Imam Faisal Rauf, the head of the Cordoba Initiative organization that is planning the Islamic community center near Ground Zero, thanked American Jewish organizations for their support of the project:
“I express my heartfelt appreciation for the gestures of goodwill and support from our Jewish friends and colleagues”, he said. “Your support is a reflection of the great history of mutual cooperation and understanding that Jewish and Muslim civilizations have shared in the past, and remains a testament to the enduring success of our continuing dialogue and dedication to upholding religious freedom, tolerance and cooperation among us all as Americans.”
Extremism! The flip side is that American Jewish organizations, like the Anti-Defamation League, that threw their support behind those opposing the building's construction will someday look back at this in shame. I'm guessing some already do.
Meanwhile, Steve M. puts some things in perspective for Newt Gingrich, who, like other opponents of the project, has been complaining about the building's height:
New York has 33 of the 100 tallest buildings in America. A new 12-story building would be approximately the 2,011th-tallest building in the city.
Newt? I've got news for you. This isn't some outer-ring suburb of Atlanta. This is New York. A 12-story building is no big whoop here.
But do we know that the number 2011 doesn't have some sort of secret Islamist significance? Quick, someone at NRO grab their "stealth Islamist" decoder ring!
