Dennis Prager

September 8, 2010

A question for ‘progressive’ Jews who support the Ground Zero mosque

By Dennis Prager

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Jews who call themselves “progressive” and are overwhelmingly in favor of building a $100 million Islamic center and mosque two blocks from Ground Zero need to explain why, 26 years ago, “progressive” Jews were just as adamant in opposing the Catholic convent that was built near Auschwitz.

In 1984, nuns belonging to the Carmelite order of the Roman Catholic Church built a convent outside of Auschwitz. It seemed to the nuns and their many Catholic supporters that this was a beautiful gesture — nuns praying at Auschwitz. It never occurred to them that this could possibly offend anyone.

But it did offend. This was hallowed space to Jews, the argument went. “Progressive” as well as traditional and religious Jews objected vigorously.

The pope at the time, John Paul II, agreed with the Jews and did something as noble as it was difficult. He asked the Polish nuns, his sisters in faith as well as in nationality, to vacate the convent and shut it down.

To the best of my knowledge, no New York Times editorials criticized anyone opposed to the convent as anti-Catholic, and no “progressive” Jews called the movement to remove the convent “intolerant” or “bigoted.”

Yet when it comes to opposition to an Islamic center many times larger than the convent two blocks away from where nearly 3,000 innocent Americans were slaughtered by murderers acting in the name of Islam, “progressive” Jews and others are vociferous in their condemnations of those seeking a change of venue.

The question is: Why?

Why was it right to take Jewish sensibilities into account and move the convent from Auschwitz but not take American sensibilities into account and move the proposed Islamic center?

I have not heard any “progressive” answer this question.

Rather, supporters of the Islamic center attack conservatives and Americans generally for their bigotry, intolerance and xenophobia (for example, the recent cover of Time magazine: “Is America Islamophobic?”)

And they tell us over and over that in America all people have the right to express their religious beliefs — even though no one is challenging the legal right of Muslims to build this center.

So, then, with no “progressive” explanation forthcoming, I will venture some possible explanations as to why “progressive” Jews opposed the convent near Auschwitz but not the Islamic center near Ground Zero.

First, in the convent situation, Jewish sensibilities were involved. Perhaps “progressive” Jews relate better to Jewish hurt than to the pain of others, even other Americans.

Second, Jewish “progressives” do not trust Christianity in general and the Catholic church in particular. Left-wing Christians are exempted from this antipathy, but the Polish nuns did not quite fit the description of “progressive” Christians.

Third, the combination of right-wing and Christian/Catholic is a particularly odious one to “progressives,” especially Jewish ones. Hatred of the right, especially the religious right, animates “progressives” more than anything else; and in the convent case, the right was perceived as siding with the nuns, while in the Islamic center episode, the right is largely lined up against the Islamic center.

Fourth, whereas “progressives” are quite willing to criticize Christians and Christianity, they do not criticize Muslims or Islam. One reason may be that they fear antagonizing Muslims far more than they fear antagonizing Christians. A “progressive” artist put a crucifix in urine, titled it “Piss Christ,” and museums around the country displayed it. He and the museums knew that no Christian would lay a hand on them. But they also know that criticism of Islam — even of the most legitimate and respectful kind — can get them killed. That is why Yale University Press, an elite “progressive” institution, refused to publish the Muhammad cartoons — in the book it just published about the Muhammad cartoons.

Fifth, the “progressive” defense of Muslims against any criticism — even if it comes from the usually “progressive” Anti-Defamation League — may also emanate from another factor. Given that significant parts of the Islamic world are opposed to increased American and Christian influence in the world, many “progressives” around the world — who likewise oppose increased American and Christian influence — find themselves frequently allied with the Muslim world.

If none of these explanations is valid, “progressives” need to offer better ones for why they deemed it noble to force nuns from near Auschwitz but ignoble to ask the Islamic center to move from near Ground Zero. And remember: Far more Poles were murdered at Auschwitz than Muslims at Ground Zero, and the slaughter at Ground Zero was perpetrated in the name of Islam, while the Holocaust at Auschwitz was not perpetrated in the name of Catholicism or Christianity.

The saddest part of all this is that it is part of a pattern — the reluctance of “progressives” to acknowledge that there are good people on both sides of issues. I and other opponents of this Islamic center near Ground Zero readily assert that there are good people on both sides. But in this dispute, as in many others, this is apparently considerably easier for conservatives to do than for “progressives.”

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host, columnist, author and public speaker. He can be heard in Los Angeles on KRLA (AM 870) weekdays 9 a.m. to noon. His Web site is dennisprager.com.

A version of this article appeared in print.

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“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”, case closed.

Comment by Larry Linn on 9/08/10 at 5:00 pm

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..”
What did our Founding Fathers have to say about religion:
“Question with boldness even the existence of a god.” Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787):
“All natural institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.” Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason;
“Religion and government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.”, John Madison;
“Lighthouses are more helpful than Churches”, Benjamin Franklin

Comment by Larry Linn on 9/09/10 at 4:41 pm

Dear Dennis, I agree with you that the mosque should not be built near ground zero. I’m a fairly liberal person, but I pick and choose what I support and oppose. Therefore, I have a problem with your painting progressives or any other group with such a large brush. You often use an atomic bomb where a fly swatter would do. Sylvia

Comment by sylvia schmidt on 9/09/10 at 9:51 pm

Why do we support Freedom of Religon?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
That is why.

Comment by Larry Linn on 9/10/10 at 4:39 pm

I thank Mr Prager for being brave enough to print an article so full of fallacies of reasoning, logic, and presentation.  I plan to offer this to my students as a prime example of “what not to do” when making an argument.

