Observers on this side of the border shake their head when they hear this Islamic cultural centre compared to a Nazi sign outside the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum by Newt Gingrich, someone well respected for his commitment to the limited government cause in Congress. It is sad that politicians who would not normally made outrageous comparisons and claims are making them now.
Pundits such as MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann have devoted much airtime to refuting some of the most common complaints about the Cordoba Initiative centre in Lower Manhattan. It isn’t even a mosque, they argue. It is far away from the site of the World Trade Center anyways, so what is the big deal? These are all relevant points. What has happened in the United States is that the debate about a “mosque” near the 9/11 site has been overtaken by emotion and hyperbole. Unfortunately, some right-leaning politicians have capitalized on this confusion and pain for political gain. This is not where the Republicans and the limited government movement in the U.S. should go. They should instead lead on this issue and make it a test of American freedom. The United States leads the world in recognizing the importance of freedom. They have a strong Bill of Rights (without any ‘Section One’ clauses or a “notwithstanding clause” to limit rights) that allows for a full range of free expression. Limited government advocates in the United States should use this occasion to demonstrate American exceptionalism and why they have the moral high ground on many countries where religious freedom doesn’t exist.
One thing the controversy does not do is “prove” that Americans are intolerant. People may be emotional and confused, but this is not about intolerance of Muslims. Americans justifiably have raw emotions about this. It is not necessarily because of Islam that they are responding; it is because the 9/11 hijackers were inspired by the same religion that inspires those who wish to start this cultural centre. That should be considered.
The tone of coverage in much of the mainstream Canadian media would seem to confirm that this story is being used to focus on American political-cultural particularities. This story feeds a media-created narrative in Canada that Americans are intolerant of Muslims. The narrative goes something like this: ever since 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans have had it out for Muslims. The War on Terror is simply a front for attacking Islam. Omar Khadr’s ongoing tribulation continues to feed this erroneous frame. Forgotten is the fact the first act President George W. Bush performed after the attacks was to placate Muslims. Nothing must interfere with this anti-American narrative, even the facts.
Are Americans intolerant of Muslims? Well, let’s look at the facts. Recent polling by the Pew Global Attitudes Project in Germany, France, Britain and Spain show that majorities in those countries support a full-face Islamic veil ban. In France, support for a ban is as high as 82 percent. Some say this shows European commitment to values of feminism and secularism but it also shows how these values are interpreted to allow for intolerance. Canucks? Well, a recent poll shows we support the ban too, but not as strongly as Europeans.
Now, get this—when Americans were asked about this ban, which is all the rage in Europe, 65 percent of respondents opposed it. Yes, a good majority of “intolerant” Americans oppose interfering with the right of a Muslim woman to wear her religious apparel. Some are making a big deal about comments made by a few yahoos about restricting mosques in the U.S. Well, this debate is quite advanced in Europe. In 2009, voters in Switzerland backed a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets (Islamic towers). Yes, ban them outright.
Restricting mosques in the U.S. would never fly, thanks to America’s strong tradition of religious freedom and tolerance and Bill of Rights. But, what is unthinkable in the U.S. is mainstream in “tolerant” Europe.
In all of its media coverage, Canadian commentators, as far as I have seen, have never mentioned that some European countries are in fact banning outward signs of Islamic commitment (the burka) or physical structures (minarets).
Yes, there is much exaggeration in the Ground Zero mosque debate. It flies in the face of American religious freedom. Should the centre be allowed? Yes, it should. But, American conservatives should use the debate to show they are more advanced than other nations, including many in Europe. If anything, this should not be mistaken for “intolerance” and feed a false narrative.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/firas1/1261832100/#
