BROOKLYN, NY May 26 — More than one hundred students, teachers, and parents held a militant rally outside Clara Barton High School to fight an attack against two communist teachers. The protest was sparked by the principal launching an investigation against four teachers since last fall.

The teachers subsequently received a letter from the Special Commissioner of Investigation that detailed their political activities over the last several years and concluded that they had “recruited students to attend an unauthorized trip to [an anti-budget-cut] rally in Washington, D.C.” The letter concluded, “It is the recommendation of this office that appropriate disciplinary action be taken against….” The teachers are still waiting for a decision on this disciplinary action, which was supposed to be handed down by May 27.

The day before the decision was due, the Department of Education (DoE) and its accomplices drew a resounding response at the rally. The protestors demanded an end to the investigation, and that no charges be lodged against these two teachers. Chants of “Fight back!” and “Education, not investigation!” rang out loud and clear. A student and a teacher gave excellent speeches attacking the DOE’s racist and fascist methods (see below).

When the cops were called and stopped the use of our bullhorn, the picketers continued without it. The head of the security lied to students, telling them they had to move away from the school. When the crowd heard this, they started chanting “The principal is a liar, we’ll set his ass on fire!” As they booed the security chief, he quickly ran back inside the school. The rally ended on a high note, with everyone marching through the neighborhood. The community was enthusiastic at the sight of young and old, black, Latino and white marching together!

A Fascist Culture of Investigations

The initial DOE investigation began in 2007, two years after the Katrina disaster, when Clara Barton teachers and students went to New Orleans over winter and summer vacations to help clean up the Ninth Ward, to organize against the racism of various government agencies, and to fight for communism. Racist principal Forman had tried to prevent these activities. He sent a letter to every parent to warn that trips to New Orleans were not school-approved. But he wasn’t able to stop it.

In 2009, another Clara Barton contingent was among many PL’ers and friends who traveled to Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of John Brown’s raid against slavery. Again, racist pig Forman warned of  “disciplinary action” if teachers accompanied their students.

Once again, Threats Were Ineffective

Last October, members of the Clara Barton community boarded a UFT-sponsored bus and joined tens of thousands in Washington, D.C., to rally against the Tea Party. Thousands of CHALLENGEs were distributed throughout the day. Although the rally had been designed to win workers and students to the Democratic Party, Progressive Labor Party members organized our own march within the big rally. We chanted many anti-racist and pro-communist slogans.

On the Monday following the Saturday rally, the assistant principal of security questioned some students as they entered the school. One was visibly carrying a copy of CHALLENGE. This led to an interrogation by the principal and assistant principal, with students asked to give up names of others who attended the rally. Then their parents were called. The parents were angry that their children had been intimidated and harassed by these creeps. In every case, the parents had either attended the rally themselves or given their signed permission for their children to go. They all knew that it was not a school-sanctioned trip. “My weekend, my business” became the rallying cry.

After the principal relayed this development to the DOE’s Special Commissioner of Investigations, all the students and parents were called into the school again. The four teachers, who attended the rally, were also called in. None of them had anything to say to these DOE bureaucrats.

PLP Members Fight Racism!

Meanwhile, Clara Barton is becoming more a jail than a school. The latest punitive policy from the dean’s office is detention, which is now imposed for the most trivial violations of the dress code. But detention has nothing to do with education. It’s an instrument of political control and intimidation.

Our school reflects the extreme racism built into the capitalist system. Serving mainly black and Latino students, it receives less funding from the DOE than the “specialized” schools which have high populations of white and Asian students. Clara Barton’s large Haitian, bilingual population receives the worst treatment of all. Their classes are often taught by teachers who lack certification in the subject area. Students are treated like criminals by the deans and security. It is no coincidence that despicable racist pig Forman has targeted communists who fight these racist attacks.

Communism is Our Weapon Against the Bosses

It’s not surprising that CHALLENGE was mentioned specifically in the warning letter given to Clara Barton students, or that the principal has singled out two teachers who are members of PLP.

Over the last several years, CHALLENGE has been distributed widely in the school, often 200 or more per issue. Teacher-student study groups meet regularly. The Party here has grown steadily.

Communists are dedicated to the liberation of the working class. The DOE bosses hope that they can frighten students or staff members from following our leadership, but this strategy has proven a failure so far. From Paul Robeson to W.E.B. DuBois, communists have always been attacked by the system. At Clara Barton, we have tried to point out that the administration wants us out of the school because we are outspoken fighters against racism and inequality.

Students and Parents Respond the Right Way!

The May 26 rally resulted from our strong and immediate response to the investigators’ attack. But it couldn’t have succeeded without years of organizing and support from our ties with parents at the school.

The DOE demanded “disciplinary action.” We responded right back. “Education, Not Investigation.” stickers went up all over the school. Flyers and CHALLENGEs were distributed outside the school. Students wrote their own flyer and started a petition inside the school.

On the day of the rally, some students escorted teachers Beckerman and Salak out of the building in a show of solidarity! The union held chapter meetings in support; the chapter leader even announced the protest on the school’s PA system. And several hundred CHALLENGEs were in people’s hands.

Although fascist despicable racist pig Principal Forman promised that the “disciplinary action” would come by May 27, there has been silence ever since. This is typical of the DOE’s Gestapo tactics. Maybe they are waiting for the last day of school, or the summer — they like to do their dirty work when no one is  around. Maybe we put a little scare into them. They should be scared, because we are not done fighting back! After all, the fight for a communist world is a lifetime struggle. We need to toughen up, not only for this fight but for the many more coming.

Read the original article here.

Libertarian Party Candidate Files Lawsuit against NYS Board of Elections for Failure to Count Votes

Warren Redlich, the Libertarian Party’s candidate for Governor of New York in the 2010 election, today filed a lawsuit in Albany County Supreme Court against the New York State Board of Elections, directing the state agency to cease ignoring votes cast for the Libertarian Party.

This legal action affects all third party candidates running for office in New York, as it charges the Board of Elections with discrimination against independent candidates and voters in the manipulation of third party vote count returns.

Redlich asserts that the Board of Elections’ method of counting votes in New York ignores votes made for third party candidates by forcing multiple third party candidates onto the same ballot line, confusing the voters’ choice of candidate and illegally invalidating votes cast for the Libertarian Party.

Additionally Redlich asserts the Board of Elections violate the law by its practice of ignoring proxy votes cast by absentee voters, thus illegally rejecting votes made for the Libertarian Party by absentee voters.

