Of Mosques & Men

In the aftermath of the 9/11 massacre of Americans, Mayor Giuliani started a charity to help the families of first responders. One of the first to donate was a Saudi Prince. In the spirit of cooperation and bridge- building, he wanted to donate $10 million dollars.

So a press conference was called, and the prince gave a little speech to go along with the $10 million dollar check. In his speech, the prince said gave lip service to the victims but his main topic was what in his view caused 9/11: America. It was our fault and our policies that made these men slaughter thousands of innocent Americans.

Remember Rudy's reaction? He gave the money back. He told him we don't need your money and how dare you shift the blame onto America.

And the whole country--except for the future president's pastor Reverend Wright--agreed with Rudy.

Fuck you and your money was something most of us could agree on.

Which brings us to the Ground Zero mosque.

It is being proposed by another Prince of Peace, Feisal Abdul Rauf.

Here is what Rauf told 60 Minutes shortly after 9/11:

"I wouldn't say that the United States deserved what happened, but the United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."

"In the most direct sense, Osama Bin Laden is made in the USA."

This is the man we are told is a bridge-builder.

Think about those statements.

Think about how crazed with radical religious ideology you have to be to say something like that.

Think about what Rudy told the Saudi prince when he said the same thing.

And tell me why we should not treat this man, and this mosque the same way?