Glenn Greenwald in New York Times: Who Has Moral Courage?

[Hissyspit]

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/8/17/is-the-mosque-issue-a-risk-for-obama/who-has-moral-courage

Who Has Moral Courage?

Updated August 17, 2010, 09:09 PM
Glenn Greenwald, a former constitutional lawyer, is a columnist at Salon.com and the author, most recently, of "Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics."

It is difficult to believe that America is having a debate over whether to impose, in essence, a Muslim-free zone near ground zero. The argument against the proposed Park51 community center is necessarily and definitively grounded in bigotry: the premise that Muslims generally are responsible for the 9/11 attack, as opposed to the handful of extremists who actually perpetrated it.

- snip -

Perhaps more depressing than the toxic demagoguery driving this controversy is the dearth of national politicians with the moral courage to oppose it. President Obama deserves some credit for voluntarily entering the debate by emphatically affirming the First Amendment's guarantee of free exercise of religion. Though he muddled his own message the next day by stressing that he was neutral on whether project developers should voluntarily move from the site -- which is, after all, the crux of the dispute -- at least he defended, without qualification or caveat, the vital constitutional values at stake.

By contrast, Obama's fellow Democrats, in the face of this Republican assault, have largely been a model of cowardice, or worse. Indeed, one reason it was necessary for Obama to intervene is because the New York City Congressional delegation, with the noble exception of Manhattan Democrat Jerry Nadler, had been conspicuously and inexcusably silent. Two weeks ago, mayoral hopeful and Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner finally managed to issue a statement, but it was so vapid and incoherent that few people even knew what it meant. Worse, some Democrats -- led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- have now joined with the right in opposing Park51. Democratic Representative Michael Arcuri even attacked his G.O.P. challenger for supporting the project, causing the challenger to reverse course. New York's Governor David Paterson made it known on Tuesday that he intends to meet with project developers to encourage them to move, while three more Democrats from the New York Congressional delegation followed in Senator Reid's shameful footsteps by advocating that a new site be found.

One of the few heroes of this sad spectacle -- aside from the Park51 sponsors who refuse to back down in the face of nationwide bullying -- has been New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. His impassioned, inspiring, eloquent defense of Park51 could have, and should have, served as a model for Democratic politicians everywhere. The principles he trumpeted are familiar to, and ingrained in, most Americans.

MORE

[kentuck]

1. Should Reid be defeated for taking such a cowardly stand ??

It is not a position any Democrat should take or defend.

[UrbScotty]

4. In a primary, yes. But it's too late for that, and Angle would do a HORRENDOUS job.

[babylonsister]

2. Here's two more...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8964135

Breaking: Two Dems back "mosque," sky remains in place

[kentuck]

3. Why is it so difficult to defend the Constitution ??

A true Democrat would stand up for the Constitution, even if he or she knew it was certain defeat. Anything less is cowardice.