Although not claiming enough votes to have won the gubernatorial election, Redlich’s lawsuit asserts that the Libertarian Party of New York obtained 50,000 votes, qualifying it for Party status under New York State law. Without justification, the Board of Election violated federal and state law by rejecting votes made for the Libertarian Party by the voters of New York once a major party candidate had been certified as winning the election.

New York Libertarian Party Chair Mark Axinn stated, “Only by requiring the Board of Elections to count every vote cast for every candidate can independent voters have their voice heard on Election Day.”

The case is scheduled to be heard on April 8.

And at Ballot Access News:

On March 9, Warren Redlich and Mark Axinn filed a lawsuit in state court against the New York State Board of Elections, over the ballot format in November 2010 and many previous elections. The lawsuit points out that section 7-104(3)(c), which describes the general election ballot format, says each party is to have its own column or row. However, in 2010, the Libertarian Party was squeezed into the same column or row as another political party.

The lawsuit, called Redlich v New York State Board of Canvassers, also explains that 7-104(3)(c) has not been followed in the past because the mechanical voting machines didn’t have enough space to give each party its own column or row. But, the lawsuit then explains, New York no longer uses mechanical voting machines, and therefore the ballot format used in November 2010 was illegal and the illegality had no justification. New York used paper ballots in November 2010.

The lawsuit asks that in future elections, 7-104(3)(c) be followed. Also, it asks that the court recognize that the New York Libertarian Party probably would have received 50,000 votes if the ballot had not been so confusing. To buttress that conclusion, the lawsuit also points out that the official election returns failed to record how many void votes were cast in New York city. The official election returns show 3,001 void votes for Governor outside New York city, but zero void votes within New York city. It is very likely that many voters voted both for Redlich and another gubernatorial candidate who was on the ballot in the same column, and these votes should have been recorded as void. Without an accurate record of the number of void votes, it is difficult to analyze what effect the ballot format had. The party received 48,386 votes for Governor, according to the official returns. It needed 50,000 to become a qualified party.

From The New York Observer:

The five applicants entered the building with resumes and applications in hand. Syracuse also carried a copy of The Complete Guide to Successful Publishing. They said they were not permitted to go further and security officials took their paperwork for the human resources department.

Shanklin said the Green Party’s involvement stems from their commitment to participatory democracy.

“We must save the public schools if we are going to maintain that and hand it on to our children,” Shanklin said. “Mayor Bloomberg is part of an agenda to privatize public schools and turn them into private for-profit businesses.”

From WNYC:

A day after Cathie Black received a waiver from the state education commissioner so she could take the top job in the New York City public school system, a small group of Green Party members responded by staging a protest at her old place of employment, Hearst Corporation headquarters in Midtown Manhattan. Five of them walked through the glass doors to apply for Black’s job as chairwoman of the publishing giant. 

Gloria Mattera, a public school parent and former Green Party candidate for lieutenant governor said that she knew she went in without the necessary prerequisites for the job.

“You will see if you review my resume that I am absolutely unqualified to run a publishing company, which is exactly what Cathie Black is to run the NYC Public School system.”

From the Huffington Post:

Speaking of cross-sector borrowing, a group of teachers from the Green Party will be applying for Ms. Black’s position at Hearst magazines. They will bring books about the publishing industry and ask them to have patience while they “get up to speed.” What do think their odds of getting hired are? Apparently cross-sector borrowing is a one-way street.

From The L Magazine:

  Retired teacher and Green Party enrollee Elizabeth Shanklin puts it in perspective. “Hiring Cathie Black is part of an agenda to destroy the public schools,” she said in that press release. “Cathie Black’s business qualifications and lack of educational qualifications make sense. She doesn’t need educational qualifications because her agenda is to end public schools, make them into a private business. Mayoral control of the public school system continues to treat the education of our children as a business plan.” And Black is less Superwoman than Lex Lutherette.

New York City Council Member Dan Halloran represents 161,000 constituents and is the highest elected Libertarian Party official in the nation elected from a single district in a partisan race. He ran as a fusion candidate and appeared on the ballot in 2009 as the candidate of the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Libertarian Parties. He credits the Libertarian Party for giving him the votes he needed to win since the number of votes he received on the Republican Party line alone were insufficient to beat his Democratic opponent. What is the next step for Dan Halloran and how might he end up becoming the first Libertarian Party candidate to be elected Governor of a state?

On Saturday, November 13, 2010, Dan Halloran was the guest speaker of the Libertarian Party of Queens County. During that meeting, he mentioned his commitment to serve as a New York City Council Member for only two terms even though he is eligible to serve for three terms under the grandfather clause attached to the amendments to the New York City Charter, which were approved this year. He also mentioned during his speech that he may be called upon to run for State Senate in the 11th Senatorial District since 38 year incumbent Republican Party member Frank Padavan lost that seat this year. If he does run for the State Senate, he will be able to do so in 2012 without risking his City Council seat, which is up for re-election in 2013.

If Dan Halloran won the State Senate seat in 2012, he could run for Attorney General of the State of New York in 2014 and then run for Governor in 2018, at the earliest. While my time line may be off, I believe the path I have spelled out is a reasonable one to give Dan Halloran a shot at becoming Governor of the State of New York. While addressing the Libertarian Party of Queens County, Mr. Halloran stated he believed the Libertarian Party’s first Governor would be an individual running as a fusion candidate with our endorsement. Of course, Queens LP members shouted they’d like that person to be Dan Halloran himself.

Dan Halloran is a member of the Libertarian Party of Queens County and the national Libertarian Party. He attended the Libertarian Party’s National Convention in 2010 as a delegate from New York State.

“I came to New York to organize co-ops,” he said. “When the funding ran out I got a job loading trucks for UPS.”

He’s still there.

Hawkins has built up a real, if not massive, following in the Syracuse area. In addition to his run for mayor in 2005, he ran for Congress in 2008 and received almost 9,000 votes, 3.3 percent of the total. Last year, he got 41 percent of the vote running for a seat on the Syracuse Common Council. The Syracuse-area voters supported him in large numbers this year, with Hawkins garnering 5.3 percent of the vote in Onondaga County.

“I have a personal base in Onondaga and adjacent counties,” Hawkins says. “I got over 3 percent in all of them…”

Perhaps now that it is so much easier for them to put candidates on the ballot, the Greens will be more aggressive in running local candidates in New York City. The vast majority of incumbents in the city, both on the Council and the state legislature, currently have little competition. Democrats control every position in Manhattan and the Bronx, every position in Queens but for three members of the City Council, and every position in Brooklyn except for one State Senator. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver ran unopposed this year.

“We got a lot of organizing to do,” said Hawkins.

On Thursday October 21, 2010, the Local East Village Newspaper interviewed Warren Redlich to discuss his thoughts on government spending, the war on drugs and student loans.

