We are very, very stupid

This whole "mosque 2 blocks from the trade center" "controversy" is just about the stupidest thing ever. The fact that people who know better are so able to rile so many americans (stupid, stupid and ignorant americans), is very depressing. There aren't two reasonable sides to this. Here is why it's obviously stupid:

1) The group in charge is a very moderate, pro-america muslim group with jews and christians on it's board. If we are actually serious about reducing terrorism, we want to make friends with muslims like this, and spread good will towards america by fostering good relations with moderate muslims who love living in this country.

2) We were not attacked by all of islam. We were attacked by the islamic version of our right-wing militias (roughly). Crazy people who do not speak for islam as a whole. Telling muslims they cannot live and worship near the trade center site is to conflate them with terrorists. Why does it hurt anyone's feelings that muslims exist close to the trade center? They had nothing to do with the attack. Tarring peaceful, moderate, fully american muslim community members with the deeds of fanatics who had nothing to do with them is frankly a little bigoted and fearful and kinda racist. The only thing they have in common is their religion and skin color. We didn't tell christians they can't build churches close to the Oklahoma federal building site for obvious reasons. If you can't see why it's equally wrong to prohibit muslims from building anything near the trade center site, then you have issues with arabs and muslims that are getting in the way of your good judgement.

3) Osama Bin Laden wants a clash of civilizations. Islam versus America. If he really is out to "destroy our freedoms" the stupidest, stupidest possible reaction to 9-11 is to take away the religious freedom of muslims in this country and pursue a clash of civilizations policy against muslims. Because that's explicitly what he said he wanted. I don't know about the mouth-breathing right in this country, but when a terrorist tells me to jump, I don't say "how high." The obvious high road, the obvious way to deny bin laden what he wants, is to continue to embrace moderate muslims at home and abroad. Indulging bin laden in his clash of civilizations fantasy is to sink to his level. We're better than that. Or we can be.

4) It's the first fucking amendment. Number one. Created specifically so mob rule couldn't bully minority religions or push them out of public life. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." You goddamn idiots.

It boggles the mind that democrats aren't winning on this issue. Because the other side are raving lunatics who are so lost in their hatred of democrats and the president that they've lost sight of higher american values. You think Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich really think this is a wrong thing? Of course they don't. They're whipping up the mob by playing on their fears and prejudices for crass political gain. That democrats don't even have the spine to stand up for what's right on a 1st amendment issue is profoundly depressing. That the major news outlets treat raving anti-muslim hysteria as a reasonable opinion is reason to get angry.

Okay, no rants, starting . . .

NOW.