According to the N.Y. Times, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has made a pronouncement that he would gladly help mediate between the proponents and critics of the Young Men’s Islamic Association proposed at the site of The Holy Mother Coat Factory.

Dolan said it was his “major prayer” that a compromise could be reached, and that while he had no strong feelings about the project, he might support finding a new location for the center.

Archbishop Dolan invoked the example of Pope John Paul II, who in 1993 ordered Carmelite nuns to move from their convent at the former Auschwitz death camp after protests from Jewish leaders. “He’s the one who said, ‘Let’s keep the idea, and maybe move the address…It worked there; might work here.”

The article goes on to note that Dolan defended the religious freedom of Muslims, but said the project’s leaders should heed the views of those who have criticized it as an affront to the memory of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. He added, “those who wonder about the wisdom of the situation of the mosque, near such a wounded site, ask what I think are some legitimate questions that I think deserve attention.”

The Hendrik Hertzberg article I linked the other day details the ways in which the convent comparison is either untruthful or positively repugnant (e.g., in their fundraising appeal, the convent’s sponsors described the convent as “a spiritual fortress and a guarantee…as proof of our desire to erase outrages so often done to the Vicar of Christ,” which would seem to allude to the irrefutable documentation of Pope Pius XII’s inactivity in the area of trying to prevent the Holocaust), so I won't dwell upon that point.

In fact, for the purpose of this article, I’ll stipulate that Dolan is correct in his analogy, and in his point that it is only the location that is objectionable, and not the mosque itself.

SARAH PALIN (6/6/10): Helen Thomas press pals condone racist rant? Heaven forbid "esteemed" press corps represent society's enlightened elite; Rest of us choose truth

SARAH PALIN (8/18/10): Dr. Laura don't retreat…reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend. rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence"isn't American, not fair")

&

That is what the opponents of the proposed “Ground Zero” mosque should be asked, with an answer demanded. Because the “Ground Zero” mosque isn’t at Ground Zero, it is at a nearby site the people who want to build it happen to own. It may or may not be possible for those who seek to build Park 51 to acquire an alternative site in the vicinity of the Lower Manhattan population they seek to serve, particularly since anyone who would sell to them at this point might end up demonized as well. And the Governor’s proposal — to hand over state land to a religious institution — is just as unconstitutional as having the state ban new mosques.

Even if they were successful in purchasing an alternative site while not losing their shirt on the old one, however, the fun could begin anew. “Terrorists” could be accused of planting a “trophy” in an area that was part of the “frozen zone” most affected by the attacks that day. What was that, south of 14th Street? South of Canal Street? South of Chambers Street? West of Broadway? As you recall, it shrank over time. Or building in the very area where the death dust fell, including much of Brooklyn. Or of planting their “trophy” in the very city that was attacked. Or in the metropolitan area where most of the victims lived. Etc. Who would dare to do this, or allow this? Are you in favor?

Voter Blow Back

By Michael Boyajian

The other day I finally realized there was a lot of voter discontent out there when I saw a bumper sticker that read, “Don’t Blame Me I Voted For Hillary.”  Now recently this voter discontent was reinforced in my mind when I went door to door with a rising star in politics, Alyssa Kogon.  Alyssa is running for the State Assembly in Dutchess County against Republican Joel Miller who has held the office for 16 years.

Talk Radio

By Michael Boyajian

There are two types of radio listeners out there.  Those who listen to right wing talk radio and everyone else.  Now the people listening to right wing radio are a wild eyed bunch driven to the extreme fringe of the political spectrum by mad dog radio host spewing a mix of hate and lunacy.