In break with Reid, Durbin backs mosque

[cal04]

Source: The Hill

The second-ranking Senate Democrat broke ranks with his party's leader this weekend by announcing his support for the Lower Manhattan Islamic center and mosque.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) said Sunday that those who are opposed to the mosque are trying to divide the country with fear and hate.

"The mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, has given his assent to this center and I support his decision," Durbin said Sunday. "The politicians like Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin who try to divide America with fear and hate over this issue betray the diversity which makes our nation great and the Constitution which they profess to honor."

(snip)
"They have also forgotten one of the most fundamental American and constitutional values: our freedom to practice our religion," he said. "As President Obama has said, 'Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country and 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.' "

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/115387-durbin-breaks-with-reid-backs-ny-mosque-

[Drunken Irishman]

1. Good for Durbin!

[Jefferson23]

2. YES!! Thank you Durbin. n/t

[GodlessBiker]

3. Conservatives are tone deaf on the private property issues involved here.

[Desertrose]

4. Isn't this all just NYC's business anyhoo?

Since when does the whole country & congress get to have a say in this?

Nice distraction and way to fan the hate level.

[Wilms]

5. Thank you.

I, too, have had it up to my eyeballs with this BS.

[EFerrari]

6. On a purely political level, I'd thought that the Democrats had decided

to be on all sides of this -- to prevent handing the Republicans a tool. Maybe that's too :tinfoilhat: but I bet it still works out that way. Now the Republicans can't stand in the well and denounce the Dems in a block.

[pnorman]

7. That's essentially what the southern segregationists were saying in 1964.

I just recently listened to the spoken word version of Freedom Summer. I urge all here to read or listen to it too.

[EFerrari]

8. You have a point there.

That's what one of the killers of those three civil rights workers said: those three should have stayed home and out of our business.

[pnorman]

9. Not just those cowardly murderers,

but an awful lot of "just plain folks" down there were using those same words!

When this so-called "issue" was first emerging, my silent hope was that Obama would manage to keep free from that so-called "local issue". Upon careful reflexion, I saw that I was WRONG, and Obama handled it just right!

[24601]

11. You really aren't suggesting there are limits on Congressional

powers? If just one person would visit from out of state, this falls under the commerce clause and Congressional jurisdiction would apply.

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. When will the media

stop saying "mosque"? Damn it the lie just goes on and on. A prayer room is not a mosque. The media is still one of our biggest problems when they report lies over and over and over.