 Redlich is the Libertarian Party candidate for governor of New York who has some unconventional ideas for fixing the state’s $8 billion deficit. In the interview, he chastises his opponents for taking such passive approaches towards the budget; according to Redlich, while Cuomo and Paladino keep talking about the deficit, he is the only one with a specific plan for where to cut spending in New York. He explains how bureaucratic pay and college loans perpetuate unnecessary spending costs that contribute to the rising costs of education and other services.

Redlich talks about everything from the Libertarian Party and the importance of local government to New York City and his favorite things to eat in East Village. He ends the discussion with a few simple reasons why he is the best candidate: “I’ve never been caught with a prostitute. My dad wasn’t governor and I’ve never been convicted of a crime. I’m not your typical New York politician.”

Read the entire interview here:
 http://eastvillage.thelocal.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/interview-warren-redlich/

Thousands of people rallied today in lower Manhattan in defense of
the Muslim, Arab American and South Asian communities that have been
increasingly demonized in recent months.

The demonstration dwarfed the smaller right-wing, racist mobilization
that was organized in opposition to the planned construction of an
Islamic Community Center several blocks from the site of the former
World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.

Today’s demonstration was organized by a broad coalition of
progressive, anti-war, Muslim, Arab American, South Asian and social
justice organizations from the Black, Latino and Asian communities. The
ANSWER Coalition organized its members and supporters to join this
important mobilization against racism and Islamophobia. Speakers at the
demonstration included Ramsey Clark, Cynthia McKinney, representatives
of the International Action Center, December 12th Movement and others.

It is critical for the anti-war movement and all people of conscience
to stand together in defense of the Muslim community, and in opposition
to racism and war.

The ANSWER Coalition is organizing people from all over the East Coast and Midwest to participate in the Stand Up-Fight Back contingent at the Oct. 2 mobilization in Washington, D.C. Click here to sign-up to join the contingent. The Oct. 2 mobilization will draw together hundreds of thousands of working people who will demand jobs, peace and justice.

Notes from the Wilders:

Correct website for Green Party of New York State is www.gpny.org

Howie Hawkins tells us about the 1st amendment of the Constitution. Freedom of religion is the cornerstone to what our forefathers envisioned as a free society. With all the troubles of the working class in New York, these rightwing politicians only want to talk about “the 911 Mosque”.

The only way that the Green Party can regain ballot status in NY is to get 50,000 votes for their Governor candidate in 2010. This opportunity comes only once every four years, and it only applies to the Governor’s race. Gaining ballot status will enable the Green Party to run more peace candidates, more single-payer candidates, more anti-fracking candidates, and more sustainable energy candidates. The last time that the Green Party of New York State had ballot status it set the record for running the most Green candidates of any state.

Notes from Paulie:

1) As of the times of this writing, this video is front and center on the Hawkins for Governor website.

2) Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Conservative Party of New York State (including Rick Lazio), Thomas Sipos, Phil Maymin, Ron Paul, Mike Beitler, Howie Hawkins print commentary, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

Conservatives to Con Ed: No Mosque at Ground Zero

CPNYS Cordoba ConEd from Howard Lim, Jr. on Vimeo.

Watch our new ad, then call Andrew Cuomo

CPNYS Mosque Lazio Cuomo from Howard Lim, Jr. on Vimeo.

In case you missed Chairman Long debating on the Cordba Mosque on Fox 5 NY this morning, you can view the segment here.

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Thomas Sipos, Phil Maymin, Ron Paul, Mike Beitler, Howie Hawkins, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

Wayne Allyn Root, John Hospers: The LP’s Anti-Libertarian Faces

Massachusetts Libertarian Party Chair George Phillies reports on Independent Political Report (comment 148):

“I am amused to report that the LNC was contacted by a reporter who wanted to do a story on possible interactions between the Libertarian Party and Malcolm X, the question being ‘Has Malcolm X inspired your Libertarian activism?’

“I have not yet learned if the reporter got an interview with anyone.”

Some observations:

1. This above thread concerns 1972 LP presidential candidate John Hospers’s call to oppose the Muslim cultural center being built two blocks from Ground Zero.

2. LNC member Wayne Allyn Root had previously also called for public opposition to the Muslim center.

3. Root’s position resulted in criticism from Libertarian bloggers, which is why Hospers felt the need to jump in and defend Root.

4. Well, of course it resulted in negative reaction! For Root and Hospers to call for public opposition to building the Muslim cultural center is to invite the public to suppress the property rights of the building owner and the religious freedom of Muslims.

Seems the Libertarian Party tent has gotten so big, it now welcomes people who are pro-war, anti-property rights, and anti-religious freedom.

And now Root claims that he’s the “de facto voice and face of the LP.” Considering Root’s constant conspiratorial speculations about Obama being a black radical at Columbia University (even though Root claims that he never met Obama at Columbia), I wonder what Root would have told the reporter about the LP’s views on Malcolm X.

(I myself have no views on Malcolm X, as I’ve never read or studied him. I only saw the Spike Lee film, which is not enough for an informed opinion.)

Root’s defenders (the usual suspects) chimed in that Root hasn’t called for government intervention against the “Ground Zero mosque” (a misnomer, since it’s neither a mosque, nor on Ground Zero — it’s a Muslim cultural center two blocks away from Ground Zero).

Root’s defenders praise Root for calling on the private sector to exert “market pressure” on the property owner and Muslims to not build there, and to leave the government out of it.

Now, can you imagine if anyone in the LP called for the private sector to exert “market pressure” on someone to not build a synagogue? Or a gay or black cultural center? Yes, it would technically be “libertarian” in that it’s not a call for government intervention — but it would still be bigotry.

While the LP may well defend the rights of haters, that doesn’t mean the LP should actually instigate hateful action. The ACLU defended the free speech rights of Nazis, but it didn’t go the extra step of encouraging the Nazis to engage in hate speech.

Alas, Hospers and Root are calling for the LP to side with haters.

However, Root may well be correct in that he is one of the more famous LP members out there. How tragic for liberty if Root becomes the “de facto” voice of the LP.

Ron Paul is far more famous that Root, and more respected. But Paul is not active in the LP. (Yet another thing to admire about Dr. Paul).

If there was ever any doubt, Root and Hospers are not libertarians. Whatever titles they accumulate, however many talk shows they appear on, they have left the pro-liberty reservation.

Gasp! Am I suggesting a litmus test?!

See Thomas Knapp’s excellent article on libertarian litmus tests.

There’s been much bigoted hysteria regarding the “Ground Zero mosque” (which is not on Ground Zero, and is not a mosque), including bigoted statements from Libertarian Party embarrassment Wayne Allyn Root.

