This morning, Fox News legal analyst Peter Johnson Jr. gave a sanctimonious lecture outside the proposed location of the Park51 Islamic community center - or, as he and the chyron referred to it repeatedly, the “Ground Zero Mosque.” His speech was representative of many of the main arguments made by opponents of the center, relying on the well-worn talking point that this isn't “about the First Amendment,” but instead about paying deference to those who lost someone on 9-11.
The idea of being respectful to friends and relatives of 9-11 victims is about as far from controversial as ideas get. However, a problem arises when people like Johnson and his cohorts in the conservative media buttress their arguments against the proposed community center with blatant falsehoods. Call me crazy, but I don't think it is “respectful” to invoke the memories of those who lost their lives on 9-11 while lying - shamelessly and repeatedly -- about the people that are supposedly “disrespecting” them.
And make no mistake, Johnson's monologue was filled with things that are flat-out wrong.
Johnson said that the “developer of this mosque promises to build bridges, yet they reportedly announced that its groundbreaking will take place on September 11, 2011.” Though Fox News, Pam Geller, and the usual suspects often repeat this talking point as one of their main pieces of evidence that the developers of the center are being deliberately provocative, it's a complete falsehood. While it's true that this was “reportedly announced,” it's also true that the developer of the mosque has categorically denied that report. To leave out the developer's denial is to lie by omission in order to stir up the kinds of “differences” that Johnson laments in his speech. It's dishonest and despicable.
Johnson claims that “Speaker Pelosi promises investigation of 9/11 families.” Speak Pelosi did not “promise” anything of the sort.
He also invoked the idea that the center represents a form of “Islamic triumphalism or supremacy,” and proceeds to blame the people involved with the center for giving “no assurances” that this is not the case. However, Imam Rauf has directly contradicted this idea. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Rauf stated unequivocally, “We condemn terrorists. We recognize it exists in our faith, but we are committed to eradicate it.” He also added: “We want to rebuild this community. ... This is about moderate Muslims who intend to be and want to be part of the solution.” Additionally, as detailed by Slate, in the past Rauf has explicitly rejected the idea of Islamic triumphalism over Christians and Jews, and even told congregants at his Manhattan mosque in 2002 that he “can confidently assert that I am closer to my Jewish and Christian brothers here ... than the Muslim militants carrying a narrow view.” That certainly doesn't sound like “triumphalism,” which is why Johnson completely left it out of his report.
Johnson uses the memories of the victims of 9/11 to cloak his blatant dishonesty. While he claims to detest the things that divide us - even calling for New York Muslims to “give up their rights” out of respect - it is Johnson, not the builders of the community center, that are striving to create and exploit these differences. If the center were actually as controversial as he claims it is, he would not need to rely on outright lies in order to make his point.
He should be ashamed.