Dan Gordis writes in The Jerusalem Post a different insight into the ground zero mosque. In The Ground Zero mosque – what US could learn from Israel Gordis writes that the issue of religious tolerance must not blind us to acknowledging that we clearly have an enemy and that reluctance to addressing that threat is self destructive and deadly.

Excerpts:

One need not be racist or Islamophobic to be concerned about the mosque. For life in our region has taught us that the first necessary step to defending yourself is acknowledging that someone else is out to destroy you.

“Of course we work on Shabbat.” And then, after a second’s pause, she added, “Gam ha’oyev oved beshabbat” – the enemy also works on Shabbat.

It was a game changer. “What?” she essentially asked. “You think we do this for fun? There are people out there trying to destroy us. Either we’re as serious about this conflict as they are, or they’re going to win.”

It’s fine to say that “America is not at war with Islam,” to point out that most Muslims are not terrorists and that many American Muslims are moderates. That’s true, as far as it goes.

But it only goes so far. Because America is at war and its enemies are Muslims. Politically correct hairsplitting runs the risk of Americans blinding themselves to that simple but critical fact. It makes no difference what percentage of the world’s Muslims wants to destroy America. There are enough of them that US air travel is now abominably unpleasant and, more importantly, enough of them that more strikes on America appear inevitable.

THE UNITED States’ future is under attack, but Americans resist admitting it. President Barack Obama has sent 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, but he has also said that he intends to pull them out by July. Can we imagine FDR declaring war on Germany, but then adding that the war had to be over in a year, or in two? It would have been laughable. And America would have lost. The US has to decide – is it committed to destroying those who wish it ill, or is it willing to be destroyed by them? Those, sadly, are its only two alternatives.

Whether or not the Ground Zero mosque ultimately gets built may not matter nearly as much as whether or not Americans are willing to gird themselves for the battles that sadly lie ahead.

I have written that for a war to not last forever we must fight as though it will.  Gordis makes an excellent point that an existential threat puts valued rights in a different perspective.

There is a real problem with the border in Arizona.  And there is a real problem with the Mosque near Ground Zero.  But these are distractions from the greater issue of an economy out of control and a government that sees no problem it cannot solve, and no issue it should leave to the citizens themselves to address.

The immigration issue is difficult, but it is attracting the extremist elements. And the Republican suggestion that the 14^th amendment should be changed makes it easy to tag the Republicans with the prejudice that was a real problem with the party many years ago.

Realistically the 14^th amendment will not be changed, so even suggesting it serves only to paint the GOP with a label it should seek to avoid.  It is a red herring as Jeff Jacoby noted in the Boston Globe,  Born in the USA.

The Cordoba House, the Ground Zero Mosque, is also a losing argument.  While I think they would be wiser to have it elsewhere, the Republicans are unwise to direct more attention to it. President Bush was wise to disassociate the radical from the rest of Islam after 9/11.  The party would be wise to follow his lead.

The Twitter sphere and social networks is pulsing with emotional comments on the mosque. Much of it crosses the line of legitimate debate, and is just hateful.

It matters little that 70% of Americans are against it. True leadership is the following of principles, not polls. It may look convenient to take advantage of the strong sentiment to score political points, but the Republicans would be wiser to take the high road.

The independents are cautious of divisive politics.  Besides, the Republicans already have the Democrats on a broad retreat, on the subject of the economy, jobs, health care, cap and trade, card check, the debt, and many examples of anti business sentiment and intrusion into our private lives.

The Republicans are providing the Democrats with the ammunition to attack the GOP as prejudiced and extreme.   They would be wise to focus on the real issues that concern so many Americans and turn down the noise on the difficult emotional and less important but more divisive issues.

As Dick Army once advised, “ Don’t waste your energy killing your enemy if he is busy committing suicide.”  Sometimes all you have to do to win is shut up and let your opposition destroy themselves.

Quite a relief to see efforts of Moderate Muslims to reform Islam. Ultimately the answer to Muslim fanatics must come from their fellow Mulsims.

Check this out: http://www.reformislam.org/

Tips to Blond Sagacity