CENTRAL VIEW for Monday, August 16, 2010

Obama meltdown and the Ground Zero mosque

Mr. Nile Gardiner, writing in last week’s “UK Telegraph,” listed ten reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown:

“1. The Obama presidency is out of touch with the American people. 2. Most Americans don’t have confidence in the president’s leadership. 3. Obama fails to inspire. 4. The United States is drowning in debt. 5. Obama’s Big Government message is falling flat. 6. Obama’s support for socialized health care is a huge political mistake. 7. Obama’s handling of the Gulf oil spill has been weak-kneed and indecisive. 8. US foreign policy is an embarrassing mess under the Obama administration. 9. President Obama is muddled and confused on national security. 10. Obama doesn’t believe in American greatness.”

Mr. Obama’s foreign policy did get off to a rocky start when he went bowing and scraping around the world like the old-time comedian, Lincoln Perry, paying homage to some of the world’s worst dictators and apologizing for America’s wealth and success. Conversely, Mr. Obama has gone out of his way to lay diplomatic insults on our historical allies while making speeches praising our historical enemies.

Neither TelePrompTer speeches nor U.N. resolutions will prevent Iran from producing nuclear weapons capable of reaching Israel, Saudi Arabia and Western Europe. Nothing short of armed intervention by Israel and/or the U.S. will prevent Iran from deciding who gets oil out of the Persian Gulf and at what price. This is a time bomb with a burning fuse.

Mr. Gardiner did not mention that Mr. Obama has either cancelled or failed to attend all of the traditional Judeo-Christian White House religious observances. But last week Mr. Obama had Muslim leaders to dinner at the White House to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Mr. Obama told the Islamists that Muslims helped found this country. Wait. Hold the phone. Other than when Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin lived abroad, it is highly unlikely any of the Founders ever met a Muslim. President Jefferson did send the fledgling U.S. Navy to engage the Muslim pirates on the Barbary Coast of North Africa. So, yes, Muslims did help found the U.S. Navy.

Mr. Obama and New York Mayor Bloomberg say they favor the construction of a 13-story mosque next to Ground Zero. Many who died there on 9/11 were firefighters, police officers and emergency services workers. So, if the working people of New York City do not want a mosque to cast its shadow over the ground where their loved ones perished, the mosque might not ever be built.

Actually, the controversy over the mosque the Muslims want to build next door to Ground Zero could be a positive public relations bonanza for New York City’s labor unions and for the Mafia. For example, if the bosses of the labor unions for the construction trades in NYC told their rank-and-file not to work on the mosque, then the union workers won’t work on the mosque.

If the Islamists bring in scabs from outside, the Mafia could explain to the scabs about the need to keep New York City a union town. Working together, it is amazing what like-minded people can do.

But let’s not throw the mosque idea totally under the bus. In fact, Big Labor and the Mafia might suggest an even better location for the proposed $100-million-dollar mosque and Islamic center. For example, the mosque could be built just north of Gracie Mansion (Mayor Bloomberg’s official residence) at 89 East End Avenue. The adjoining 14.9-acre Carl Schurz Park has lots of open ground. That way, the morning sun would cast a 13-story shadow right on top of Mayor Bloomberg.

You see, there is a way to observe religious liberty without offending the sensitivities of those who lost loved ones on 9/11.

Nationally syndicated columnist, William Hamilton, studied at Harvard’s JFK School of Government. Dr. Hamilton is a former assistant professor of political science and history at Nebraska Wesleyan University.

© 2010. William Hamilton.

Dr. Hamilton can be contacted at:

Email: william@central-view.com