It’s therefore nice to see a Libertarian Party candidate actually take a libertarian position on this issue. You rarely see LP candidates or officers speaking like libertarians any more (one reason I rarely vote LP anymore), but Warren Redlich, the LP candidate for New York governor, correctly supports both property rights and religious freedom, and thus supports the right of our fellow Americans (of the Muslim faith) to build a Muslim cultural center two blocks from Ground Zero:

Curiously, the New York LP nominated Alden Link as their Lt. Governor candidate. I don’t know Link’s position on the “Ground Zero mosque,” but when I met him at the 2006 LP national convention, Link struck me as quite pro-war. He suggested the U.S. military should bomb the branches of banks that hold “terrorist money” in their deposits.

Link was also quite the warhawk at the 2008 LP national convention. He was the only candidate who managed to make Root look like a dove.

After failing to get a single delegate’s vote at the LP convention, Link (who was not a delegate), attempted to get the Boston Tea Party’s presidential nomination.

Failing that, Link eventually managed to secure the Objectivist Party‘s vice presidential nomination. Considering how insanely pro-war organized Objectivism is these days, that seemed an appropriate political home for Link.

Objectivist Party founder, presidential candidate, and sometime LP officer, Dr. Tom Stevens, has formed Bachelors for Link to support Link’s Lt. Governor candidacy.

Who or what is Bachelors for Link? In endorsing Link, this “group” (assuming it’s more than just Dr. Stevens and his blog) says: “Bachelors often feel pressure to get married and to live a conventional lifestyle. Despite choosing to be ‘unattached’, they often face ridicule and are the subject of ‘whispering campaigns’ questioning their sexual orientation. We are proud to support Alden Link, the Libertarian Party’s candidate for Lt. Governor of New York State, who has socially tolerant views and a principled belief that people should be able to organize their lives as they see fit without private sanction or governmental interference.”

So…should Link be elected Lt. Governor of New York, he’ll use his office to end “whispering campaigns” against bachelors? Well, at least it’d be a less offensive use of Link’s time than his previous Islamophobic war hysteria.

Kudos to Warren Redlich’s defense of Muslim Americans’ equal rights — and a curious, raised eyebrow to Alden Link’s latest weird candidacy.

Libertarianism Is Dummied Down and Declining

Libertarian Party members keep talking about “growing the party.” I’ve heard this mantra for decades. Optimistic Libertarians of all factions have assured each other that Americans are really libertarians, that major party status is just 15 or so years away.

It’s always been 15 or so years away. In the 1990s, the national LP sent out some junk mail promising a “Libertarian majority Congress in 2010!” They did not promise one elected Libertarian, but an LP majority in both Houses of Congress.

Wayne Allyn Root likewise, when running for president in 2008, promised that he would win the presidency on the LP ticket in 2016. Victory is always 15 years away, give or take.

Well, no. Libertarianism as a philosophy is going backwards in the U.S. The “Ground Zero mosque” controversy is proof of that. Vast numbers of Americans have embraced xenophobic bigotry against Muslims.

Even “sensible, moderate” radio talk show hosts here in Los Angeles (e.g., Dennis Prager, Peter Tilden) oppose the “Ground Zero mosque” and imagine that their positions are moral. The saw how the “mosque” would insensitive to Americans — ignoring that the people building the Muslim cultural center are Americans.

And even members and spokesholes for the Libertarian Party are “opposing the property rights and religious freedom of their fellow Americans.

At Los Angeles’s Karl Hess Club last week, one longtime “libertarian” kept spouting snide smears against Muslims, hoping to entice others to join in. We didn’t. But while many of the KHC attendees are not anti-Muslim, several have indeed succumbed to Islamophobic fever.

First the LP tent grew to accommodate warmongering imperialists. Now the LP has grown to include xenophobes opposed to property rights and religious freedom.

Fifteen years ago, it was a given that most Americans were not libertarians. But now, you can’t even be sure that a Libertarian is a libertarian. The Libertarian Party has gone backwards. The libertarian movement has gone backwards. America is retreating from freedom and rationality, and libertarians are no help at all.

“Ground Zero” Synagogue Goes Up in Lebanon

American bigots — hiding under the labels of “conservative” or “libertarian” — have a favorite talking point: “We’ll let Them build a mosque in America, when They let Us build a church or synagogue in Saudi Arabia.”

Yes, some bigots are saying “No mosques in America,” not just on Ground Zero.

It’s an absurd demand. Why? Because Germans, Russians, Italians, Chinese — everyone — have long come to America to escape more oppressive nations. We never said to Russians, “You can’t enjoy free speech in the U.S. until Americans can enjoy free speech in the Soviet Union.” We never before demanded that American immigrants live by the laws of theirs foreign homelands.

Why change that American standard for Americans of Muslim heritage? (That’s right — the “Them” and “They” are our fellow Americans.)

Even so, it seems that some foreign, Muslim nations are more tolerant than is the U.S. Here’s a must-read peace about Lebanon’s Ground Zero Synagogue.

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Phil Maymin, Ron Paul, Mike Beitler, Howie Hawkins, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

When it comes to the mosque to be built near Ground Zero in New York City, everyone is pretending to be something they’re not.

Perhaps for the first time since Grover Cleveland, a Democratic president is championing private property rights, states’ rights and a limited federal government. Barack Obama endorsed the right of Muslims “to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan in accordance with local laws and regulation.”

Has Obama, of all people, flipped through the Constitution and achieved a clearer understanding of the first, ninth and tenth amendments?

No, it is merely a mask. Otherwise, he would repeal a host of invasive laws. Your First Amendment guarantees to free travel, association, speech and religion are violated whenever your naked body is scanned at an airport, your political book club’s reading list is secretly inspected, your phone is tapped without a warrant or your tax dollars are funneled to religious groups and nations that actively fight against your own sacred beliefs. If Obama were sincere, he would end those intrusions and more.

What could or should Obama have said instead? He could have said nothing. It is simply not his place.

This is a rare quality, to be sure. The only politician (other than Ron Paul) who I have ever heard say that something was not his decision was Jesse Ventura, when he was governor of Minnesota. Asked by a reporter about some private entity, though he obviously had a strong personal opinion, Ventura’s response was simple and clear. “It is not my call,” he essentially said. “It is not within my duties as governor.”

Obama could have answered as Ventura did. Instead he chose to inflict his unsolicited opinion on us.

Deep in his heart Obama still denies the intended limited role of the federal government. He thinks it, and he, should be everywhere. He does not fathom that some things are just not his call, whether they be banks, car companies, foreign nations or where LeBron James should have taken his talents.