Where does one start?  The vague and undefined term progressives?  The faulty comparison of Auschwitz and 9/11? The groundless pronouncements (e.g., who is liked and who disliked)?  The botching of facts (e.g., “Piss Christ” was not in urine, but in water and shot through a photographic gel)? 

For one so learned in Torah, Dennis Prager would be wise to remember the admonition against baseless hatred of other Jews, especially during Tishrei.

Comment by Dr David Zuckerman on 9/12/10 at 1:10 am

Mr. Prager has made one flaw in his argument…assuming that all progressive Jews (as he termed it) opposed a convent outside of Auschwitz.  I didn’t, nor do I oppose the building of the NYC mosque.  In his attempt to make a point about generalizations that progressives make about others, Mr. Prager should be certain that he’s not making a few generalizations of his own. 

I would also argue that “hallowed ground” is not quite how I would view either Auschwitz or Ground Zero…infamous ground may be more like it.  Prayer, of any religious denomination, would be healing and quite appropriate in such circumstance.

Comment by Alex on 9/14/10 at 2:39 pm

I consider myself what Dennis Prager calls a “Progressive Jew”. I see the Islamic Center planned near ‘Ground-Zero” to be a great opportunity for civil inter-action amongst Muslims, Jews, Christians and other religious cultures. But Prager misses the the point, it is not whether the Islamic Center should or should not be built near “Ground-Zero”, but that the Islamic community has a Constitutional right under the First Amendment to build their center there.

Comment by Steven Barkin on 9/15/10 at 2:30 pm

the ground zero was not a religious persecution place. if they were building a saudi arabian embassy there, that would be worse. just like all jews are not bernie madoff, all muslims are not hijacking assassins. keep in mind that if muslims are prohibited from building a religious shrine, next the jews will be stopped. don’t let this fool you that i think highly of any religion that raises their children to wear face masks and bomb belts and perform clitoral circumcision.

Comment by paterson dave on 9/15/10 at 3:37 pm

as usual, Mr. Prager is more interested in finding an opportunity to malign “progressives” than accurately dealing with the facts on the ground in lower New York; as usual he sets up a the debate on his terms and then comes to his conclusion as if it then became obvious. When will his column be dropped?

Comment by albert reff md/ los angeles on 9/15/10 at 4:03 pm

Difference is that Jews would object to any building at that site, not specific to Catholics.  But another church or synagogue at the site of the Cultural Center would not be objected to, so this is Muslim specific.
Hey you’re the guy who objected to a Muslim Congressman taking the oath on a Koran—you’ve been a hater and a bigot for a long time.  Like Rev. Graham said about President Obama’s religious beliefs last week, “I guess I have to accept that Prager says he is Jewish”.

Comment by Lawrence Kopeikin on 9/15/10 at 4:04 pm

I have found that many of the Progressive Jews don’t support Israel.

Comment by Robin Rosenblatt on 9/15/10 at 4:08 pm

Dennis, your hyperbole condemns all with the same brush. Jewish Progressives are first in line to stop Muslim militia from killing Darfurians. 

You are not free to condemn anyone who refuses to challenge their legality of the center. We do not legislate taste in this country, and just because it bothers you is no reason to manipulate the discussion into a venemous attack. 

The Imam of the center has always condemned terrorism and endorsed tolerance.  By supporting his inclusive goals we show our strength and our resolve not to be tainted by hatred. 

You demonstrate the weakness of your argument because you do not have the strength to tolerate people you disdain.

Comment by Jim Ruxin on 9/15/10 at 4:45 pm

Simple difference: americans of all faiths were killed on 9/11. I’m as bothered about putting a muslim center 2 blocks from ground zero as I would be building a synagogue there. Minyanim and the muslim equivalent were both held in the twin towers; both would not be encroaching on anyone else’s hallowed ground (as they all shared victimhood).

Comment by a progressive jew on 9/15/10 at 6:21 pm

And yes, your exclucivist vision of victimhood and history is disgusting, frankly.

Comment by a progressive jew on 9/15/10 at 6:24 pm

Shame on you.  A conservative who does not believe in the Bill of Rights.  Once the legal hurdles were overcome, this became a question of the absolute right to build the center, not a question as to propriety.  As an aside, do we want every jewish organization to be examined as to its donors or its right to support certain views?  It’s time that the Right and the Left stopped trying to beat on each other and try to dialogue without damning the other point of view.

Comment by Dan Davis on 9/15/10 at 6:40 pm

I wonder what Americans concerned with the building of the Islamic center would sayif they knew about the 5 Mossad agents who worked for a New Jersey moving company, a Mossad front,  who were arrested on 9-11 when a resident called the cops to complain that some “Middle Eastern men” were videoing the burning towers while appearing to celebrate. This was reported in Forward 3/15/02 not in the mainstream press and it did not come up in the 9-11 investigation, nor the report in Ha’aretz and Washington Post that the Israeli Indigo messaging service received a call 2 hours before the attack, warning it was going to happen. Why were these stories buried and not investigated?

Comment by HollywoodJeff on 9/15/10 at 10:36 pm

What these so-called “progressives”, Jewish and non-Jewish lack more than anything else is a knowledge of the Koran. The Koran preaches jihad i.e. conquest of infidel countries, forced conversions of infidels, violence against women as well as peace, a merciful God, and tolerance all between the same covers. It is therefore very easy for a peaceful Muslim to change his mind and become a jihadist terrorist and find justification in the Koran just as he did when he was peaceful. Unfortunately, the progressives is our midst prefer be ignorant about facts just as their grandparents were about Hitler and Mein Kampf before WWII, which led to the Holocaust and murder of 6 million Jews.

Comment by Max Ludvigson on 9/16/10 at 7:33 pm

Erdogan’s most famous quote
“The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets, and the faithful our soldiers.”

Comment by Martin Gold on 9/17/10 at 4:46 am

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