Jehan's American Muslim Post

For those who say the Muslim center near Ground Zero is not politicized, just watch Renee Ellmers’ Islamophobic ad for her campaign as a Republican House candidate in North Carolina. Her campaign is based on opposing the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York City. Her ad declared: “After the Muslims conquered Jerusalem, and Cordoba, and Constantinople, they built victory mosques. And now, they want to build a mosque by Ground Zero. Where does Bob Etheridge stand? He won’t say, won’t speak out, won’t take a stand.” Ellmers herself then cut in: “The terrorists haven’t won. And we should tell them in plain English, no, there will never be a mosque at Ground Zero.”
CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked Ellmers about how her ad uses the terms “Muslim” and “terrorists” interchangeably, and about the ad’s contention that Muslims would build “victory mosques” in places they conquered. Her answers were, well, much below what you’d expect from a Congressional candidate. Her website criticizes the State Department for using tax dollars to fund building mosques around the world because it was Islamic Jihadist who attacked us on 9-11. But that program, which was already in place under former President Bush, is intended for the restoration of all historic religious sites, not just Muslims. Ellmers facts are wrong and logic is flawed. Cooper later interviewed New York Times Best Seller Bruce Feiler who authored 4 books on religion. When Muslims got to Jerusalem and Cordoba they did build mosques, but they weren’t called “victory mosques.” Building religious houses of worship is consistent with the history of religion. When King David conquered Jerusalem, his son King Solomon built the temple. When Rome became Christian, they built St. Peters Church. “It is frightening,” Feiler said, that a political candidate comments on where Muslims in New York City where they should build a mosque. Perhaps Ellmers and other Islamophobes should read more about the history of religions, our Constitution, and what previous presidents like Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Washington had said about religion and Islam.