Howard Dean's Epic FAIL: Former Governor Refuses to Back Down From Opposition to Mosque

Howard Dean has published a statement on Salon.com that forcefully defends his controversial statements regarding the Cordoba House (or so-called "Ground Zero Mosque"). Yesterday, Dean said that the mosque proponents needed to compromise and that they should pick another site. Today, facing heated criticism from progressives, Dean has defended his comments.

Dean claims that he supports religious freedom and says that it is undeniable that the mosque proponents have the right to build near ground zero. Dean, however, argues that they should accept a compromise:

My argument is simple. This Center may be intended as a bridge or a healing gesture but it will not be perceived that way unless a dialogue with a real attempt to understand each other happens. That means the builders have to be willing to go beyond what is their right and be willing to talk about feelings whether the feelings are "justified" or not. No doubt the Republic will survive if this center is built on its current site or not. But I think this is a missed opportunity to try to have an open discussion about why this is a big deal because it is a big deal to a lot of Americans who are not just right wing politicians pushing the hate button again. I think those people need to be heard respectfully whether they are right or whether they are wrong.

Dean also tries to rebut the assertion that his arguments could justify other forms of intolerance, like homophobia and racism:

This has nothing to do with the right to build and unlike same sex marriage or the civil rights movement it is not about equal protection under the law. The rights of the builders are not in dispute. This is about ending the poisonous atmosphere engendered by fear and hate, and in order to do that there has to be genuine listening, hearing and willingness to compromise on both sides.

Epic FAIL
Dean's arguments, to use the vernacular of a younger generation than my own, are an epic FAIL. I do not doubt that Dean agrees that the individuals have a right to build the mosque. Dean also concedes that many individuals oppose the mosque because they are bigots.

Dean's arguments, however, fail to persuade me because he wants a group of seemingly well intentioned religious individuals to capitulate to irrational fears, bigotry, and "emotions" of individuals who oppose the mosque. No tangible evidence or logical argument can link mosque proponents with the 9/11 attackers.

Religious bigotry, however, makes it impossible for many mosque opponents to distinguish Cordoba House proponents from the radical individuals involved in 9/11. Rather than countering this bigotry, Dean argues that Muslims should acquiesce to its existence. This is hardly an emancipatory rhetoric.

Dean also fails in his effort to distinguish this discussion from other civil rights issues. Many bigots have said "I am not a racist, but. . . ." Others have said, "I have nothing against gay people, but. . . ." During the Civil Rights Movement, many liberals (e.g., President John F. Kennedy) claimed to agree that racism and segregation were wrong, but they urged black leaders to accept compromise, modify their demands, wait until society was more understanding, and refrain from protest. Thurgood Marshall famously said that the Negro waited nearly a century for Americans to respect the constitutional guarantee of Equal Protection. Further compromise was unacceptable.

The same twisted logic that Marshall rejected pervades discussions of Islam in this setting. It also serves as the basis for Dean's comments. While many people who oppose the mosque might stop short of explicitly denying that its proponents have the right to do so, this distinction is meaningless. By linking all Muslims with 9/11, the mosque opponents render their professed religious tolerance a nullity. Dean, who once excited progressives with his position on social issues, should be ashamed of his stance towards the mosque.

UPDATE: Howard Dean conducted an interview with Glenn Greenwald on this subject. During the interview, he tried to walk away from his argument that moving the mosque would be a "better idea." Instead he said he simply seeks discussion and compromise. Dean also criticized progressives for being inflexible.

Dean denied Greenwald's assertion that his arguments mirror efforts to get civil rights leaders to curb their activism due to social pressure. I highly recommend that Dean read Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter From A Birmingham Jail. It discusses the issue of delay, compromise, the fear of white moderates, and injustice.

Do Americans Really Believe in Religious Freedom and Equality? (UPDATED)

After President Obama defended the right of the planners of the Cordoba House (the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque") to locate their religious center near the site of the former World Trade Center, he received criticism from progressives and conservatives. Both sides argued that he should comment on the wisdom of the project -- rather than limiting his position to a discussion of religious freedom and equality.

Is Religious Tolerance A "Nonissue"?
Many of Obama's critics cited a Fox News poll, which shows that 61% of Americans believe that the Cordoba House proponents have the "right" to locate the building near Ground Zero. Although the poll shows that more than 1/3 of Americans do not recognize the constitutional rights of the Cordoba House proponents, Obama's critics argue that this poll proves that religious freedom is a nonissue.

According to Obama's critics, he had taken a safe and cowardly position (yet again). Sarah Palin, via Facebook, demanded that Obama state what he believed "should" occur. Ben Smith of Politico described the rights question as a "trivial" point.

