(photo: flickr/mirandas)
Plans for a new mosque near Ground Zero have raised a storm of protest in the United States. The mosque is controversial because the site is very close to the place where Islamic terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers on 11 September 2001. An increasing number of prominent Republicans are using the mosque as a weapon against President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.
"On September 11th they declared war against us and to celebrate that murder of three thousand Americans they want to build a monstrous, thirteen story mosque on Ground Zero".
There have been sharp attacks against plans for a 100-million dollar Islamic community centre and mosque just a stone's throw from Ground Zero. Republicans are using the issue to score points against their rivals and it has given them a lift in the latest opinion polls.
"The political class says nothing, the politicians are doing nothing to stop it. But we Americans will be heard," says the voiceover in a television advert for a Republican pressure group; in between images of Osama bin Laden, the burning World Trade Center and terrorists spraying bullets from a machine gun, a photograph of President Barack Obama slides by.
The major US TV networks have refused to air the advert; the portrayal of all Muslims as the enemy has been deemed offensive. However, prominent Republicans such as Sarah Palin continued to hammer away at the controversy in similar terms.
Provocation
Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2012, called it "a calculated provocation. They know exactly what they're doing".
"This is a political act for the purpose of saying worldwide: 'we're winning, the Americans are losing and they are too dumb to even know they're in a war".
Opinion polls say that a significant majority of the US public is opposed to the construction of a mosque near Ground Zero. There are very few Democrats that support the community centre and mosque. Republicans are exploiting the issue in the election battle for the governorship of New York. Republicans have demanded that the Democratic candidate - currently the favourite to win in November - make his standpoint on the issue known. But Andrew Cuomo, along with Democrats fighting marginal seats, has refused to say a word.
Mayor Bloomberg
One of the very few prominent politicians brave enough to come out in favour of the mosque is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Last year, New Yorkers celebrated tolerance and freedom of religion in the city founded by the Dutch 400 years ago.
"Everything the United States stands for and New York stands for is tolerance and openness".
Why build it here, at Ground Zero, asked a leading Jewish organisation, which specialises in religious tolerance. The Anti-Defamation League finally announced its opposition to the mosque at Ground Zero: Director Abraham Foxman said, "Build it five blocks up the road".
Profit
New York City already has about 100 mosques; it is more than likely that the protests stem from the location, not the mosque itself. However, the hue and cry is music to Republican ears; they hope to profit from the controversy and win a majority in Congress in November's mid-term elections.
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