Most other Democrats actually are silent, refusing to go on the record, probably because they feel, and rightly so, that whatever they say will be used against them. But ironically this silence is a mask for them too. They have donned it not as a principled stand for local autonomy, but purely out of fear for their careers.

Democrats are not alone in their hypocrisy. Republicans who have spent the past decade preaching the need to spread democracy abroad are now upset that democratic institutions at home prevent them from successfully meddling. Republicans have called the project an “unnecessary provocation,” an example of “territorial conquest,” and “an aggressive act that is clearly offensive.” But they don’t really think the mosque is a truly violent act. If they did, they would seek to file charges or sue for damages. No, they just want to ride our emotions to get back in power and continue expanding the American empire.

Even libertarians are hiding behind a mask of tolerance. Citing basic property rights, they argue anybody can build a mosque on any property they own and there is nothing anyone can or should do about it. They are right about the first part, but deeply wrong about the second. There is nothing wrong with voicing disapproval for the mosque. It is an expression of free speech. They may build, but we may protest. True tolerance does not mean you approve of everyone; it means you do not do violence even to those of whom you disapprove.

So far, I too have been hiding behind a mask, the mask of indifference and neutrality, as if I am above these petty issues. But unlike the others, my mask will now come off.

I am deeply offended by the project, for two reasons. First, it strikes me as an ugly ploy. Any religious or political entity that intends to launch on the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 seems disingenuous to me, more interested in its own publicity than in actually doing good.

Second, the name of the entity is nasty. They intend to call it the Cordoba House and the sponsors call themselves the Cordoba Initiative, both named after the city in Spain where, they say, Jews, Christians, and Muslims co-existed peacefully. Theirs is the most contemptible mask of all, because what they don’t say is how that peace ended. Fundamentalist Muslims gave all its residents a choice: convert to Islam or die. My great-great-great-…-grandfather Maimonides took his family and fled. In my mind, the name Cordoba does not conjure images of peace and co-existence.

By their logic, they would see nothing wrong with opening a German cultural center in downtown Tel Aviv called the Dachau House. After all, there was a time when Jews and Gentiles lived peaceably side-by-side in that pleasant Munich suburb

Dr. Phil Maymin is a professor of risk management at the NYU-Polytechnic Institute.

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Ron Paul, Mike Beitler, Howie Hawkins, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20014453-503544.html

Libertarian Congressman Ron Paul is breaking with many of his fellow Republicans – among them his son Rand – to support the creation of the planned Islamic cultural center near the former site of the World Trade Center that has come to be known as the "ground zero mosque."

In a statement decrying "demagogy" around the issue, the former Republican presidential candidate wrote late last week that "the debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque."

 "Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be ‘sensitive’ requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from ‘ground zero,’" Paul continues.

 He goes on to argue that "the neo-conservatives who demand continual war in the Middle East and Central Asia…never miss a chance to use hatred toward Muslims to rally support for the ill conceived preventative wars."

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Mike Beitler, Howie Hawkins, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

The issue of whether or not to build a mosque near the site of the World Trade Towers terrorist attack has been hijacked for political expediency, said Mike Beitler, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in an op ed on his website. “To collectively blame every Muslim for the actions of a few is probably the most un-American act I can think of,” Beitler said. “Our country was formed by the ideals of individual liberty, not blaming the innocent for a crime committed by the other.”

Terrorism is a tactic that uses fear to make people act in ways against their belief, he said. “To defeat terrorism, we must embrace the ideas of freedom and liberty and protect the rights of all individuals and not just of a select few.”

Beitler said that some politicians have decided to take a different path, which he describe as “the religious crusade for some, this hatred of the other.” “These are not American ideals,” Beitler said, “they are fascist ones.”

One of the most shameful things he said he’s learned about the political manipulation of September 11 is the refusal to mention the Muslims murdered that day.

One of the 63 Muslim victims was Mohammad Salman Hamdami, a part-time ambulance driver, medical student, and an NYPD cadet.

When he saw smoke coming from the twin towers, he drove right to the scene and tried to help,” Beitler said. “Since he wasn’t working and no one knew his whereabouts, the media were happy to brandish him as a terrorist and say that he was involved in the plot due to his ethnicity and religion.”

Rahma Salie was passenger on the American Airlines flight that crashed into the North Tower. She was seven-months pregnant and traveling to California with her husband to attend a wedding. Beitler said that Rahma was put on the FBI watch list because of her “Muslim-sounding” name and her travel patterns were similar to those of the hijackers. She was a computer consultant living in Boston.

Although her name was eventually removed from the list, several of her family members were barred from taking flights to her memorial service,” Beitler said.

Mohammad Chowdhury was a waiter in the Windows of the World restaurant on the top floors of Tower One. His wife Baraheen Ashrafi gave birth to a son two days after the attack.

“I wonder what the eight-year-old Farqad is thinking today when he hears that a mosque his father might have worshiped in should not be built because it’s an affront to his father’s memory,” Beitler said.

Beitler said he’s been silent on the issue in the hope that common sense would prevail. To a libertarian, this is not really an issue, since the Constitution protects religious freedom and property rights. “Everything else is irrelevant,” he said.

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Howie Hawkins, Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

The only way that the Green Party can regain ballot status in NY is to get 50,000 votes for their Governor candidate in 2010. This opportunity comes only once every four years, and it only applies to the Governor’s race. Gaining ballot status will enable the Green Party to run more peace candidates, more single-payer candidates, more anti-fracking candidates, and more sustainable energy candidates. The last time that the Green Party of New York State had ballot status it set the record for running the most Green candidates of any state.

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party of New York State candidate for Governor, said today that he was very disturbed by the efforts of the Republican Governor candidates to advance their sagging election prospects by crudely inflaming religious and ethnic tensions by attacking the proposed Muslim Center near the former World Trade Center.

Hawkins said:

Why do these Republicans hate our freedom? Freedom of religion is the first freedom protected in the First Amendment. It’s about freedom of thought, the foundation of freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government for redress of grievances. Why do right-wingers like Lazio and Paladino hate our U.S. Constitution? They talk freedom and practice repression. They sound like Big Brother in George Orwell’s 1984: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

“At a time when the Great Recession is still throwing New Yorkers out of their jobs and homes, when the state budget is bust because all the major party politicians refuse to make the rich pay their fair share of taxes, these guys are trying to win the election by dividing New Yorkers against each other by race, ethnicity, and religion. They are making the Muslim community center an issue to divert attention from their unpopular response to the economic crisis of cutting public spending, gutting our schools, hospitals, mass transit, highways, police, and other public goods and services, and throwing thousands of more teachers, transit workers, police, and other public workers into the unemployment rolls. I trust that New Yorkers will see through this ugly strategy,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins said he supported the proposed Muslim center. Hawkins noted that it would have an interfaith mission of service and mutual understanding, and was approved by the Community Board of Lower Manhattan, following public hearings, by a vote of 29 to 1, with 10 abstentions. The proposed center features space for inter-community cultural events and multi-faith prayer, community services such as gym facilities and cooking classes, and a memorial to those who died on September 11.

