So where IS Anthony Weiner on the Ground Zero Mosque debate??

[elizm]

I know I am mad as hell about it...I'd like to see some of his outrage over the First freaking Amendment.

[Chris P. Bacon]

1. Weiner knows when to be quiet

August 3:
"The feisty New York liberal is shockingly quiet when it comes to the proposed Islamic community center downtown " http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/08/03/anthony_weiner_mosque

...

June 1: "In a sign that some Dems in Congress may rally behind Israel in the face of international condemnation of the attack on the aid flotilla, Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York strongly defended Israel's move in an interview, blaming the bloodshed on Turkey and the activists for instigating the conflict.

"This was about instigating an altercation and they succeeded," Weiner, one of Israel's leading allies in Congress, told me."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/06/anthony_weiner_strongly_defend.html

[shraby]

2. What I heard him say is he thinks the 1st amendment is

great and is working like it should. Where do people think we'd be if it weren't for freedom of religion??? Most people don't like other religions..personally, I don't like the snake handlers.

[vaberella]

3. I haven't heard him say anything either and I don't want him too.

After his flotilla comments...When it comes to anything Islam he should remain shut or possibly turn out like the male anti-Islam version of Helen Thomas.

[sabrina 1]

15. A perfect Ari Fleischer smear of Helen Thomas

who is not and never was anti-anything other than injustice. Thank you for helping to silence one of this country's best journalistic voices. Thank you for joining the 'They better watch what they say' movement against her led by that paragan of patriotism, Ari Fleischer, who would have ended up in jail for helping to out a U.S undercover agent if he had not run to the prosecutor to turn in whoever he could to save his own ass.

For the record, and everytime that I see that Ari Fleischer lie I will correct it, Helen Thomas was wrongfully smeared and deliberately mis-interpreted out of sheer venom because she was the only reporter with the guts to question their neocon wars.

By helping to drive her out of her job, a decision that has received widespread condemnation among the American people btw, including Veterans groups, it was not just Helen Thomas who was harmed, it was we, the American people who are growing very, very tired of the assaults on OUR freedom because some group or another decides that their tender feelings are more important than our Constitutional rights.

Just as is the case here, with the rabid tea-baggers calling the shots while Democrats cave to the screaming minority. And Weiner SHOULD be out there, as the President was, speaking up for our Constitution. This is a real test of who actually supports our Constitutional rights and who doesn't. It is easy to do when you are not challenged, NOW is when every Democrat should be joining the President and standing up for the American people.

[vaberella]

20. I don't even know who Ari Fleischer is.

Well, while some people heralded her comments. I did not. I found them uncalled for, anti-Semitic (even if she herself is not). So you can go on and defend her words all you want. I really don't give a quack's ass. But I do not and there was nothing misinterpreted her in her comments---I heard it several times and each time it made me more sick to my stomach. As for the rest of the diatribe you're saying...I don't know how OUR freedoms were protected by this one woman.

As for Weiner. AS I said before, I don't want to hear what Weiner has to say in regards to this because I heard where he stood in regards to the flotilla and I lost a good measure of respect for him then. And he's smart to keep his mouth shut on it, because as I said before, he'll end up in the same boat as Helen Thomas---who offended me by her comments. And so you know Weiner was definitely offended by her comments as well.

[sabrina 1]

24. We are all offended by something or other every day.

Neither your nor Weiner's taking offense at someone's words has anything to do with the Constitutional rights at stake each time people get offended and demand that their issue be addressed regardless of how it violates the Constitution to do so.

I lost respect for Weiner also wrt to his position on the Flotilla murders, however, I am glad when our elected officials reveal their positions on important issues. It is vital that voters know where they stand.

Since he is remaining silent, I will infer from that that he does not intend to stand up for the Constitution, which he swore an oath to protect. Not just when it pleases him, but also when he may be personally offended. If he changes his mind and does his job of honoring that oath, then I will revise my opinion.

And Helen Thomas was deliberately mis-interepreted. Ari Fleischer was Bush's Press Secretary who warned the American people that they better watch what they say presumably about Bush policies. He was also implicated in the outing of Valerie Plame. Helen Thomas was not one of his favorite journalists as she continued, even during the Bush years, to question them on their policies.

