Outside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

Harry Reid: “Ground Zero Mosque” Should Be Built Somewhere Else

Doug Mataconis
6

The Senate Majority Leader has weighed in on the construction of an Islamic Community Center at the former location of a Burlington Coat Factory:

Now that President Obama has addressed and amplified the issue, the political debate over the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero is being felt far from Lower Manhattan, in political races across the country.

But candidates could find it difficult to straddle the issue, as Obama did, by expressing their support for religious freedom while refusing to take a stand on the construction of the Islamic center.

The latest to weigh in: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D), who is battling to keep his seat in Nevada.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, Jim Manley, Reid came out against the building of the Islamic center.

“The First Amendment protects freedom of religion,” Manley wrote in an e-mail. “Senator Reid respects that, but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else.”

(…)

Reid issued the statement after the campaign of his Republican opponent in the election, Sharron Angle, demanded that he take a position.

In other words, Reid is in the fight of his political life and he bowed to the will of majority.

A profile in courage it ain’t.

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6 responses to “Harry Reid: “Ground Zero Mosque” Should Be Built Somewhere Else”

  1. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III Avatar
    Zelsdorf Ragshaft III

    Hey Doug, this is supposed to be a representative government. Is there some part of that which makes you believe those who represent us and who are paid by us and who are elected by us should not do what we want them to do? It seems there are some people, usually representing the anti american left, who cannot grasp the idea that this is not about building the mosque but about the location where they want to build it. They did not get funding for a like project when it was a little distance away. When they found a building very close to ground zero, the mysterious funding seemed to appear. If they were truely interested in sensitivities and understanding, they would have some for those who lost loved ones when they flew those planes into those building. Those thugs were all Muslims. Every terrorist attack around the world is the work of Muslims. You simply cannot be that stupid to not recognize that.

    1. Doug Mataconis Avatar
      Doug Mataconis

      Majority rule is irrelevant when you’re talking about fundamental individual rights

  2. PD Shaw Avatar
    PD Shaw

    I agree with the Senator from Far West New York, Yucca Mountain would be a great location.

  3. Michael Reynolds Avatar
    Michael Reynolds

    Pathetic. Spineless and pathetic.

  4. Herb Avatar
    Herb

    “A profile in courage it ain’t.”

    A profile of a congressional lifer in an election year, more like it….

    I will say, though, that in Zelsdorf’s characteristic unhingedness, I did find a funny. This statement: “Every terrorist attack around the world is the work of Muslims,” followed by this statement, “You simply cannot be that stupid to not recognize that.”

    Yes, you’d have to be stupid to think that some terrorists aren’t Muslim, and that most Muslims aren’t terrorists. Stupid!

  5. john Avatar
    john

    Come on guys. Isn’t it possible that Reid had just taken a principled position on something on which he strongly believes…..oh wait…..

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