Well-reasoned commentary on the culture wars about the Muslim community center near Ground Zero. The author compares the misinformation being spread by right-wing agitators to similar misrepresentations by radical imams over Danish cartoons in 2005. In both cases, this article argues, blatant distortions by fearmongers have inflamed public opinion and endangered our safety, "casting a spell that is far more dangerous than they may imagine."

concise, well-argued, adequate analysis; traces the reasons for inflating a nonproblem into a problem to inflate oneself, or one's group and exposes the crazy incitements of the haters against the totally normal, even benign, and very American project.

the description here of america's muslim community is enlightening. primarily this summarizes what led to the surge of anti-muslim activity in this country. the writer points out an initial intolerance on the part of extremist muslims in denmark, and goes on, adding current perpetrators of intolerance, including some major media outlets and ends with a warning of consequences.

Fascinating and well-argued comparison between the American reaction to Cordoba House and the Muslim world's reaction to the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. The article traces the "rhetorical journey" of both reactions, demonstrating how key individuals changed the terms of debate through "fearmongering and slander". The result is an increase in intolerance on both sides and a dangerous inflammation of the situation.

Insight would exhibit a better grasp of fundamental cultural similarities among all religious extremists. "Religious" implies prejudice, value judgments based on faith, not reason, and bigotry to the point of blindness.

No; treats unsupported supposition from one side of the debate as fact. IE The project was designed to promote moderate Islam. This may or may not be true but there is at least as much evidence against it as for it. It's name come from a mosque built on a church to celebrate the occupation of Spain by Islam. The quotations used by Geller were accurate and posted on a website of the Cordoba Initiative for some time after the article was printed Misrepresents Geller's comments as linking the NYC Mosque to Al Aqsa when it was in conjunction with other historical events intended to show a pattern of behavior.

This is good journalism. I believe it gives great background on the subject. It also give good insight to the situation at hand and what where the events that lead up to this point.