Islamic Extortion Racket at Ground Zero

Here we go again.  Imam Rauf, the paragon of Islamic tolerance and chorus-master for the Kumbayya Choir inserts foot farther into mouth.....but the world still sleeps.  His latest, from CNN Larry King Live  on Wed, Sept 8 follows the path of threats, blame and intolerance.

Here is my reply.

Enjoy.



Build it and There will be no “Exploding Anger” From Muslims




Sat, Sept 11, 2010



In the old gangster movies one of the main ploys of the suits was to employ what’s called a “protection racket”. They would go to a business and offer them insurance against accidents like fire and theft or burglary. For a small fee they would make sure there would be no trouble. When the business owner would ask who would cause such damage to his property that he would need this insurance protection the answer was always the same and always chilling. “Us”.

The latest statement from imam Feisal Abdul Rauf reads as if taken from the Godfather playbook. When asked on CNN Larry King Live on Wed, Sept 8 what could happen if the mosque isn’t built at its planned location Rauf said that “anger will explode in the Muslim world.” which will lead to “something which could really become very, very, very dangerous

indeed.” Is this an offer we shouldn’t refuse?

These words, from a man who has consistently used platitudes such as bridge-building, interfaith dialogue and tolerance are a veiled threat, one which is clear we Americans should heed, and fast. It is a narrative of implied violence. Imam Rauf would, no doubt not engage in direct destruction but he seems to want his audience to understand that if Americans don’t heel to his dogma and get on board the mosque bus he can’t be responsible for the carnage Muslims might bestow on his behalf.

Like the Godfather who sits in his palace, dolling out favors and contracts while immune to any fallout over the words spoken, imam Rauf sees himself as untouchable.

As a pious and caring man, Rauf claims that if he knew that this development would cause so much pain he wouldn’t have done it to begin with. Yet in December of 2009 before his partners began trying to unsay his words his wife and himself publicly stated that the location was exactly what they wanted, that it was a divine gift, a blessing to be at ground zero. Which is it, imam Rauf? You can’t have it both ways. It is either a mistake or a blessing but it would appear the imam wants his mosque and his cake too.

It is well past time for the imam to step up and be the tolerant, bridge builder he claims he is and stand by his platitudes. Donald Trump offered to but the property at 25% above market value, with the proviso that Rauf move the mosque at least 5 blocks from ground zero. Mosque supporters found this less than acceptable and refused the Dons offer. So much for imam Raufs belief in moving the mosque if it causes pain and standing by his own words from last December.

Will there be an uptick in violence if the mosque is moved to 5 blocks, or more away? The anger of the Islamic world over our claimed intolerance and Islamophobia will not be assuaged by moving the mosque, it will merely deepen as Muslims are told, and believe that no matter what, America is at war with Islam. This is a paradigm created by Islam and Muslims which begets more attacks from those who are at war with America, and see the destruction of the US as the only way for Muslims to be free to practice the “religion of peace”.

Imam Raufs commentary on CNN does nothing to bridge the gap growing between Islam and the west and further drives a wedge between those wanting more dialogue and those who want nothing more than to throw the Molotov cocktail through the window of your business. The peace and acceptance which is so desperately demanded by Rauf smacks of nothing more than the extortionists demand for “protection money”. Americans are worried about the threat of stealth jihad and creeping sharia and the demands of Rauf and his ilk are not much more than “it’s my way….or else”.