The assumption of these commentators is plain: Americans widely support religious freedom and equality, but they split on the wisdom of the Cordoba House. The rhetoric of opponents of the religious center, however, reveals that many of them actually do not support religious freedom.

People Do Not Like To Reveal Bias in Polls
Critics who cite polling data which purport to show that Cordoba House opponents support religious freedom surprisingly view the polls uncritically. A wealth of analysis establishes that people feel uncomfortable revealing their personal biases and bigotry in polls. Accordingly, when pollsters ask respondents whether they generally support "equality" or whether they oppose "discrimination," overwhelmingly, the respondents favor equal treatment. Yet, when pollsters ask them more specific questions related to equality, the numbers change.

For example, polls show that a large majority of Americans do not believe that sexual orientation alone should justify discrimination. Nevertheless, many of these same respondents disagree with same-sex marriage or believe that gays and lesbians should not teach children.

There is nothing unique about religion that would preclude a similar pattern in polls related to religious tolerance. Indeed, a new Time Magazine survey suggests that on specific questions regarding religious tolerance and Muslims, many Americans support unequal treatment.

Here are some results from the survey:

Twenty-eight percent of voters do not believe Muslims should be eligible to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Nearly one third of the country thinks adherents of Islam should be barred from running for President — slightly higher than the 24% who mistakenly believe that the current occupant of the Oval Office is himself a Muslim. . . .

And while more Americans are open to the idea of having a mosque built in their neighborhoods than near Ground Zero, it's still not an overwhelming majority; 55% of respondents say they would favor the construction of an Islamic community center and mosque two blocks from their own homes, and an equal number say they believe most Muslims are "Patriotic Americans."

The poll results belie the assumption that Americans consistently support religious freedom and equality. Instead, significant numbers of Americans harbor biases against Muslims (including a growing number who wrongfully believe Obama himself is a Muslim).

Cordoba House Opponents Stereotype Muslims As Terrorists
Cordoba House opponents also contradict their own message of religious tolerance by stereotyping Muslims as terrorists -- and in particular, the 9/11 attackers. According to the Time Magazine survey, 70% of Americans believe that building the Cordoba House near Ground Zero "would be an insult to the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center."

There is absolutely no evidence that links planners of the Cordoba House with the World Trade Center or terrorism. Indeed, the proponents say that they want to construct the center as a gesture of goodwill.

Nonetheless, large numbers of Americans believe that the mere presence of a center dedicated to Islam would constitute further harm to the victims of 9/11. Only a prejudicial view that associates Muslims with terrorism could explain this belief. Many people who claim that they support the rights of the Cordoba House planners, but who feel that the project should not go forward, likely harbor biases against Muslims.

Final Take
Critical readers should not take general polling data on religious tolerance at face value. Instead, they should analyze the public's views on specific questions related to tolerance. Emerging polling data suggest that while large numbers of Americans claim to support religious freedom, they also hold stereotypical views of Muslims.

President Obama entered this political thicket by expressing support for religious freedom and equality. Yet, liberals and conservatives criticized his approach as moderate and evasive. They also treated religious freedom as a nonissue. Both sides need to reevaluate their arguments.

When liberals dismiss religious freedom as an irrelevant issue, they trivialize the manifestation of anti-Muslim bigotry, which they claim to oppose. When conservatives, moderates and liberals associate a Muslim community center with the harm of 9/11, they betray their own stated commitment to religious tolerance.

UPDATE: The Time Magazine and Fox News polls both confirm that around 1/3 of Americans seemingly would deny many rights to Muslims. The same amount profess religious tolerance and have no problem with the Cordoba House. Another one third profess religious tolerance but disagree with the Cordoba House. Progressives have accepted at face value the religious tolerance of the latter group. Uncritical acceptance of this group's professed religious tolerance is a foolhardy way to approach to the issue.

UPDATE II: A new poll by The Economist provides even stronger evidence of anti-Muslim sentiment among Americans.

Howard Dean on Mosque: "I Think Another Site Would Be A Better Idea"

Howard Dean has come out against Park51 (the so-called Ground Zero Mosque). During a radio interview, Dean called for a "compromise" and denied that the issue had anything to do with the "rights" of Muslims to have a place of worship.

When asked whether he thought the project should move to another location, Dean said that "I think another site would be a better idea." The tape appears below this post.

Dean is a famed liberal who has challenged moderate Democrats on many issues. During his unsuccessful presidential run in 2004, he famously said that he represented the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," a slight to hawkish candidates like Senator John Kerry.

But as Glenn Greenwald points out, Dean's position on this issue aligns him with folks like Newt Gingrich. His opinion also mirrors Sarah Palin's. Furthermore, Dean's position on this issue makes him more conservative than folks like Ted Olson and Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey.

