Comments on: Palin on the Ground Zero Mosque vs. the Founding Fathers

By: Zyxomma

Zyxomma — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:06:26 +0000

Thanks for the comments. An Islamic community center 10 minutes’ walk from the WTC site is no biggie for us New Yorkers. I live 6 minutes’ walk from a 1st floor that serves as a mosque in the East Village, and no one I know ever gives it a second thought. Trig Palin has Down Syndrome. Sarah Palin is retarded.

By: A Call for Palin’s Refudiation « The Unmitigated Word

A Call for Palin’s Refudiation « The Unmitigated Word — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:30:31 +0000

[...] people like Palin love to refer – made it clear that religious persecution was off limits. Professor Juan Cole from Informed Consent took that fact even further to marvelously point out t…. Check it: And here is a final point for Ms. Palin and her ilk to consider. The United States was [...]

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:50:55 +0000

Josh,

I like your description of the Tea Party and wish that was the case throughout the country. However, I don’t see it when I read about them or listen to the videos online where they are speaking their mind. They are admirers of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and others on the far right. Michele Bachmann, who just formed the Tea Party Caucus is definitely pro-corporation, less regulation, small government and has practically re-written the constitution. In fact, none of the three I mention would agree with the factual statements Juan provided in regards to our founding fathers and the Constitution. They want us to believe that this nation is only Christian and want a government based on the Bible and ten commandments.

This is the first time I’ve ever visited this blog and I have to say it was such a positive experience to see so many intelligent, well-written comments and an author with the insight that Juan Cole has. It will definitely become a regular stop for me.
How refreshing to find adults discussing things in a civil manner without the childish name-calling and insults.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:36:56 +0000

Here’s the problem with the Tea Party, Josh. The “Tea Party” is a hodgepodge of different organizations and individuals with no real unified leadership so nobody, including you, can say who does and does not represent them. While you may reject Sarah Palin, the fact remains that she was the keynote speaker at something called the “National Tea Party Convention.” You may also reject Mark Williams, who has publicly insulted Islam and opposed the Cordoba House, but he still runs an organization called the “Tea Party Express.” Plenty of people who self-identify as Tea Party members embrace Palin, Beck, and their ilk, your “refudiation” notwithstanding.

I’m afraid your complaint reminds me of the pastor of some small Protestant denomination bitterly complaining that the Pope does not represent Christianity. True to a point, but he certainly represents a big chunk of it. So perhaps your particular Tea Party sect does not support Palin, but many do, and plenty of Tea Party groups are publicly opposed to Cordoba House as well. So good for you if your not an anti-Islam bigot, but don’t expect people outside of the Tea Party to give the movement a pass just because you are in it.

By: Londo Mollari

Londo Mollari — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:47:35 +0000

Sarah Palins “refudiate” is a portmanteau of repudiate and refute. In his day, Richard J. Daley entertained us with “insinuendos,” a portmanteau of insinuate and innuendo. (“I resent the insinuendos.”)

“Portmanteau” was a coinage of Lewis Carroll, who created many odd words in this way: for example, “slithy” combining lithe and slimy, and “mimsy” combining miserable and flimsy. Carroll’s portmanteaus reward us with language to describe slithy Sarah Palin and her mimsy lucubrations, while Palin’s portmanteaus are only good for a belly laugh at her expense. That is because Carroll was a man of great wit and learning, and Palin is an ignoramus whose mind is on vacation while her mouth is working overtime.

By: Angela V.

Angela V. — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:55:33 +0000

Opps. “The 9/11 Hijackers were self proclaimed Muslims, who were rejected by Muslims for their terrorist acts. Their motives, however, were political [1].”

By: Angela V.

Angela V. — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:46:34 +0000

That’s the point.

Timothy McVeigh was a self proclaimed Christian, who was rejected by Christians for his terrorist act. His motives, however, were political.

The 9/11 Hijackers were self proclaimed Muslims, who were reject by Muslims for their terrorist acts. Their motives, however, were political [1].

[1] “The events of September 11 are but a reaction to the continuous injustice and oppression being practiced against our sons in Palestine, Iraq, Somalia, Southern Sudan and in other places like Kashmir and Assam. It is incumbent on the whole Islamic nation (ummah) to awaken people from their sleep and rush to devise a solution to this disastrous problem that faces mankind today.”
Osama bin Laden.

2001 Osama bin Laden’s Video Message. Aljazeera News Broadcast. December 26.

By: estebanfolsom

estebanfolsom — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:28:18 +0000

there is a huge difference
my friend

from those that can’t choose
to those that can
and don’t

willful ignorance

not one of dantes’
lower
bowgies

but hell it is
no less