By Joanna P. DelbuonoDuring an interview with Soledad O’Brien on “Larry King Live,” Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, spiritual adviser of the proposed “Islamic Center” near Ground Zero, declared, “If we move from that location, the story will be that the radicals have taken over the discourse. The headlines in the Muslim world will be that Islam is under attack. And I’m less concerned about the radicals in America than I am about the radicals in the Muslim world.”
He added that he could not withdraw the plan because that would embolden radicals of all faiths and create security risks for the United States and Americans abroad.
Why should it matter to the Muslims, radical or not, if the building is nothing more than a cultural center? The mosques’ proponents have stated that it’s like a YMCA, an open, non-sectarian place for people to get together with prayer rooms for all religions.
If radical money is not behind it and radical Muslims have nothing to do with it, why would there be any violent reprisal against us at all?
“If I knew that this would happen, that this would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn’t have done it,” said Rauf.
But how could he have not known? How far does the depth of his ignorance and lack of sensitivity and understanding go? He calls himself an Imam? Correct me, but isn’t the position of Imam a leader? Aren’t religious leaders of peaceful religions supposed to promote peace?
Rauf should be explaining to the radical Muslim world that putting the building there is just plain insensitive, and it would be better to move it somewhere else. After all, he went on a taxpayer funded trip of peace — so he should have promoted peace.
Not for nuthin™, but if the Muslim world wants non-Muslims to understand that they don’t tolerate terrorism, maybe — just maybe — they should stop radical Muslims from putting out fatwas, beheading innocents, stoning women, and crashing into our buildings with planes filled with innocent people.
As an aside — to the reader who pointed out that my last name is Italian and Mussolini was Italian. Yes, I am of Italian descent and, yes, Mussolini was Italian. But he should remember his history. The Italian people meted justice and took out the despotic Benito in their own way.
