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Title: 40 Religious Leaders Denounce Sarah Palin and Fox’s Hate Speech
Source:
Politicususa
URL Source: http://www.politicususa.com/en/palin-hate-speech
Published: Aug 13, 2010
Author: Politicususa
Post Date: 2010-08-13 20:28:56 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 49313
Comments: 73
Forty different Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders and scholars came together to release a statement condemning the hate language of Fox News, Sarah Palin, and Newt Gingrich as it relates to the so called Ground Zero mosque, “Fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric only undermine treasured values at the heart of diverse faith traditions and our nation’s highest ideals.”
The statement released by Faith In The Public Life condemned the religious bigotry of Gingrich, Palin, and Fox News, “As Catholic, evangelical, mainline Protestant, Jewish and Muslim leaders and scholars committed to religious freedom and inter-religious cooperation, we are deeply troubled by the xenophobia and religious bigotry that has characterized some of the opposition to a proposed Islamic center and mosque near where the World Trade Center towers once stood.”
It continued, “Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, is the most recent prominent opponent to cast this debate in a way that demonizes all Muslims and exploits fear to divide Americans.”It is a sign of their contempt for Americans and their confidence in our historic ignorance that they would deliberately insult us this way,” Gingrich said in a statement. Sarah Palin called plans for the center a “provocation.” Fox News has aired a steady stream of irresponsible commentary and biased coverage that reduces what should be a civil debate into starkly combative terms.”
Rev. Peg Chemberlin, President of the National Council of Churches said, “We are deeply saddened by those who denigrate a religion which in so many ways is a religion of compassion and peace by associating all Muslims with violent extremism. That’s like equating all Christians to Timothy McVeigh’s actions. This center will reflect not only the best of Islam, but the enduring hope that Christians, Jews and Muslims can together find common ground in addressing the most urgent challenges of our time.”
Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby said, “It’s simply wrong for Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin to malign all Muslims by comparing this cultural center and mosque with a radical ideology that led to the horrific attacks of 9-11. We fail to honor those killed by terrorists when we betray the bedrock principle of religious freedom that has guided our democracy for centuries.”
The statement concluded by calling for an end to the fear mongering and hate filled rhetoric, “Mr. Gingrich, Ms. Palin and other prominent voices privileged to have the ear of the media would make a more lasting contribution to our nation if they stopped issuing inflammatory statements and instead helped inspire a civil dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims committed to a future guided by the principles of compassion, justice and peace. Fear-mongering and hateful rhetoric only undermine treasured values at the heart of diverse faith traditions and our nation’s highest ideals.”
I wish more people of all faiths would stand up and denounce the divisive hate filled tactics employed on a daily basis by Gingrich, Palin, and Fox News. Gingrich and Palin are trying to create a wave of hate to ride to the presidency, and Fox News has found that peddling paranoia and hate is very, very profitable. Playing upon religious tensions is bad enough, but to intentionally create disunity for political gain, with no regard for the consequences to our nation is almost criminal.
The politics of division and hate are the tactics that political movements always resort to when they are out of ideas and they possess no other means to motivate and inspire their supporters. Palin and Gingrich’s willingness to take us down this path is a reflective of their own personal ambitions combined with a complete lack of interest in actually solving our nation’s problems. A plea to our lesser emotions is easy, and sometimes effective, but by doing so, both Palin and Gingrich are demonstrating why neither one of them will ever be capable of inspiring the birth of a better America.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 61.
Let me know when "Faith In the Public Life" advocates building a church or synagogue in downtown Riyadh or Terhan, and then denouces Saudi Arabia and Iran for being intolerant.
Thanks.
#5. To: Ignore Amos (#1)
Let me know when "Faith In the Public Life" advocates building a church or synagogue in downtown Riyadh or Terhan, and then denouces Saudi Arabia and Iran for being intolerant.
Yeah, cause we ain't gotta do it until they do.
#7. To: lucysmom (#5)
Let me know when "Faith In the Public Life" advocates building a church or synagogue in downtown Riyadh or Terhan, and then denouces Saudi Arabia and Iran for being intolerant.
Yeah, cause we ain't gotta do it until they do.
I suppose there's a point in there . . . somewhere?
#8. To: Ignore Amos (#7)
I suppose there's a point in there . . . somewhere?
The point is allowing a Muslim community center to be built two blocks away from the WTC is about who we are and what we believe concerning religious freedom, not about who Muslims in Tehran are.
#26. To: lucysmom, Ignore Amos, parrot with speed dial, all (#8)
The point is allowing a Muslim community center to be built two blocks away from the WTC is about who we are and what we believe concerning religious freedom, not about who Muslims in Tehran are.
No...
That's the way this false premise has been framed.
If this Mosque is allowed to stick it's finger in America's eye and become its symbol of dominance, I can assure you the Muzzies may as well be detonating a nuke in NYC because they know EXACTLY what this will lead to...
IT will be blown up to smithereens in no time, and then the tit-for-tat clusterf*** will be on.
#56. To: Liberator, lucysmom (#26)
lucysmom: "The point is allowing a Muslim community center to be built two blocks away from the WTC is about who we are and what we believe concerning religious freedom, not about who Muslims in Tehran are."
Hey lucysmom, I'd like to hear your take on where our Founding Fathers stood on Islam...with what little they had to go on, just where do you think they would stand on this issue? 
#57. To: Murron (#56) (Edited)
Hey lucysmom, I'd like to hear your take on where our Founding Fathers stood on Islam...with what little they had to go on, just where do you think they would stand on this issue?
Read Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli. Our early government didn't have a beef with muslims.
#58. To: Rhino (#57) (Edited)
Thank you Rhino, I knew about this peace treaty, but I'm fishing....
What did these men know, and think about ISLAM...because there is something these men had, and used, that we don't have today. thanks!
#60. To: Murron (#58)
Thank you Rhino, I knew about this peace treaty, but I'm fishing....
What did these men know, and think about ISLAM...because there is something these men had, and used, that we don't have today. thanks!
It probably wasn't a huge factor back in day, but the founding fathers were very much for religious tolerance. Which is why our government is secular, and religious freedom is the first amendment of the bill of rights.
Simply put their constitution strictly forbids the government from preventing the mosque from being put up.
#61. To: Rhino (#60)
Simply put their constitution strictly forbids the government from preventing the mosque from being put up.
The government is empowered to restrict building.
Replies to Comment # 61.
The government is empowered to restrict building.
Not on religious reasons.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 61.
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