Obama, from today: Government should treat 'everyone equal, regardless'

[jefferson_dem]

Obama: Government should treat 'everyone equal, regardless'
Posted: August 14th, 2010 02:28 PM ET

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry

(CNN) – President Barack Obama tells CNN that in defending the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque near Ground Zero in a speech Friday night, he was "not commenting on the wisdom" of that particular project but rather trying to uphold the broader principle that government should treat "everyone equal, regardless" of religion.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/14/obama-government-should-treat-everyone-equal-regardless/

[lob1]

1. Then maybe he'll treat "main street" as well as he

has treated "Wall Street".

[jefferson_dem]

2. You win!

Today's Red Herring Award! Congrats!

[lob1]

3. Thanks for the award. I never win anything.

[ThomCat]

5. And maybe he'll start supporting gay marriage instead of

civil unions too.

Or get off his butt and start doing something about repealing DADT instead of implementing another round of endless stalling "studies" about it. Maybe he'll even become the "fierce advocate" for LGBT folks someday that he wants us to imagine he is, and lend some actual pressure to overturning DOMA instead of just waiting for others to do all the work so he can take credit for it.

Again he says the right thing, but he rarely does the right thing to live up to his words. It's just pretty words.

[boppers]

12. In at #5

Not bad.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Does that apply to other mosques in Manhattan...

...that Obama refuses to comment "on the wisdom" of their existence?

Does it apply to churches in Oklohoma City that Obama refuses to comment "on the wisdom" of their existence?

Obama did the right thing last night, then canceled it this morning with this "wisdom" caveat.

[jefferson_dem]

6. He said the same thing.

Today: “I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there,” Obama continued. “I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about. And I think it's very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about."

Yesterday: “Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground,” he said. “But let me be clear: as a citizen and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”

[rhombus]

7. Obama was being interviewed by CNN's Ed Henry

A lot of the framing from the Right has been -- Is this a wise move to build the mosque near Ground Zero? Obama shot down that frame because it's stupid, foolish, and weak to argue on whether someone is "wise" to have certain rights.

A right is a right. There is no clarification. But the media wants yet another 'fake' story. Today, it's Obama 'parsing' his statement. He did not. Read his speech yesterday. He never mentioned wisdom of building the mosque. He was say Muslims have the same religious right as any other religious group to build a place of worship anywhere in America.

[Eric J in MN]

10. OK, I didn't know he was answering an interview question when he said that. NT

NT

[Igel]

11. A right is a right.

But not all rights need to be exercised at all times.

If I want hurl racial epithets at my neighbors, well, gee, I have a right to do it. I guess if they say I shouldn't the only possible implication is that they're trying to limit my constitutional rights.

If my church (let's assume I have one) wants to buy a dozen Qur'aans and then have BBQs in Muslim-dominated areas at which the Qur'aans serve to light the grills for grilling pork chops, Muslims might feel offended. Is it the case that to be offended and to say something about it--perhaps suggest that I'm being insensitive or rude--is to be an oppressor, seeking to take away my first-amendment rights?

The day Ted Kennedy died, I would have had the right--if I owned a newspaper--to have a front page recap of the Kopecne incident, including pictures and commentary on the event. I'd have been able to recount all sorts of rumors involving him. And, of course, if anybody had said I shouldn't have done it it could only be because they wanted to take away the freedom of the press.

You see the problem? In a society you may have a right but it may also be impolitic to exercise that right.

It's even worse if I say that I'm hurling racial epithets to get people to show tolerance, that the Qur'aan burnings are to promote Muslim good will toward Xianity, and that the Kennedy business is there to finally clear the air so we can properly respect the man. Then I'm adding hypocrisy and utter stupidity to insensitivity and rudeness.

Do you let a minority opinion control your life? Of course not. But neither do you go around setting up lots of 6" strawman everywhere and then call it a feet of mental acumen and progressivism when you hurriedly knock them down before the wind does it.

Obama did not knock down the 6" strawman as to whether it is "wise to have certain rights." He merely said they have the right to build on privat land in accordance with local ordinances and laws. Then he said he was quiet on the wisdom of exercising that right. He's wise enough to know that not all rights need to be exercised at every opportunity.

[phleshdef]

13. LOL. I love the desperation with all the lying about Obama "cancelling" his statements.

He didn't cancel shit, you are purposefully leaving out parts of what he said.

[Eric J in MN]

15. I didn't purposely leave stuff out. I just hadn't read the full statement when I posted that.

Obama's statment today is better in-context than out-of-context.

"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about. And I think it's very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about."

[phleshdef]

16. Fair enough. But it wasn't just your posts. Its other posts plus a Politico hit piece.

[denimgirly]

8. Yay, Campaign season has begun! The only time when Democrats become Progressives.

I wish it was campaign season 24/7...this way all democrats would come out for the people all the time instead of just when they need them for the votes.

[old mark]

9. They will be talking the talk till November - fingers crossed after the election

but I'm afraid it will be business (lobbyists and bribery) as usual then, and we will have those stirring words to keep us warm...

Fired Up?
Not at this time...


mark

[nightrain]

14. and sexual preference?

[VMI Dem]

17. Except gays wanting to get married.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Except GLBT people. The fact that he can say such a thing

with a, pardon the term, straight face is amazing.