Mosque on ground zero site

[truthteller]

Gotta be a wind up??? i wouldnt be surprised summat like that happening here but in the States???

[mincheryboy]

It's not a mosque and it's not at the ground zero site.

[danabrey]

Correct.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11070481

[Boogaloo]

It's just an Islamic Centre, and it's two blocks away from Ground Zero. Americans tend to be a lot less tolerant to Muslims that us. This is from www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11076846

The evidence from polling suggests many Americans agree. A survey for Time Magazine found 61% opposed the construction of the mosque. But the respondents were not implacably opposed to Islamic religious buildings, with 55% happy to have a community centre and mosque near to their home.

A Pew Research Center Poll suggested only 51% of Americans opposed the mosque. The same poll found 30% of respondents had a favourable opinion of Islam, down from 41% in 2005.

That is the real issue here, so Obama is quite right in saying "Go f*ck yourselves" to the bigots of America (or words to that effect! )

[amarillo]

Aug 25, 2010 9:57:26 GMT Boogaloo said:

so Obama is quite right in saying "Go f*ck yourselves" to the bigots of America (or words to that effect! )

Not sure its a good move politically to alienate such a large proportion of your electorate

[SteMerritt]

Aug 25, 2010 10:30:05 GMT amarillo said:

Aug 25, 2010 9:57:26 GMT Boogaloo said:

so Obama is quite right in saying "Go f*ck yourselves" to the bigots of America (or words to that effect! )

Not sure its a good move politically to alienate such a large proportion of your electorate

Well, not until he has secured a second term it isn't...

[Tony W]

Aug 25, 2010 10:30:05 GMT amarillo said:

Not sure its a good move politically to alienate such a large proportion of your electorate

Not convinced that Obama had much of the bigot vote to begin with.....

[truthteller]

Obama only got in because the blacks only voted COLOUR ..... NOT policy...= colour prejudice in my book

as for the terrorist Islamic centre.........Obamas asking for it,the black voters wont come out in such great numbers again.

[amarillo]

Aug 25, 2010 15:35:30 GMT truthteller said:

Obama only got in because the blacks only voted COLOUR ..... NOT policy...= colour prejudice in my book

I would say he was voted in DESPITE his colour. In most other countries where colour isn't so much of an issue like here, he would have won far more convincingly.

Whether he has fulfilled his promise is of course debatable

[Belgian Yellow]

Aug 25, 2010 15:35:30 GMT truthteller said:

Obama only got in because the blacks only voted COLOUR ..... NOT policy...= colour prejudice in my book

as for the terrorist Islamic centre.........Obamas asking for it,the black voters wont come out in such great numbers again.

Unlike the Republican voters who are all jolly decent chaps with no colour prejucide at all.

[Lone Gunman]

It has to be said though that a lot of americans were hacked off with bush and the republicans and saw McCain as more of the same old same old. I think this heavily influenced a significant number of voters to go democrat, if only to have a change from the other lot.

I doubt obama will get a second term anyway. He needed to be an outstanding statesman to overcome the handicap of his race, and the apparent public mishandling of a number of issues, most notably the oil spill and McChrystal and the military in Afghanistan, as well as the unpopularity of this healthcare reforms with a large proportion of the population will ensure that insufficient of the floating vote who gave him the presidency in '08 will stick with him in '12.

[Belgian Yellow]

Aug 25, 2010 16:01:56 GMT Lone Gunman said:

It has to be said though that a lot of americans were hacked off with bush and the republicans and saw McCain as more of the same old same old. I think this heavily influenced a significant number of voters to go democrat, if only to have a change from the other lot.

I doubt obama will get a second term anyway. He needed to be an outstanding statesman to overcome the handicap of his race, and the apparent public mishandling of a number of issues, most notably the oil spill and McChrystal and the military in Afghanistan, as well as the unpopularity of this healthcare reforms with a large proportion of the population will ensure that insufficient of the floating vote who gave him the presidency in '08 will stick with him in '12.

Don't you have any essays to be getting on with!

[truthteller]

Aug 25, 2010 15:49:58 GMT amarillo said:

Aug 25, 2010 15:35:30 GMT truthteller said:

Obama only got in because the blacks only voted COLOUR ..... NOT policy...= colour prejudice in my book

I would say he was voted in DESPITE his colour. In most other countries where colour isn't so much of an issue like here, he would have won far more convincingly.

Whether he has fulfilled his promise is of course debatable

RUBBISH!!!....you saw the queues of blacks who stated they had never voted before but....... he got in because he was black not despite him being black,he will not get in next time cos the novelty has worn off and the black vote wont be bothering.

[Lone Gunman]

Aug 25, 2010 16:13:21 GMT Belgian Yellow said:

Aug 25, 2010 16:01:56 GMT Lone Gunman said:

It has to be said though that a lot of americans were hacked off with bush and the republicans and saw McCain as more of the same old same old. I think this heavily influenced a significant number of voters to go democrat, if only to have a change from the other lot.

I doubt obama will get a second term anyway. He needed to be an outstanding statesman to overcome the handicap of his race, and the apparent public mishandling of a number of issues, most notably the oil spill and McChrystal and the military in Afghanistan, as well as the unpopularity of this healthcare reforms with a large proportion of the population will ensure that insufficient of the floating vote who gave him the presidency in '08 will stick with him in '12.

