . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=1857)
1983 Marine barracks bombing, Kobar Towers, USS Cole, African Embassy bombings, Lockerbie Scotland murder in the air, Malvo warrior for Allah sniping, Fort Hood warrior for Allah, 1993 WTC bombing, WTC 2001 murder… All in the name of Lucifer, I mean Hubal, I mean Sin, I mean Allah.
Was Mohammad a peaceful man, or did he enjoy raping his captives, and terrorizing all those who opposed Islam? What a perfect man.
Islam in the west is within the house of war. They will lie, cheat, and steal to further their death cult. Islam is the enemy, and brought to you by the good people within the CFR controlled State Department.
Do you think I am not correct?
Six floors of Rauf-ie’s bldg. for the…
Sharia Index Project ?
– suggests that the six mystery floors of the Ground Zero Mosque will be dedicated to the Imam’s long-term goal: the Shariah Index Project, designed to benchmark Shariah compliance, to distribute Shariah propaganda, and to enforce Shariah law in America and worldwide.
The barbarians are at the gate.
Mosques are built on sites of conquest. The minaret is a symbolic bayonet. Will this building have one? If the project proceeds, can the minaret be banned or would some judge rule that the ban is against the Free Exercise Clause? Will they contractually agree to a building with no minaret casting its shadow over our hallowed ground?
(Robert R. Reilly, author of The Closing of the Muslim Mind)
“I think the Cordoba project is a very imprudent and provocative act. It so clearly does not meet Imam Faisal Rauf’s announced objective of reconciliation that one naturally seeks other explanations for it (especially in light of his statement in Arabic that “I don’t believe in interfaith dialogue”). The one that immediately comes to mind is expressed by the Arab word siyada, which means Islamic supremacy. Achieving siyada is the goal of the Muslim Brotherhood, to which Rauf’s father belonged. The construction of mosques with minarets taller than the tallest spires of any nearby churches is the most common architectural expression of siyada.”
Yep!