[soprofaxelbis]

This is really no major surprise to me. As we saw with Iraq, the extreme right of GOP will happily be led by Al Queda down any path that allows them to promote fear and xenophobic aggression. And they're not smart enough to realize that it's exactly what the extremist wings of some Islamic sects want.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/16/...aedas-message/

On Morning Joe earlier today, a pair of leading Republicans — host Joe Scarborough and former Bush strategist Mark McKinnon — blasted the GOP for its xenophobic and unconstitutional stance against American Muslims’ right to build a new Islamic center in lower Manhattan.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has claimed that the new Islamic center project “would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum.” Referencing that quote, Scarborough expressed angry disdain at Gingrich’s intolerance. “I don’t know where to begin,” Scarborough said. “To suggest that someone trying to build a tolerance center for moderate Muslims in New York is the equivalent of killing six million Jews is stunning to me.”

McKinnon then chimed in, arguing that the debate surrounding the Cordoba House project is contrary to his party’s principles. “We may get our membership [by the GOP] revoked,” McKinnon joked. “Screw ‘em,” Scarborough responded. McKinnon then said that the GOP’s stance is “reinforcing al Qaeda’s message”:McKINNON: Usually Republicans are forthright in defending the Constitution. And here we are, reinforcing al Qaeda’s message that we’re at war with Muslims. So we’ve got this issue; then we’ve got the 14th Amendment issue, where Republicans are saying you’re not welcome here, when we were the architects of the 14th Amendment. So, I see a bad pattern where we’re headed as a Republican Party.McKinnon said he believed President Obama has “done the right thing in stepping forward at this time on this issue.” He added, “Tolerance means tolerating things you don’t like, especially when you don’t like them. … I respect the President for making this move.”

[Mifsnavassy]

This is really no major surprise to me. As we saw with Iraq, the extreme right of GOP will happily be led by Al Queda down any path that allows them to promote fear and xenophobic aggression. And they're not smart enough to realize that it's exactly what the extremist wings of some Islamic sects want.

Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/16/...aedas-message/

America has always had a strong tradition of xenophobia and aggression, Richard; however, it's generally been tied to economics and power and it's generally worked. If a certain group of people are in our way, move them out. If a certain group of people can benefit us, use them. Terrorism is a whole new ball game. They attacked on U.S. soil. What we do? No country/state to invade that will stop them. No puppet governments to control them. Pretty frustrating for the most powerful nation in the world.

So what do we do? First, let's make up some lies about certain countries. Second, let's invade some countries anyway. Third, let's "protect" ourselves by selling out our own privacy rights, little by little, in the name of security. Then, let's fall back on some barbaric means of prisoner treatment, in the name of our "war on terrorism." Finally, let's demonize every Muslim on the planet, making sure we all understand that Muslims hate our "freedom."

We've learned nothing. Absolutely nothing.