Hawkins said he is troubled by how both Republicans and Democrats have manipulated the murder of thousands of innocent individuals on September 11, 2001 to further their political agenda of armed invasion of the Middle East to seize oil supplies while curtailing civil liberties here in the United States.

“I wish the Democrats and Republicans were more interested in answering the myriad unanswered questions about 9/11, starting with who actually paid for the attacks, an issue the 9/11 Commission said was not important to resolve. The Commission pointed out that the Saudi Arabian ruling family had been financially backing the Al Qaida terrorists for years, something that the two major parties don’t seem too concerned about since they sell us oil. The Commission failed to investigate why the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency wired money to the 9/11 lead hijackers right before the attacks. We received documentation this week that the ISI continues to actively support Taliban in who are fighting American soldiers and Marines,” said Hawkins, a former Marine.

“No one has been indicted for providing logistical support to those who murdered 3000 Americans on 9/11, and it seems no one in the government is interested in investigating who there were. Why aren’t Lazio and Paladino asking why our City and State governments have failed to rebuild at the WTC ten years after the attack? Instead they act as bigoted demagogues, sacrificing the fundamental freedom of religion for which the American revolution was fought at the spurious altar of scapegoating and social division,” remarked Hawkins.

Previously at IPR on the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” (New York candidates for Governor in bold): Jake Towne, Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

On the front page of today’s Morning Call was an article on the mosque to be located near Ground Zero in NYC. Below is a video statement and transcript of those remarks. My comments were misinterpreted slightly, and I absolutely do not speak for all Muslims – just myself – but the fact remains the reporter just wasn’t able to fit in my full thoughts on the matter, so the below is mainly to elaborate.

In New York, several blocks from the former site of the World Trade Center, an Islamic center and mosque is being considered. As a federal representative, it is my duty to defend the Constitution and the natural right to religious freedom as protected by the First Amendment. This freedom has its roots in how America was first settled by European religious outcasts. (Photo courtesy Rosino)

Therefore my stance is that if built on private property and approved by the local authorities, the citizens building the center are perfectly free to do so. I am sure the builders realize the impact of their actions, and the careful, sensitive path they will realistically need to tread if they choose to continue.

However, due to some minor misinterpretations of my position in the front page article in today’s Morning Call, I would like to elaborate:

9/11 remains a great scar on America’s soul. However, the fact remains that the threat of suicide terrorism is enhanced – NOT lessened – by the conventional armies stationed abroad in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Suicide terrorism is not caused by religious “fundamentalism.” Instead, suicide terrorist groups have a secular and strategic goal in mind – to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from territory that the terrorists consider to be their homeland. Period. Religion is NOT the root cause, and is mainly employed as a tool for recruitment and highlighting differences with the “invaders” from the native community. (I highly recommend reading Dr. Robert Pape’s “Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism” as academia’s best scientific study of suicide terrorism, see the video below.)

Again, Islamic fundamentalism was not the root cause of 9/11 or even suicide terrorism in general. This myth is just as nonsensical as blaming the religion and morals I was raised under, Catholicism, as the root cause of IRA (Irish Republican Army) car bombings in Northern Ireland. Even if the mainstream media has permitted this prejudice to pervade the public consciousness, this logic is nonsense.

For instance, Hezbollah’s first (and highly successful from their point of view) suicide terrorism campaign resulted in 241 Marine fatalities. This led to the rapid and complete withdraw of US Marines and French military forces from Lebanon in 1983. However, only 8 of the 38 identified Hezbollah suicide terrorists practiced Islam. The others either practiced Christianity or were secular. (Source: Pape’s book)

Specifically, Osama Bin Laden and his ilk follow Salafism which is a perversion of Islam. Al-Qaeda perverts the concept of jihad into a “holy war” that rationalizes the murder of innocent civilians. It is my understanding that those of the Shia and Sunni Islamic faiths in the United States peacefully believe in “jihad” as literally a “struggle” to maintain faith and piety in a greater sense, and in the right to personal self-defense when attacked in a lesser sense.

Of course, while speaking of the murder of innocent civilians, Americans must refuse the role of naive bystanders. We must realize hundreds of thousands of innocents have been killed in Iraq, and tens of thousands in Afghanistan. A huge percentage of these violent deaths were caused by our military. We must realize that the deaths of 5,642 American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan in unconstitutional, preemptive wars of aggression IN NO WAY compensates for the deaths of those that died on 9/11. Only the capture and trial of those responsible for 9/11 can in some way compensate for this tragedy.

The only effective and proper solution to defeat suicide terrorists is to capture the current generation and prevent the next generation from being created from collateral damage and blowback. Capture of the current generation will best be attained by small special ops forces acting under constitutional letters of marque and reprisal as explained here. Raising the reward for the capture of 9/11 criminals is also necessary, but also note that the American military believes there is less than 100 Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

American soldiers are dying NOW in far-flung deserts and mountains EVERY DAY. These brave men and women have written a check for up to and including their lives to defend their country. These checks are being cashed out into coffins in what I believe to be a negligent and fruitless manner.

If we aspire to be a just nation ruled by laws we must resolve to never ask our military men and women to engage in unconstitutional warfare and nation-building missions.

I do not wish to see the day when not only essential civil liberties are revoked by the PATRIOT Act – as they are today, not only when more than 1 in 8 Americans are living on food stamps – as they are today, and not only when employment is crushed by the economic suppression of the federal government – as it is today, but religious freedom is also lost.

I saw firsthand the evils the lack of liberty brings when I lived abroad in communist China, and I’ll be damned if I do nothing to stop these very same evils in my home country.

We must stop the endless debt and the endless wars. Yours in liberty,
Jake Towne

Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito. “Never give in to evil but proceed ever more boldly against it.”

The campaign’s stances on Veterans, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War in detail can be accessed from this page.

A video of Dr. Robert Pape talking about his research on the logic of suicide terrorism.

Other opinions on the “ground zero mosque” previously posted at IPR:
Warren Redlich video, John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

Libertarian Warren Redlich is running for Governor of New York. In this video he points out the problems with his opponents’ position on the New York mosque controversy:

Visit the Redlich campaign website.

