Obama Demands Mosque For Ground Zero

Friday the 13th held to its reputation as an unlucky day, at least for Democrats, when President Barrack Obama demanded that a mosque be built in New York 200 yards from the edge of Ground Zero.

Obama's demand may be the fatal blow to many Democrates seeking re-election. Those who have recently advoided the issue are now on the hot seat, do they support once popular president or run for cover?

Citing millions of Islamic Americans (estimates range from 1.6 to 1.8 million Muslims live in the US) the president threw his support and weight behind an effort to build a mosque adjacent to our country's most hallowed ground.

White House Press Sectary Gibbs had previously stated it was a local matter, but President Obama stepped into the fray by going "all in" on Friday evening.

"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama said, weighing in for the first time on a controversy that has riven New York City and the nation.

"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," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."

Obama made the comments at an annual dinner in the White House State Dining Room celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Besides the obvious flash point for the likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh, President Obama has given Republicans added spears and arrows for November. Those Republicans challenging Democrats in the House and Senate races would be well advised to "not disturb the enemy while it is in the process of destroying itself".

Clearly the President has lost touch with America, his sudden loss of awareness would not be such a concern if this was a non-election year but Friday's major surprise shows just how poorly the current administration has planned for November.

A CNN poll released last night showed Americans are deeply offended by the prospect of a mosque being built in lower Manhattan with a 78% of those surveyed saying it was wrong.

But it is much more than a Mosque, it is a Muslim Community Center, a 100 million dollar project that will not only be tax exempt, but whose funding will be untackable. It is in community center like this, that the London Subway bombers were recruited.

Doesn't the President know who votes in non presidential elections? Middle America votes and it is often lead by seniors who don't understand why the President would back a group of Muslims intent on insulting the memory of those who died in the September 11 attacks.

According to the US Census 76% of the United States population is Christian while .06% Muslim. Why would the President adopt such an unpopular stance? What is next out of the Obama administration a national holiday for Malcolm X?

Muslims should be able to build a mosque anywhere they like, but within reason and there is no reason to build a mosque in Lower Manhattan and no reason for the president to support such an idea unless he is committed to furthering the Islamic cause.

You can read about the Park51 Islamic Community Center and Mosque here.

How close will the mosque be to the World Trade Center? Pretty darn close see the Google map here.