If you have a taste for black comedy, here’s some good stuff. Since the early Bush administration the US State Department has been sending American Imams to Muslim-majority countries around the world to talk about religious pluralism and the glories of practicing Islam in America. Twice the Bush administration sent none other than New York Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind the Cordoba House project, on one of these trips. And now, as I write, he’s on a third trip to the region (specifically Saudi Arabia and a series of Gulf emirates) to tell audiences what it’s like to practice Islam under our regime of religious freedom and equality.
That must be going great, right?
I can just imagine the fun moments with Rauf dispelling the myths of his benighted Saudi listeners about the place of Muslims in the West.
Of course, if you think that Rauf is back there in the Islamic hood to give the locals an update on his work to place America under the rule of Sharia Law, then the comedy may have a different context.
From TPM Reader HK, an American Muslim …
What has been conspicuously absent from most coverage of the “Ground Zero Mosque” has been actual Muslim American perspectives on it. I wonder how much of this is simply because of foresight, or rather because of a semi-willful lack of touchpoints between the political blogosphere and Muslim community leaders and activists.
In a dark moment like this when expediency and emotion are carrying the day, I’m thankful that we have a robust and growing political movement which supports a consistent and absolute adherence to the Constitution in all matters, everywhere and at all times.
Richard Hanna, the Republican House challenger in New York’s 24th district was that rare Republican standing up for the right for American Muslims to build a mosque in Lower Manhattan. Until his Democratic opponent, Rep. Michael Arcuri, came out against it. Now Hanna’s decided he’s against it too.