Other takes on the “mosque” controversy: John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root (1) and (2), John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich (print commentary), Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

Also at Redlich’s site recently:

Radio interview, more

Warren was interviewed today on: The Capitol Pressroom.

Thanks to Susan Arbetter and her team for this.

Yesterday Warren drove out to speak at an event with the Greater Manlius Chamber of Commerce (south of Syracuse). It was a great event with over 100 people, and several candidates including a couple of other Governor candidates. They seemed to appreciate the Stop Wasting Money message.

Tuesday we filed 34,000 signatures. That was quite an accomplishment and we had help from many, many volunteers. After filing, Warren was interviewed on Capital Tonight:

Thanks to Liz Benjamin and Michael Johnson for doing this.

Paladino “refudiates” Tea Party principles again

Carl Paladino “refudiates” another Tea Party principle in his new proposal to federalize lower Manhattan. The 10th Amendment protects the rights of the States and the People against the federal government. This is a critical issue within the Tea Party movement.

Warren Redlich, the Libertarian candidate for Governor and a speaker at several Tea Party events, rejected Paladino’s latest proposal: “History has shown us what happens when people give power to bigoted strongmen with a disregard for the fundamental rules of government.”

Paladino previously disregarded the Tea Party movement’s opposition both to eminent domain abuse and reckless government spending by proposing a New York State taking of the area around the World Trade Center.

In addition, Paladino has personally benefited from “economic development” and openly advocates for it in his campaign. This corporate welfare, in the form of bailouts, was one of the biggest sparks in the explosion of the Tea Party movement.

And of course, Paladino gave $1000 to Senator Chuck Schumer’s campaign on June 30, 2009, five days after Schumer announced his plan for a “public option” in federal health insurance reform.

“Carl Paladino does not believe in the Tea Party movement,” Redlich said, “He and his consultants are merely using the movement to advance their own personal agendas.”

NYSERDA – A Poster Child for Government Run Amok

I did a little research tonight, looking at the payroll of a number of state agencies. I’ve been troubled for a while by the Office for Technology (OFT). The Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) has a rather large payroll for what should be a simple set of tasks.

But the one that hit me tonight was NYSERDA, the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority. With 284 employees (assuming they’re not hiding anyone), total payroll was $19.2 Million in 2009. That averages out to $67K. The average employee makes $67K?

But that’s not the best part. This is – job titles.

Assistant Project Coordinators: 5

Assistant Project Managers: 25

Associate Project Managers: 19

25 letters left in the alphabet.

Directors: 14

Finance Aides: 5

Information Technology Administrators: 5

Office Administrators: 8

Office Managers: 9

This is where it starts to get interesting.

Program Managers: 23

Project Coordinators: 24

Project Managers: 40

40 project managers? This would be a cruel joke if we weren’t paying for it.

Senior Office Administrators: 9

Senior Project Managers: 37

I was blown away by the 40 project managers, and now it turns out there are 37 senior ones?

Of the NYSERDA employees, 150, or more than half, are project managers or coordinators. That doesn’t include the 55 directors, program managers, office managers and office administrators.

Who do all these people direct, manage and/or coordinate?

Here’s my favorite:

Receptionists: 1

I think I’ve found another agency we can eliminate from the state budget.

The Ron Paul and Rand Paul Candidate

Warren Redlich is the Ron Paul candidate for Governor of New York State.

Ron Paul has been one of Warren’s favorite leaders for years. Warren mentioned Dr. Paul back in a 2006 radio interview – there’s a link to it on this page.

Warren supports Rand Paul too. Warren gave money to both of their campaigns. He has spoken out for both in the press and on blogs.

If you live in New York and want to support a Ron Paul candidate for Governor, Warren is it. Please browse this website and read more about Warren’s plan to shrink NY government.

Short video – Alex Rodriguez

Here’s our Alex Rodriguez video. Just something quick, trying to see what his New York fans think:

Internet Challenge

Warren Redlich issued a challenge today to the other Governor candidates: Make your website information available to the public.

The Redlich campaign today published a sample “Google Analytics” report of the campaign website’s traffic, available at http://wredlich.com/wr-an.pdf. Additional reports are available to media upon request.

The websites of Andrew Cuomo, Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino all have Google Analytics code allowing them to produce similar reports. Redlich asked: “What do they have to hide?”

According to Alexa.com, the Redlich campaign’s website is leading in web traffic.

WRedlich.com, has an Alexa rank of 700,000. Paladino’s site, paladinoforthepeople.com, is ranked 950,000, Cuomo’s, andrewcuomo.com, is at 1.17 million, and Lazio’s, lazio.com, is at 1.9 million. Lower numbers mean more more traffic.

Alexa (http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo ) is the best known web tool for comparing website traffic.

Redlich criticized the other candidate websites. “Just like their campaigns, their websites lack substance. They’re thin on the issues.” Redlich did credit the Paladino website for one thing, “at least they list an e-mail address. What does it say about Lazio and Cuomo that they don’t even give people a way to e-mail them?”

Alexa links:

Lazio: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/lazio.com

Cuomo: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/andrewcuomo.com

Paladino: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/paladinoforthepeople.com

Redlich: http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/wredlich.com

Radio Monday – WPYX 106.5 FM Albany

Thanks to Wolf, Ellen and Steve at PYX 106 for having me on this morning. And thanks to Jeff Russell for recording it. You can listen to it at this link:

July 26 Redlich PYX

New campaign video

Our latest campaign video, Money in New York Politics:

Interview on WIZR 930 AM in Johnstown

Thanks to Rick Morrison for interviewing me and for recording it so we can share with you.

In the first part, he asked me about Carl Paladino’s campaign contributions to Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer. The beginning of the interview, along with the question and beginning of my answer, were accidentally cut off.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Rangel Video

Not really an issue for the Governor’s race, but this is too good:

Our National (LP) Party Platforms over the years have been quite clear on this matter. The 2010 Platform includes “We condemn bigotry as irrational and repugnant… We favor the freedom to engage in or abstain from any religious activities that do not violate the rights of others. We oppose government actions which either aid or attack any religion.”

There is of course a theme in American politics opposite to Libertarianism. It’s the modern Republican theme. 160 years ago, that theme was the Anti-Catholic position of the American Party, one of the forbearers of the modern Republican Party: In its bigoted view, Catholicism was the religion of the people then described as ‘the darker races of Europe’…the Irish and the Catholics. Two thirds of a century ago, a theme of bigotry was anti-Semitism, prejudice against the Jews, one of the Semitic peoples of the Middle East.