Ari Fleischer led the witch hunt against Helen Thomas.

[BlueMTexpat]

25. Poor Ari - forgotten so soon!

W's first Press Secretary ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ari_Fleischer

[vaberella]

27. Oh that guy. Waste of air. n/t

[Dr.Phool]

4. He's on Coney Island, having a weiner roast with Jon Stewart.

[still_one]

5. I don't know where he stands, but Mayor Bloomberg has made a strong stand for it

[BlueMTexpat]

26. Bloomberg is a good guy and a good Mayor, or so my NYC

friends tell me. Whatever his party label.

[still_one]

29. He is now an independent. Does not align him self with either party /nt

[geek tragedy]

6. Weiner is a LIkudnik on all things Israel, so we can

guess where he stands.

[leftynyc]

8. What on earth

does the community center have to do with Israel?

[geek tragedy]

10. Weiner belongs to racist, Islamaphobic, virulently anti-Palestinian

'pro-Israel' organizations. He identifies himself as belonging to the "ZOA wing of the Democratic party."

Here's what the disgusting ZOA had to say about the lower Manhattan community center:

"ZOA: Don't Increase Pain To Families Of 9/11 Victims Of Islamist Terror By Building Mosque Led By Extremist, Anti-U.S., Pro-Hamas Imam"

http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=1919

I would have voted for Bloomberg over him because I would not trust a Weiner admin to protect the rights of the city's Arab and Muslim population.

[karynnj]

12. His wife is Muslim -

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/11/2010-07-11_weiner_marries_hillary_aide_at_tony_li_spot.html

It is likely unfair to hold him personally responsible for everything an organization says.

[geek tragedy]

14. He self-identifies as a member of a openly racist organization.

He one scolded AIPAC as being too moderate.

And his wife is a beard.

[Ter]

17. As crazy as this sounds, some of the biggest racists or xenophobes

Have wives of different races. So in this case, having a wife of a different religion while being anti-Islam seems to be fitting.

[geek tragedy]

19. Lou Dobbs is married to a Latina. nt

[karynnj]

23. I thought you were kidding, but I used google to avoid making a fool of myself

[Ter]

16. A Weiner admin!

That just sounds so funny!

[vaberella]

11. His views on the Flotilla, should give an indication of where he belongs in regards to the mosque.

nt

[niceypoo]

7. There is no debate

There are a bunch of Republicans all jumping up and down in a hissy fit, and a bunch of Democrats who feel obligated to join them for whatever reason.

[denimgirly]

9. There is one bad thing about Weiner -- He clearly is 100% pro Israel and despises all Mulsim activit

The man is quite possibly the greatest democrat we have and although this country will never put in a Jewish president i'd vote for him in a second.
However, the only bad thing i can find abotu him is that he is totally in the pocket of Israel and anything they do...if Israel says they are in favor of cutting to the chase and supporting geneocide on the palestinians i really doubt Weiner will come out against it...the dude just loves Israel and any daily atrosities they do he will not come out against it--and in many cases will support it. And so, building a mosque is something he will not want since i guess there is bad blood between muslims and jews?!?

It's a real shame too because the guy is remarkably perfect on every other issue. He is the ideal progressive...just on this one issue. Baffling.

[Ter]

18. It's not baffling at all

n/t

[Phx_Dem]

13. He's smart to stay quiet. It's a right so there is nothing to discuss.

Also, the "debate" is so far off track, and erroneous, it's become an appalling example of American intolerance.

[vaberella]

21. Agreed. n/t

[Uzybone]

22. Does everyone have to speak out over one community center?

The conservative media has so warped peoples minds that they think that what cable news says is important is really important.

Id much rather hear about how Petreaus plans to get us out of Afghanistan. Or how the GOP is obstructing progress in this country.

[rucky]

28. Weiner's Facebook status yesterday touches on it in a classy way:

Maybe this IS a teachable moment. 353 years ago it was the Quakers under
attack and the good people of Queens demonstrated what was right about
America - even before our nation existed.

http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2008/August/20080728133100xlrennef0.9696466.html

FB link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/AnthonyDWeiner