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The controversy over the proposed mosque at the WTC site has become ground zero for American liberal fanaticism. New York City's powerful elites have histrionically made support of the mosque into a litmus test of how truly tolerant Americans are: If you question the wisdom of building the mosque near the WTC site, or if you raise concerns about its leaders, you must be a bigot.
And liberal fundamentalism is intolerant of dissent. The enlightened elites who now dominate our politics and culture seem to believe that most Americans are ignorant and intolerant bigots who cannot be trusted to do the right thing on their own, and therefore must be coerced. Think ObamaCare, think civilian trial in New York City for the 9/11 mastermind and now the outrageous project to build a mosque at Ground Zero.
Most opponents of the Ground Zero mosque, including 61 percent of New York State residents, don't have a problem with mosque-building- the state is home to 242 registered mosques and Islamic groups. Rather, they are legitimately uncomfortable about the symbolism and insensitivity manifested in its proposed location. Those who've looked at the organization building the mosque, the Cordoba Initiative, are also concerned about the mysterious sources of its JfIOO million budget, as well as the controversial words and connections of its imam, Feisal Rauf.
Dissenters point to Rauf ' s claim that United States policies (support for Israel, no doubt) were an accessory to the...