Dean seems to want to end the conflict, but he does so by denying the religious rights at stake. President Obama's stance that acknowledges religious freedom remains a welcome intervention on this subject among Democrats.

UPDATE: Dean tries to defend his comments. As the kids today would say: FAIL.

Sarah Palin's Two-Faced Arguments Regarding "Ground Zero Mosque"

The so-called Ground Zero Mosque occupied the headlines over the weekend, following President Obama's endorsement of the group's right to build the mosque. Although Obama plainly limited his comments to a discussion of religious freedom and equality, the media reported the story with a much broader sweep. According to most media reports, Obama had, in fact, endorsed the decision making behind the location of the mosque.

Yesterday, he clarified his remarks, which led to another round of botched media reporting. Now, Obama has supposedly "walked back" or "narrowed" the scope of his comments. He did no such thing.

The Bloggacuda Enters the Fray

Liberals and conservatives alike have criticized Obama's imaginary walk-back. Conservatives, however, now argue that Obama should express his opinion regarding the "wisdom" of the project. The Bloggacuda herself -- Sarah Palin -- scribbled out a Facebook entry demanding that Obama state whether mosque proponents should build the mosque near ground zero.

Palin, like other conservatives, claims that she agrees that the mosque proponents have the right to build the mosque, but she argues that they should not. She claims that building the mosque will cause religious tension, and she wants Obama to enter this thicket. This is a contradictory position.

Religious Freedom Means The Government Does Not Make Decisions For Religious Groups

Religious freedom is guaranteed by the First Amendment. The US Constitution allows mosque proponents to construct the mosque if they, as Obama stated during his speech, comply with local and state laws. Generally, it is not the role of government to tell religious individuals and organizations whether and how they should exercise their constitutional rights, particularly when, as here, the government's input could have a decisive impact.

If Obama told Palin that he respects her First Amendment right to post hate essays on Facebook, but that she should not do so because she is divisive, she would not appreciate the interference. In fact, she and her minions would probably (re)accuse Obama of being a socialist, radical, communist. Nevertheless, Palin wants Obama to comment on the wisdom of a religious group's decision to locate a mosque in lower Manhattan.

Palin has a two-faced view of constitutional liberty -- as do all of the other commentators who want Obama to go more deeply into this conflict. Religious freedom means that so long as people comply with laws of general application then the government should not interfere with their religious practices. I suspect that Palin and other opponents of the mosque would cheer a decision by local authorities to block the mosque project. This, however, does not reflect an embrace of religious freedom.

If liberals and conservatives actually support religious freedom, they must accept the building of the mosque -- regardless of whether they believe it is a good idea or not. This is all Obama said during his speech. For this, I commend him. On this issue, all sides must accept a "wall of separation between mosque and state."

UPDATE: This essay was edited for clarity.

Also on Dissenting Justice:

Media Continues to Misstate Obama's Position on Mosque (Updated)

Media Misstates Obama's Position on Mosque; Obama Clarifies Stance

Media Continues to Misstate Obama's Position on Mosque (Updated)

The back-and-forth over the so-called Ground Zero Mosque continues. Yesterday, President Obama endorsed the constitutional rights of individuals who want to build a mosque near the former site of the World Trade Center. The media, in an apparent desire for controversial headlines, reported that Obama supported building a mosque at ground zero.

Today, President Obama clarified his comments, emphasizing that he endorsed the rights of the mosque proponents and that he remained neutral regarding the wisdom of the project. This is an important distinction. Upholding the US Constitution is a duty of the President. Deciding local construction policy is not.

Now that President Obama has clarified his position, some media commentators are arguing that he is shifting or backtracking. Ben Smith of Politico offers the most egregious example of this in his blog post: Obama narrows mosque defense. Smith argues that:

The signal Obama sent with his rhetoric last night wasn't that he had chosen to make a trivial, legal point about the First Amendment. He chose to make headlines in support of the mosque project, and he won't be able to walk them back now with this sprinkling of doubt. All he'll do is frustrate some of the people who so eagerly welcomed his words yesterday as a return to form.

Signal? Rather than using subliminal messaging to decode what Obama was saying, try looking at the transcript and judge for yourself.

Smith's description of the First Amendment as "trivial" is shocking. That same legal document allows him to blog on political issues -- even if incorrectly. The speech and religion clauses of the First Amendment are very important parts of US constitutional law. It is commendable that Obama embraced these concepts for a disparaged religious community.

Finally, the notion that one could embrace a person's right to do something -- without necessarily advising that person to do anything specific -- is not complicated. For example, many people are pro-choice, even though they say they would not have an abortion themselves. Some people are atheist, but they support religious freedom (including the freedom not to believe). One can believe in the First Amendment, but also believe that the news media is becoming a worthless part of American culture. Similarly, Obama can endorse the rights of the mosque proponents, while remaining aloof to the controversy about its location.

