Americans also may be surprised to learn that the United States has been an active participant in mosque construction projects overseas. In April, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Alfonso E. Lenhardt helped cut the ribbon at the 12th-century Kizimkazi Mosque, which was refurbished with assistance from the United States under a program to preserve culturally significant buildings. The U.S. government also helped save the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque in Cairo, which dates back to 642. The mosque’s namesake was the Muslim conqueror of Christian Egypt, who built the structure on the site where he had pitched his tent before doing battle with the country’s Byzantine rulers. For those who think the Ground Zero Mosque is an example of “Muslim triumphalism” glorifying conquest, the Amr Ebn El Aas Mosque is an example of such a monument – and one paid for with U.S. taxpayer funds.
The mosques being rebuilt by the United States are used for religious worship, which raises important First Amendment questions. U.S. taxpayer money should not be used to preserve and promote Islam, even abroad. In July 2009, the Office of the Inspector General published an audit of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) faith-based and community initiatives that examined whether government funds were being used for religious activities. The auditors found that while USAID was funding some religious activities, officials were “uncertain of whether such uses of Agency funding violate Agency regulations or the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution” when balanced against foreign-policy objectives.
I guess that “wall of separation” only applies to Christians and Jews.
On the other hand, I suppose we should be grateful. The government is doing something productive with the money it is borrowing from China. Just not something productive for Americans.
Hey, it’s back to school time in the Nice Deb household, so I’ve been kinda swamped for the past week. Actually, I’ve been swamped all summer, which, of course has effected my blogging. Some days, it’s all I can do to get just one or two posts out there.
Starting next week: FREEEEEDOM!!!!
Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I don’t love having the little dears at home. I do. But for every thing, (turn, turn, turn) there is a season…(turn, turn, turn)…and the season for more personal time for Nice Deb is coming soon.
As for today, I’m not sure if I’m going to have time for more than this here round-up. There’s lots of good stuff out there, today, and I want you to see it all:
The last few weeks have been a nightmare for President Obama, in a summer of discontent in the United States which has deeply unsettled the ruling liberal elites, so much so that even the Left has begun to turn against the White House. While the anti-establishment Tea Party movement has gained significant
‘ground and is now a rising and powerful political force to be reckoned with, many of the president’s own supporters as well as independents are rapidly losing faith in Barack Obama, with open warfare breaking out between ,mthe White House and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. While conservatism in America grows stronger by the day, the forces of liberalism are growing increasingly weaker and divided.
Did you catch the “summer of discontent” wording??? Oh yeah,where have you seen that before? Keep reading, it’s nothing you don’t already know, but it’s always fun to see the Brits piling on. After suffering through the nightmarish years of 2008-2010, as we watched this horrific combination of Marxist/incompetent/shyster steamroll his way to electoral victory, and then truly awful legislative victories, it is profoundly gratifying to see that most people have finally caught on, and they want to see the radical agenda of this modern day Elmer Gantrycurtailed. As I’ve said many times before, it’s like the average commenter at Daily Kos is running the country. That kind of *YUCK* is not going to fool the country for long.
More bad tidings for Dems: I bet they were hoping that the Joe Sestak/WH job bribe scandal was over, but, it ain’t over, thanks to Bill Clinton, who’s decided he’s no longer going to play the dupe for this failing administration:
When things don’t go their way, libs become increasingly deranged. Look for more of this in the not so distant future.
Move over Coffee Party…there’s a new kid in town:“F.*.c.k. Tea project,” (Just more infantile moonbats with no pretense of civility this time).Pathetic.
The very idea of building a mosque there is a dangerous sign of Muslim demands on Western societies, says British authority Douglas Murray—and it shows that the U.S. must make a stand.
Oh, I almost forgot! I saw this late last night, and wanted to do a whole post about it, but I ran out of time.
Neoneocon found this commenter’s cri du Coeur deep inside the Washington Post’s long stream of comments castigating the Journolist quislings it still keeps on the payroll. I’ve corrected the spelling and punctuation and added paragraphing for pacing. Otherwise I have changed “Syoung809132001” words not one whit.
These words are long, strong, worth reading and absorbing. This is Whitman’s “barbaric yawp sounded over the roofs of the world.” This is an American Citizen speaking, and it is the sound and sign of Democracy awakened. It is the voice of the people betrayed:
I urge the new Republicans who are now running to reach out to the unions. We are weary. We know we are a big part of the problem and we are ready to compromise and work together.
Hell, I used to buy all of the spin. I am guilty of doing too little research and just toeing the party line because I was too busy. I’ve got plenty of time now. I’ve got plenty of will now. To say I regret all of the above doesn’t do it justice.
However, as a penance for the error of my ways, I am willing to take any kind of pay cut, benefit cut, furlough, whatever just to be able to feed my family and not have to worry about the bills and the roof over our heads. I am willing to cut whatever corners are necessary, learn whatever new skill is required to just get people working again.
If I never have to hear the words GREEN JOBS from my governor’s mouth again I would fall on my knees in gratitude. Fancy ideas, cotton candy spun dreams do not materialize into real paying jobs.
Our entire state of Michigan was sacrificed to the green job pie in the sky promise. Michigan now resembles a third world country. Whatever it takes, with whatever party candidate who has a realistic, adult answer will get our union votes.
The rose colored glasses are gone, I am turning accusing eyes at my so called “advocates” and I am bringing a hell of a lot of people with me.
I am an adult. Speak to me as an adult. Do not whine and point a finger of blame at a minority party for your own failure. ADULTS admit when they have made a mistake.
It is becoming clear to me who the irresponsible children are who go on a crazy “who cares” spending spree, and then become irritated when the people aren’t appreciative of their irresponsibility. And it is apparent who the adults are who are standing up screaming: “NO! STOP! YOU IDIOTS!” We will soon see which side the majority of the electorate is on.
I only regret I have one vote to cast. It is a dog eat dog world out there and the Democrat party wrote their own obituary with their utter foolishness. I played a part in that foolishness. I regret it utterly, but thankfully a tragic and deep lesson has been learned. If nothing else, I am grateful to be awake, thinking on my own, and seeing the light for the first time. It is a miniscule silver lining to a very dark cloud.
Two weeks ago, Robert Gibbs told reporters, when asked about the Obama administration’s position on the Ground Zero Mosque, that “it was a decision that was appropriately debated at the local level.”
So why did the State Department publish the entire text of Mayor Bloomberg’s speech – his very unpopular endorsement of the Ground Zero mosque – on its affiliate website, www.america.gov ?
I noted a few days ago that the Obama administration claimed to be taking no position on the Ground Zero mosque, with Robert Gibbs explaining that the president would not want to meddle in local affairs.
Now it emerges that the Obama State Department is not only footing the bill for Imam Feisal Rauf’s fling to the Persian Gulf region; it has also posted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s speech in vigorous support of Rauf’s Ground Zero project on its website (here).
When reached by THE WEEKLY STANDARD, the State Department official, Joanne Moore, first denied that America.gov was part of the State Department’s website. When I read her this line, “Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State,” which is at the end of the text of Bloomberg’s speech, she said she did not know, and that she would get back to me.
Moore then said, “no comment.”
So the question for the State Department remains: Why is Bloomberg’s speech on your website?
You can view the screenshot of Bloomberg’s speech at The Weekly Standard.
If posting the speech on a State Dept. website isn’t an endorsement, what is it?
Nice Deb 