For example, President Obama said in an address:
Muslims “have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.” – August 13, 2010
The next day, he was questioned by a reporter and answered:
"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there." – August 14, 2010
Some people don't seem to get it yet, that Obama is an expert on Constitutional Law, and his comment was about religious freedom recognized in the "Bill of Rights" which is a part of our Constitution. Some people may not like it, but religious rights apply to everybody and everybody's belief. If a Baptist shoots somebody, the person is tried for the offense, not for being a Baptist.
I believe the President has, not only a right, but an obligation to comment on the Constitution.
Some people say that they wish Obama would keep his mouth shut. Then when he refrains from comment, they expect him to comment further for his not commenting.
William A. Ricks
http://billricksofsoperton.blogspot.com
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3 comments:
I believe all people have a right to comment on the constitution. It's called free speech. The only problem I have with President Obamas comments is he simply stated the obvious. I really don't believe that the people of this country need a lecture on respecting freedom. We have defended our freedom and the freedom of a good many others for 100 plus years. What he did (as one commenter noted), was vote present. The slogan was Hope and Change, not Hope, Change, and Leadership.
Joel,
I know you well enough that you see Obama's comments as obvious, but all you have to do is follow some of the Topix conversations to know that many American citizens have no idea about Constitutional rights. They didn't understand it in my childhood with the race issue, and ignorance of the Constitution continues. Obama's comment of August 13 was "a teachable moment."
Bil
Teachable moment occur when the person doing the speaking assumes that the listeners don't understand the topic. It's a nice way of saying "I think you people are idiots." by stating the obvious. This did not start out as a freedom of religion issue. It has morphed into an attack on anyone who questions the sensitivity issue of building what is basically a mosque near to the site of the WTC attack. Yes, I know, it's "cultural center", that just happens to contain a mosque. If someone suggested a Boeing assembly plant in Hiroshima, I would feel the same way.
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