The First Amendment applies to Muslims as well

On Aug. 6 the Connecticut Post reported that "about a dozen right-wing Christians, carrying placards and yelling 'Islam is a lie,' angrily confronted worshippers. 'Jesus hates Muslims,' they screamed at worshippers arriving at the Masjid An-Noor mosque to prepare for the holy month of Ramadan. One protester shoved a placard at a group of young children leaving the mosque. 'Murderers,' he shouted." On Aug. 14, Newt Gingrich equated Islam with Nazism. Closer to home, a Gainesville church is planning an "International Burn a Quran Day" this Sept. 11. These are not proud moments for this country. But such ugly, shameful incidents are inevitable in the climate of bigotry and fear that is being stoked by zealots like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin who are leading the attacks on the construction of an Islamic community center in Manhattan. This issue has been framed and debated in a confused and dishonest fashion, leading predictably to hysteria. The proposed building is not a mosque; it will be a community center, akin to a YMCA, and will include a mosque - and it is not even at Ground Zero. It is two blocks away, out of view of the World Trade Center site. Opposition to the center stems largely from anti-Muslim prejudice and fear, which like all prejudice is based on ignorance.