Don't you have any essays to be getting on with!

In the summer holiday? C'mon, this is the interpol department! ;D

Do you disagree with my analysis of obama's chances for a second term?

[m]

A mosque at ground zero?

Well, the Americans have been making plenty of ground zero's at mosques....

[Gary Baldi]

For me, this quote from the BBC story sums it up:

Akbar Ahmed believes Muslims do have to anticipate sensitivities.

"Muslims absolutely have the right to build a mosque like any house of worship but they need also to be much more sensitive to the culture and society in which they are living."

[Belgian Yellow]

Aug 25, 2010 16:58:32 GMT Lone Gunman said:

Aug 25, 2010 16:13:21 GMT Belgian Yellow said:

Don't you have any essays to be getting on with!

In the summer holiday? C'mon, this is the interpol department! ;D

Do you disagree with my analysis of obama's chances for a second term?

Yes. partly, but it depends on who the Republicans choose as candidate and also on the economic situation which you don't mention as a factor in his election. The health issue is less of an issue than you make out because a number of those claiming to be opposed are opposed because they don't go far enough. As for foreign policy, we'll have to see what the Iraq withdrawal looks like, plus whether there is any breakthrough on Iran and the Israel-Palestine peace process.

[Lone Gunman]

Aug 25, 2010 18:35:11 GMT Belgian Yellow said:

Aug 25, 2010 16:58:32 GMT Lone Gunman said:

In the summer holiday? C'mon, this is the interpol department! ;D

Do you disagree with my analysis of obama's chances for a second term?

Yes. partly, but it depends on who the Republicans choose as candidate and also on the economic situation which you don't mention as a factor in his election. The health issue is less of an issue than you make out because a number of those claiming to be opposed are opposed because they don't go far enough. As for foreign policy, we'll have to see what the Iraq withdrawal looks like, plus whether there is any breakthrough on Iran and the Israel-Palestine peace process.

Obviously the candidate the republicans choose will be important, but as long as they don't shoot themselves in the foot by picking a lemon I think they will be OK.

The health issue I only used as one example of Obama's supposed poor record. I could equally have picked his percieved mishandling of the BP oil spill, which I think will have only refocussed the hatred of the south on him and also displeased a fair few of his more green minded supporters who will feel let down. The iraq withdrawal going sour or a reverse in afghanistan could be that last nail in the coffin IMO.

To my mind perception is everything in american politics and even though Obama's 'failures' may not be as equivocal as the have been made out to be, given the exraordinary scrutiny his presidency has been under due to his unique position, I think a negative perception will lead to his downfall.

[Belgian Yellow]

Aug 25, 2010 18:48:32 GMT Lone Gunman said:

Aug 25, 2010 18:35:11 GMT Belgian Yellow said:

Yes. partly, but it depends on who the Republicans choose as candidate and also on the economic situation which you don't mention as a factor in his election. The health issue is less of an issue than you make out because a number of those claiming to be opposed are opposed because they don't go far enough. As for foreign policy, we'll have to see what the Iraq withdrawal looks like, plus whether there is any breakthrough on Iran and the Israel-Palestine peace process.

Obviously the candidate the republicans choose will be important, but as long as they don't shoot themselves in the foot by picking a lemon I think they will be OK.

The health issue I only used as one example of Obama's supposed poor record. I could equally have picked his percieved mishandling of the BP oil spill, which I think will have only refocussed the hatred of the south on him and also displeased a fair few of his more green minded supporters who will feel let down. The iraq withdrawal going sour or a reverse in afghanistan could be that last nail in the coffin IMO.

To my mind perception is everything in american politics and even though Obama's 'failures' may not be as equivocal as the have been made out to be, given the exraordinary scrutiny his presidency has been under due to his unique position, I think a negative perception will lead to his downfall.

Could be true - but don't "misunderestimate" the possibilty of the Republicans imploding - it's barely conceled at the moment, just look at John McCain today. Any other country of course and Obama would be a shoe-in.

[Lone Gunman]

Aug 25, 2010 19:05:54 GMT Belgian Yellow said:

Aug 25, 2010 18:48:32 GMT Lone Gunman said:

Obviously the candidate the republicans choose will be important, but as long as they don't shoot themselves in the foot by picking a lemon I think they will be OK.

The health issue I only used as one example of Obama's supposed poor record. I could equally have picked his percieved mishandling of the BP oil spill, which I think will have only refocussed the hatred of the south on him and also displeased a fair few of his more green minded supporters who will feel let down. The iraq withdrawal going sour or a reverse in afghanistan could be that last nail in the coffin IMO.

To my mind perception is everything in american politics and even though Obama's 'failures' may not be as equivocal as the have been made out to be, given the exraordinary scrutiny his presidency has been under due to his unique position, I think a negative perception will lead to his downfall.

Could be true - but don't "misunderestimate" the possibilty of the Republicans imploding - it's barely conceled at the moment, just look at John McCain today. Any other country of course and Obama would be a shoe-in.

Agreed. There are definately problems at republican party HQ. I just feel that if they manage to sort it out and pick the right candidate - not going down the war hero route as they tried with mcCain might help - they will be able to feed off the negative issues surrounding Obama.