NHK News: Morons

Yesterday NHK news aired a report about the building of a Islamic cultural center in New York which is to be located about two blocks from where the Twin Towers once stood. In its report NHK and its reporter in New York implied that what was to be built on the site was a Mosque. Originally called the Cordoba project the plans include the construction of a 13 story building which would house among other things a community center, culinary school, a swimming pool and a prayer room. Prayer rooms which exist all across America are not houses of worship they are as the name implies a place where those who wish to do so can pray. NHK's report also implied that President Obama supported its construction. What President Obama said was that enshrined within the U.S. Constitution is the Bill of Rights. The very First Amendment says this:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

That amendment is the basis for everything that follows it. In other words its the foundation of American Governance.

Controversy over the location of the Islamic Center didn't exist until Pam Geller operator of the right wing blog Atlas Shurgs helped fuel all the ugly discord you now see where none existed.

Salon chronicles where all the hate and fear mongering began.

A group of progressive Muslim-Americans plans to build an Islamic community center two and a half blocks from ground zero in lower Manhattan. They have had a mosque in the same neighborhood for many years. There's another mosque two blocks away from the site. City officials support the project. Muslims have been praying at the Pentagon, the other building hit on Sept. 11, for many years.

In short, there is no good reason that the Cordoba House project should have been a major national news story, let alone controversy. And yet it has become just that, dominating the political conversation for weeks and prompting such a backlash that, according to a new poll, nearly 7 in 10 Americans now say they oppose the project. How did the Cordoba House become so toxic, so fast?

Next time check your facts.