During a discussion on “Fox News Sunday” of a proposed mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn. that has drawn protests, legal challenges and even arson, host Chris Wallace asked the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO his feelings about communities that wish to ban mosques.

“Yes, they have the right to do that,” Cain replied.

No, none of these people have either read the constitution nor have they understood it.

Frankly, it is about as far away from okay as you can get. Newsweek’s current cover mashing up The Book Of Mormon musical with Mitt Romney would probably be too much for Mad Magazine, and their entire business model is predicated on uncomfortable stabs at humor. But on the cover of one of the two major newsweeklies, it is just too much.

I’m obviously no fan of Mitt Romney or his brand of politics, but this cover trivializes his Mormon faith in a way that simply wouldn’t be acceptable with mainline Christian politicians. It just wouldn’t. Romney is a legitimate candidate for the presidency who doesn’t deserve this kind of treatment from a publication that purports to be a serious journalism product.

I don’t even think this cover would be tasteful in the hands of an ideological publication opposed to Romney and his ideas (eg. The Nation, The American Prospect), let alone Newsweek. If we’re going to have an atmosphere that encourages and embraces freedom of religion (or the lack thereof) we should be respectful of denominations no matter how small.

I think Newsweek went with this cover for a couple of reasons.

One, Mormonism is not often in step with mainstream American Christianity, and is unlikely to prompt outcries of solidarity when it is attacked or smeared. That is, a guy like the Catholic League’s Bill Donohue is unlikely to defend Mormons with the same zeal he attacks victims of Catholic church abuse. It’s a cheap hit that doesn’t cost them anything.

Secondly, and more obviously, Newsweek is desperate. In recent weeks Newsweek’s covers have showcased The Olsen Twins and the royal wedding (and there was that pinup-style Palin cover from a couple years ago). There isn’t anything wrong with a provocative cover on a newsweekly designed to sell issues, but those covers made much more sense when People magazine did them.

Tina Brown is presiding over the merged Daily Beast/Newsweek in a bid to be relevant once again (doomed to fail, I predict) and covers like this are the byproduct. I can hear the editorial team now: OMG! He’s a Mormon, let’s Photoshop him onto the poster of that Mormon play that’s doing so well right now! Because… Mormon!

It’s lazy thinking, bigoted, and simply not okay. Our fellow Americans, who happen to practice Mormonism, deserve better than this.

ALSO: Rep. Ellison Breaks Into Tears Explaining Story Of Muslim First Responder Who Died To Save Americans On 9/11

This entire exercise by the GOP is sick. This is a sad day for America.

Yes, you’re in a competitive new world and the standards have been thrown out the window, but is it really worth a few extra viewers or pageviews to have people’s blood on your hands?

This is not the way back to profits. This isn’t providing insight, it isn’t adding to the store of learned knowledge, and hell, it isn’t even entertaining.

Please, stop.

A Concerned Citizen.

In contrast to what I was angry about with him on yesterday, President Obama was near pitch-perfect in defense of the American value of religious liberty with regards to the “ground zero mosque” fake controversy:

With respect to the mosque in New York, you know, I think I’ve been pretty clear on my position here. And that is is that this country stands for the proposition that all men and women are created equal, that they have certain inalienable rights. One of those inalienable rights is to practice their religion freely. And what that means is that if you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, if you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on a site.

Now, I recognize the extraordinary sensitivities around 9/11. You know, I — I’ve met with families of 9/11 victims in the past. You know, I can only imagine the — the continuing pain and anguish and sense of loss that they may go through. And tomorrow, we as Americans are going to be joining them in prayer and remembrance.

But I go back to what I said earlier. We are not at war against Islam. We’re at war against terrorist organizations that have distorted Islam or falsely used the banner of Islam to engage in their destructive acts.

And we’ve got to be clear about that. We’ve got to be clear about that because if we’re going to deal with the problems that Ed Henry (of CNN) was talking about, if we’re going to successfully reduce the terrorist threat, then we need all the allies we can get.

The — the folks who are most interested in a war between the United States or the West and Islam are Al Qaida. That’s what they’ve been banking on.

And, fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world are peace-loving, are interested in the same things that you and I are interested in: How do I make sure I can get a good job? How can I make sure that my kids get a decent education? How can I make sure I’m safe? How can I improve my lot in life? And so they have rejected this violent ideology for the most part — overwhelmingly.

And — and so from a national security interest, we want to be clear about who the enemy is here. It’s a handful of — a tiny minority of people who are engaging in horrific acts, and have killed Muslims more than anybody else.

The other reason it’s important for us to remember that is because we’ve got millions of Muslim Americans, our fellow citizens, in this country. They’re going to school with our kids. They’re our neighbors. They’re our friends. They’re our co-workers.

And, you know, when we start acting as if their religion is somehow offensive, what are we saying to them?

: I’ve got Muslims who are fighting in Afghanistan in the uniform of the United States armed services. They’re out there putting their lives on the line for us, and we’ve got to make sure that we are crystal clear, for our sakes and their sakes, they are Americans, and we honor their service.

And part of honoring their service is making sure that they understand that we don’t differentiate between them and us. It’s just us. And that is a principle that I think is — is — is going to be very important for us to — to sustain. And I think tomorrow is an excellent time for us to — to reflect on that.

Thank you very much, everybody.

According to the internals sent my way, opposition to the Ground Zero mosque is overwhelmingly driven by those with an unfavorable view of Islam:

* Fifty-five percent of those who have favorable views of the religion say it should be built.

* Meanwhile, among those who have an unfavorable view of Islam, an overwhelming 87 percent say the project shouldn’t be built, with 74 percent strongly opposed.

RELATED: Media rife with anti-Muslim rhetoric in weeks leading up to 9-11 anniversary

Peretz:

But, frankly, Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims. And among those Muslims led by the Imam Rauf there is hardly one who has raised a fuss about the routine and random bloodshed that defines their brotherhood. So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse.

With repeated anti-Muslim hate speech from Peretz and the magazine’s support of the Iraq War, despite the occasional good work from some writers there, can we please quit pretending TNR is on the left. In this department, it could be argued that they’re even worse than National Review or The Weekly Standard. (via)

No doubt the accomodationist left will clutch their pearls and the righties will reach for their fainting couches, but Petraeus is spot on.

Gen. David H. Petraeus on Tuesday denounced plans by a Florida church to burn copies of the Koran this weekend, saying the demonstration could ‘endanger troops’ and damage the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan.

‘It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems,’ Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said in a statement. ‘Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.’

A 35-year-old Seattle man is facing assault and hate crime charges following allegations that he accosted a clerk at a Queen Anne convenience store.

According to police, Brock Stainbrook derided the man as being a terrorist during the Tuesday morning incident.

Writing the court, a Seattle detective said Stainbrook entered the 7-11 store in at 362 Denny Way. The clerk was standing near a coffee machine when Stainbrook accosted him.

‘For unknown reasons a person threw change on the floor near the victim’s feet then punched the victim on the left side of the head,’ the detective said.

‘After the suspect struck (the clerk) with his fist he said, ‘You’re not even American, you’re Al-Qaeda. Go back to your country.”

God knows I basically disagree with everything Sen. Orrin Hatch stands for, but on this issue he stands head and shoulders over the cowardly position of a Harry Reid.

In an interview over the weekend with Fox 13 News in Salt Lake City, Hatch noted that ‘there’s a huge . . . lack of support throughout the country for Islam to build that mosque there, but that should not make a difference if they decide to do it.’

‘I’d be the first to stand up for their rights,’ said Hatch, a Mormon and longtime supporter of religious freedom who was behind legislation passed in 2000, known as the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which aims to protect houses of worship from undue burdens and discrimination from local zoning statutes and other laws.

‘So, if the Muslims own that property, that private property, and they want to build a mosque there, they should have the right to do so,’ Hatch said, noting also that the local Manhattan community board had overwhelmingly approved the construction of the Islamic Center, now known as Park51.