Anyone who reads Dissenting Justice knows that this blog is a fearless critic of Obama. This, however, is not a moment to criticize him.

UPDATE: The evolving commentary on this subject brings two issues to mind. First, many leftists are upset and believe that Obama is compromising or going back on his word. During the Democratic primaries, many progressives projected leftwing values onto Obama based on things he said that, if interpreted broadly, could mean he was a progressive. Apparently, many of them have not learned to construe his words narrowly (and even then, he sometimes falls short, like all politicians).

Second, this situation looks like the Shirley Sherrod matter. Although Obama's actual words are available for all to see, people are still misreporting them.

Also on Dissenting Justice:

Sarah Palin's Two-Faced Arguments Regarding "Ground Zero Mosque"

Media Misstates Obama's Position on Mosque; Obama Clarifies Stance

Media Misstates Obama's Position on Mosque; Obama Clarifies Stance

President Obama has clarified his comments regarding the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque." Yesterday, Obama endorsed the constitutional rights of individuals who want to locate a mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center. Many of the media headlines on the story falsely implied that Obama explicitly supported building a mosque near ground zero.

Obama has now emphasized that he only embraced the rights of the proponents of the mosque -- rather than the wisdom of the project:

President Obama said on Saturday that in defending the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque near Ground Zero he was “not commenting on the wisdom” of that particular project, but rather trying to uphold the broader principle that government should treat “everyone equal, regardless” of religion.

For what it is worth, Dissenting Justice anticipated this distinction and described Obama's position as follows: "Obama strongly endorsed the rights of the individuals who want to build the mosque" (italics added).

Also on Dissenting Justice:

Media Continues to Misstate Obama's Position on Mosque.

Sarah Palin's Two-Faced Arguments Regarding "Ground Zero Mosque"

President Obama Enters "Ground Zero Mosque" Debate

After avoiding the issue for months, President Obama finally entered the debate over locating a mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center. President Obama's remarks came during a White House dinner celebrating Ramadan.

Obama strongly endorsed the rights of the individuals who want to build the mosque:

"I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground zero is, indeed, hallowed ground,” the president said in remarks prepared for the annual White House iftar, the sunset meal breaking the day’s fast.

But, he continued: "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are."

As Glenn Greenwald observes, Obama's remarks are particularly commendable (and surprising) given the enormous amount of public opposition to the planned mosque. Nonetheless, because the constitutional law on this issue is overwhelmingly on the side of the mosque proponents, had Obama taken a position opposing the project, he likely would have provoked sharp criticism from civil libertarians and legal analysts. People who oppose this project are seeking to undermine the longstanding constitutional principle of religious freedom.

A Conservative Blogger's Curious Satire: Ground Zero Gay Bar

Conservative blogger Greg Gutfeld says that he is planning to open a gay bar in lower Manhattan near the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque." Gutfeld says that he is "serious," but his article seems satirical:

So, the Muslim investors championing the construction of the new mosque near Ground Zero claim it's all about strengthening the relationship between the Muslim and non-Muslim world.

As an American, I believe they have every right to build the mosque - after all, if they buy the land and they follow the law - who can stop them?

Which is, why, in the spirit of outreach, I've decided to do the same thing.

I'm announcing tonight, that I am planning to build and open the first gay bar that caters not only to the west, but also Islamic gay men. To best express my sincere desire for dialogue, the bar will be situated next to the mosque Park51, in an available commercial space.

This is not a joke. I've already spoken to a number of investors, who have pledged their support in this bipartisan bid for understanding and tolerance.

As you know, the Muslim faith doesn't look kindly upon homosexuality, which is why I'm building this bar. It is an effort to break down barriers and reduce deadly homophobia in the Islamic world.

Many conservative blogs have reported this story as if represented a major rebuttal of liberal support for the mosque. Apparently, the notion of having a gay bar near the mosque will outrage its supporters, and their anger will allow them to see the perspective of the mosque's opponents -- or at least expose them as hypocrites.

There is one major wrinkle in this line of reasoning. The idea of a gay bar near or next to a mosque is not inherently offensive. The idea of a gay bar that is "friendly to men of Islamic faith" is also not inherently offensive. Gutfield's satire appears to rest on his belief that homophobia will paralyze supporters of the mosque. There is no reason to believe that it would.

If Gutfeld is truly serious about supporting Muslim glbt individuals, he should contact members of Al-Fatiha -- a US-based organization for Muslim glbt individuals. Of course, Gutfeld is not serious. His homophobic satire, however, is seriously offensive.