Now a theme of conservative bigots is Islamophobia, prejudice against one of the other Semitic peoples of the Middle East. And on top of those themes, we must recall, was bigotry against African- Americans, Japanese, Chinese, Greeks, Hungarians, Poles…the list is long, and our newspaper only has so many pages.

Recently, Islamophobia has reared its ugly head within the ranks of our Libertarian Party. New York Islamites propose to build the Cordoba House, a modest (relative to the buildings around it) 13-story Islamic community center on Park Place in downtown Manhattan. The proposal, like almost everything in New York City, was controversial. Republican bigots like Newt Gingrich came out against the building. That controversy spread to the front page of LP.org and IndependentPoliticalReport.com. An editorial drafted by Party interns came out in favor of the right of the supporters of this private project to proceed.

And then several of our allegedly libertarian National Party leading lights decided to sound off on the matter.

Wayne Root, posting at RootForAmerica.com, gave a long message reading in small part: “The answer is simple for a common sense American- I support religious freedom, as all Americans should. But this is not a case of religious freedom. This proposed building of a mosque on hallowed ground is an ATROSITY towards America. It is an offense to build a mosque in that location- an offense to all Americans (including Muslim Americans), all Christians and Jews, all relatives of 3000 dead heroes at the World Trade Center.

Former Presidential candidate John Hospers, appearing on IndependentPoliticalReport.com said, “So, too, the building of a mosque at the attack site where thousands of our own perished in an act of war – must not be allowed.”

To these two men I respond: Sorry, gentlemen, your positions are totally the opposite of Libertarian and everything our party represents. I’m sorry that you have so totally missed the point of the fundamental libertarian belief in personal liberty.

Other takes on the “mosque” controversy: John Jay Myers, Darryl Perry, Wayne Root, John Hospers, Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich, Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.

I called this “My shameful take on the Mosque”, because I believe our country has much more important things to worry about than destroying property rights and freedom of religion. I have noticed that whenever election season comes around the media pulls out all the truly divisive issues in our culture.

This is a shame, it is a shame that I have to defend the basic principles of our country in this day and age. Possibly more shameful that I have to do it to combat rhetoric from my peers.

A cursory glance at the New York mosque situation tells you that the government has no right to stop a mosque from being built. There is no special area around ground zero where suppressing religion and blocking people’s use of their property is somehow ok.

Last I checked this was America and we believe in the Constitution, and we believe in rights.

Most Libertarians will tell you that you MAY be a Libertarian if you believe in property rights and freedom of religion.
But common sense will tell you that you are definitely NOT a libertarian if you don’t.

But then there are some who say the bigger question is, not whether the government can stop it, but “Is it right?” Some people are saying that this is an insult to those who died. That the people building this mosque are being insensitive. Those people are the most insensitive people in America.

For example, right wing conservative Wayne Allyn Root said, “the building of a mosque at the attack site where thousands of our own perished in an act of war – must not be allowed.”

Wayne couldn’t be more wrong. Some of those Americans who died were Muslim Americans. 7 Million Muslim Americans mourned the attacks on 9/11. Libertarians are proud of not making knee jerk reactions, and that we stick to our principles. Wayne and other talking head pundits are insinuating that it was all Muslims who attacked us, when in fact it was just a few. They are casting a broad racist net over an entire culture.

Can you imagine how ignorant and racist it would sound if someone said that a church could not be built in Oklahoma City because the ones responsible for that attack were Christians?

You have every right to feel however you wish about Muslims or any group you like, and you have every right to express your feelings. But, by calling for government to stop the mosque, you are allowing the terrorists to win. We cannot allow them, or racist sentiments perpetuated by TV talking heads, to threaten American freedoms.
By calling on the Muslims to stop building the Mosque you are blaming 1.5 billion people for the actions of 18.

They say if fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag and waving a cross.

You may think a mosque dishonors dead Americans. But I assure you, spreading racism, threatening property rights, and calling for the state to target religions you don’t like is a greater dishonor, to all Americans.

Lately it seems everyone is putting in their “two cents” on the Cordoba House; which opponents – including some supposed “libertarians” (Wayne Allyn Root, John Hospers & Neal Boortz) – are calling a “mosque at ground zero.” Tom Knapp has posted some facts:

- Cordoba House is not a “mosque.”
- It is not located at “Ground Zero.” It’s a two-block walk or a four-block drive (due to one-way streets) away.
- Cordoba House (will not be) “overshadowing” Ground Zero. Cordoba House is planned to be 13 stories tall. Its site is separated from Ground Zero by a 15-story Post Office, a 21-story office building and three streets.

According to their website,

“Cordoba House is a Muslim-led project which will build a world-class facility that promotes tolerance, reflecting the rich diversity of New York City. The center will be community-driven, serving as a platform for inter-community gatherings and cooperation at all levels, providing a space for all New Yorkers to enjoy.
This proposed project is about promoting integration, tolerance of difference and community cohesion through arts and culture. Cordoba House will provide a place where individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, will find a center of learning, art and culture; and most importantly, a center guided by Islamic values in their truest form – compassion, generosity, and respect for all.
The site will contain tremendous amounts of resources that otherwise would not exist in Lower Manhattan; a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores, restaurants – all these services would form a cultural nexus for a region of New York City that, as it continues to grow, requires the sort of hub that Cordoba House will provide.” (emphasis added)

It should be repeated: Cordoba House is NOT a “mosque” at “ground zero” but rather a Community Center over 2 blocks away.
No government should discriminate against any person or group for any reason. Cordoba House isn’t a “mosque” at “ground zero” but rather an Islamic Community Center 3 streets from the WTC site. Even if it were a “mosque” at “ground zero” there is no legitimate reason that any government should prevent Cordoba House from being built. The Federal government cannot intervene without violating the First and Tenth Amendments and arguably the Fourth & Fourteenth Amendments, as well – not that the Constitution has prevented the Feds from implementing many laws that violate the rights of Americans. The State of New York cannot stop this Community Center from being built without violating Article I Section 3 of the New York State Constitution and without creating a weird “zoning law” or using “eminent domain” to take the property, New York City cannot lawfully prevent the Cordoba House from being built.

In Peace, Freedom, Love & Liberty,
Darryl W. Perry
Chair Boston Tea Party National Committee
http://BostonTea.us
Managing Editor Free Patriot Press
http://FreePatriot-Press.com
2016 candidate for President of the United States of America
http://dwp2016.org

Also addressing this issue: Reactions to Root’s piece from the libertarian blogosphere, LNC member Daniel Wiener, Tom Knapp, Kristin Davis, Warren Redlich, Carl Paladino, and LPHQ interns Marissa Giannotta and Josh Roll.