Taliban officials know it’s sacrilegious to hope a mosque will not be built, but that’s exactly what they’re wishing for: the success of the fiery campaign to block the proposed Islamic cultural center and prayer room near the site of the Twin Towers in lower Manhattan. ‘By preventing this mosque from being built, America is doing us a big favor,’ Taliban operative Zabihullah tells NEWSWEEK. (Like many Afghans, he uses a single name.) ‘It’s providing us with more recruits, donations, and popular support.’

America’s enemies in Afghanistan are delighted by the vehement public opposition to the proposed ‘Ground Zero mosque.’ The backlash against the project has drawn the heaviest e-mail response ever on jihadi Web sites, Zabihullah claims—far bigger even than France’s ban on burqas earlier this year. (That was big, he recalls: ‘We received many e-mails asking for advice on how Muslims should react to the hijab ban, and how they can punish France.’) This time the target is America itself. ‘We are getting even more messages of support and solidarity on the mosque issue and questions about how to fight back against this outrage.’

In trying economic times, opportunistic political movements demonize the “other” and the result is often violence against ethnic minorities.

Are we seriously so stupid and far gone that we’re going to recreate 1930s Germany?

But Beck does not need to take our word for it that Imam Rauf is a moderate who distances himself from radicals — Rauf told Beck as much while sitting at the same table with him during a 2006 discussion on ABC’s Good Morning America.

During the ABC segment, Rauf condemned the extremists who issued death threats against the Pope and political cartoonists, specifically saying that ‘these reactions are not at all called for by Islamic teaching. The teachings of Islam are very similar to the teachings of Christianity, of loving the one God and loving thy neighbor. These are the two common principles.’

When Diane Sawyer mentioned that Imam Rauf says the radicals are just a ‘group of people’ and ‘not him,’ Beck seemed to agree, saying ‘sure, sure.’ He added, ‘I believe it’s a small portion of Islam that is acting in these ways.’

Beck, of course, is now one of those leading the charge in attacking the Islamic community center and its leaders.

Conservatism is a scam.

From remarks at White House Iftar Dinner, as prepared:

That is not to say that religion is without controversy. Recently, attention has been focused on the construction of mosques in certain communities – particularly in New York. Now, we must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country. The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.

But let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure.

We must never forget those who we lost so tragically on 9/11, and we must always honor those who have led our response to that attack – from the firefighters who charged up smoke-filled staircases, to our troops who are serving in Afghanistan today. And let us always remember who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for. Our enemies respect no freedom of religion. Al Qaeda’s cause is not Islam – it is a gross distortion of Islam. These are not religious leaders – these are terrorists who murder innocent men, women and children. In fact, al Qaeda has killed more Muslims than people of any other religion – and that list of victims includes innocent Muslims who were killed on 9/11.

That is who we are fighting against. And the reason that we will win this fight is not simply the strength of our arms – it is the strength of our values. The democracy that we uphold. The freedoms that we cherish. The laws that we apply without regard to race or religion; wealth or status. Our capacity to show not merely tolerance, but respect to those who are different from us – a way of life that stands in stark contrast to the nihilism of those who attacked us on that September morning, and who continue to plot against us today.

In my inaugural address, I said that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth. That diversity can bring difficult debates. Indeed, past eras have seen controversies about the construction of synagogues or Catholic churches. But time and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues, stay true to our core values, and emerge stronger for it. So it must be – and will be – today.

Like most far-right Christian zealots, Fischer really hates Muslims. Like a lot. Indeed, as Right Wing Watch notes, “Fischer was hating Muslims long before it was the cool conservative thing to do.” In the past, he’s suggested that the “most compassionate” thing to do would be to deport all Muslims back to “Muslim countries.” He’s even managed to fit his two favorite targets into the same conspiracy, theorizing in April that the military is run by “fundamentalist Muslims and homosexual activists.” In a post yesterday, Fischer brings us the crazy yet again, this time calling on the government to prohibit mosques from being built anywhere in the United States. Period.

I put bigots like this above the usual suspects from the right, because they don’t cover their hatred in legalese and disinformation. They just come right out and say it. It’s a shame such people apparently go into church and actually call themselves “Christians.”

Funny, none of the Bibles I grew up with says that’s the right response. Oh, it’s conservative Christians? Then the actual Bible need not apply.