More Crazy Talk On The Radio,

The other day I was surfing across the radio dial while driving back from Waco when I came across a ranting preacher talking about the Ground Zero mosque. Then I realized it was Jay Sekulow, someone I used to respect. A little explanation. Jay Sekulow is a constitutional lawyer who specializes in representing Christians in freedom of religion cases. His American Center for Law and Justice is a Christian version of the ACLU.

However, on the day that I tuned in, Jay was not advocating freedom of religion and he was not demonstrating the logic that I would expect from a constitutional scholar. Instead, he was ranting about plans to build a mosque at Ground Zero. He claimed that the muslims wanted to build a mosque overlooking Ground Zero to celebrate their victory over America, just as the Dome of the Rock was built over the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. He compared it to removing the USS Arizona from Pearl Harbor and building a monument to the Japanese Kamikazis who died in the attack.

I had already begun to sour on Sekulow and the ACLJ based on their persistent phone calls asking for money. However, this rant caused me to lose all respect. Here's why:

1. He got his facts wrong. By stating that the mosque was being built on Ground Zero and that it would overlook Ground Zero, he made it seem that the government was incorporating a mosque into its plans for developing the site. You could understand why people would find that insensitive. However, the fact is that a muslim group bought a building two blocks away from Ground Zero. As another blogger pointed out, the mosque would not overlook Ground Zero because there is another building in the way. The mosque would actually overlook an Amish Market. You can read about it here.

2. He was using demagoguery rather than logic. In his call to action, he equated the group proposing to build the mosque with the 9/11 terrorists. However, you can't say that all muslims are terrorists. Most muslims in the United States reject extremism and embrace American values. Both the victims and the first responders at Ground Zero included muslims.

3. Finally, and most importantly, he rejected fundamental America values. What two values do American conservatives hold most valuable? Most would say freedom of religion and freedom of property. However, Mr. Sekulow, who made a career out of defending Christians' right of freedom of religion would deny that same freedom to another religion. That is hypocrisy and it is un-American. Our freedoms mean nothing unless we grant them to people we don't like.

4. I know that some people will say that Muslims can build a mosque in Manhattan when Christians can build a church in Saudi Arabia. It's true that muslim countries are radically intolerant of other faiths. However, that's what makes America a better country. Our founders believed that we had certain inalienable rights. Some of those rights are included in the First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of petitiion, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of religion and freedom from a state-sponsored church. We allow those freedoms because we believe that they are inherent rights. We also allow them because not afraid of what people will do with them. In Venezuela, Hugo Chavez recently demanded to know why the owner of the largest opposition media outlet was not in jail so he had to flee the country. In Tehran, thousands were arrested for protesting a stolen election. Weak countries suppress freedom, while strong ones allow it.

5. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

"46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"

Matthew 5:46-47.

I think the same principle applies here. If we grant rights only to those who agree with us, how are we better than any tinpot dictatorship? I would like to see the US of A held to a higher standard than Cuba or Iran. It's a shame that Jay Sekulow doesn't.