Cordoba House as Political Rorschach Test

Somehow, I have thus far avoided comment on the ongoing controversy surrounding Park 51 in New York City, better known as the Cordoba Initiative or the "Ground Zero Mosque." From the beginning, it seemed to me nothing more than yet another one of the distractions that passes for substance among Republicans and Democrats in an election year. In this week's column at CAIVN, I argue that the project has become a political Rorschach test, and consider how it has begun to affect New York's gubernatorial race:

Depending on whom you ask, the controversy surrounding Park 51 in downtown Manhattan, widely termed the ‘Ground Zero Mosque,’ is either a distraction or one of the most important issues facing the people of the United States, a matter of defending religious liberty or fighting supremacist triumphalism, defending rights or respecting sensibilities, Islamophobia or anti-fascism, and so on. . . .

at least one distinct side-benefit has resulted from the debate. It has demonstrated the absurdity of the demagoguery that so often passes for mainstream political discourse among Democrats and Republicans. For instance, some who are against the project have argued that if it is allowed to proceed, the terrorists will have won, while others who defend the project have argued that if the center is not built, the terrorists will have won, leaving us with the ridiculous conclusion that no matter what happens with respect to the Cordoba House, the terrorists will have won . . .

the American public appears to have conflicting, if not contradictory, views on the issues involved . . . Paradoxically, then, 62% agree that the group has a right to build the center, but only 34% agree they should be allowed to build it . . .

[In the New York gubernatorial race, Republican] Rick Lazio finds himself on the same side of the issue as Carl Paladino, a rival Republican and self-described Tea Party candidate, who has produced an ad entitled “I’ll stop the mosque,” as well as Kristin Davis, who is, ironically, running on a permissive platform under the banner of the Anti-Prohibition Party. On the other side of the debate, the Green and Libertarian Party gubernatorial candidates have issued forceful statements against Lazio and Paladino’s opposition to the center, defending the project on constitutional grounds.

Read the whole thing.