The proposed Muslim Center will be decorated with geometric, Islamic style patterns.

Sarah Palin yesterday joined the debate concerning whether a proposed $100 million, 15 story, Muslim Center should be built two blocks from ground zero in NYC, tweeting, “Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.”

Palin later shrugged off her use of the non existent word, “Refudiate,”  by noting, “Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!” Twitter users then began creating their own Palin Shakespearian statements —#ShakesPalin — like: “But soft, what light from yonder window breaks? It is the East, and I can see Russia from my front porch.”

Palin’s comment inspired me to do some googling about the proposed project. I found that the sponsors of the project describe it more like a modern YMCA, than a place of worship just for Muslims.

The Cordoba web-site explains, “Why a Cordoba House?

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.

The leader of the Cordoba project, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, says, “My colleagues and I are the antiterrorists. We are the people who want to embolden the vast majority of Muslims who hate terrorism to stand up to the radical rhetoric. Our purpose is to interweave America’s Muslim population into the mainstream society.  People who are stake holders in society, who believe they are welcomed as equal partners, do not want to destroy it.”

Imam Faisa says, “What grieves me most is the false reporting that leads some families of 9/11 victims to think this project somehow is designed by Muslims to gloat over the attack.  That could not be further from the truth.”

Palin seems to be wanting to make political hay out of this proposed project — along with other Republicans.  The Republican candidate for New York Governor, Rick Lazio, seems to be trying to gain attention for his candidacy by questioning the funding sources of the proposed project.  It is interesting that the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, which lost 37 members on 9/11, is condemning such demagoguery.  They put out this statement:  “Rick Lazio should stop exploiting the worst day in New York history for the sake of his campaign.  For any candidate for public office to politicize Ground Zero shows a lack of respect to the families, who will forever live with the terrible memory of that dark day.”

Lots of comments on the web.  This one, I think, deserves to be repeated  (See Portraits of Grief)

Imagine being the family of Salman Hamdani, and being told the Muslims aren’t welcome in lower Manhattan. Hamdami was a part-time ambulance driver, incoming medical student, and devout Muslim. He was also an NYPD cadet. When he disappeared on September 11, law enforcement officials came to his family, seeking him for questioning in relation to the terrorist attacks. They allegedly believed he was somehow involved. His whereabouts were undetermined for over six months, until his remains were finally identified. He was found near the North Tower, with his EMT medical bag beside him, presumably doing everything he could to help those in need. His family could finally rest, knowing that he died the hero they always knew him to be.

It’s people like Hamdami and the dozens of decent hard working Islamic workers from companies like Kantor Fitzgerald, Pitney Bowles, Windows on the World and the other firms at the WTC who themselves were murdered on 9/11 who are disgraced by this pointless debate.

The web-site Oh!pinion reports that in Mason City, Iowa, the North Iowa Tea Party has a billboard showing pictures of Hitler and Lenin, and, in between, a picture of President Obama.  The title on the billboard seems a classic example of projection:  “Radical Leaders Prey On the Fearful and Naive.”

“Projection,” according to Freudian psychology, is “a psychological defense mechanism whereby one ‘projects’ one’s own undesirable thoughts, motivations, desires, and feelings onto someone else.”

Many right wing leaders manipulate the fearful and naive, and the more successful they are in ginning up fear and misinformation, the more money they make and the more political power they gain.

Glen Beck and Sarah Palin are making millions. There is a whole boatload of radical right wingers who seem only interested in their own gain and who have found a way to manipulate the fearful and naive to help their own self promotion. This billboard headline is pretty funny when seen in that light.

The Tea Party, in this ridiculous slam at Obama, projects onto Obama what, in fact, propels and motivates much of the leadership of the right wing and the Tea Party movement, itself. It manages to reveal the truth of what it does so well — “Prey on the fearful and naive.”

Update: According to this source:

“A billboard in Mason City that pictured President Obama flanked by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and communist leader Vladimir Lenin has been papered over this morning.”

David Esrati, on his web-site, makes reference to a Boston.com post, by Scott Kirsner, that suggests that New England should adopt a “mission statement.” Esrati says, “There is nothing wrong with stealing good ideas.”

This is Kirsner’s suggestion for a “mission statement” for New England:

1. Attract, educate, and retain the smartest people in the world.
2. Support them in solving important problems, developing innovative products, and building successful businesses.
3. Share what we’re doing with the rest of the world.
4. Keep getting better at Items #1-#3.

Kirsner’s suggestions stirred up some discussion on the Boston.com web-site, and Esrati’s web-site, but I’m surprised that none of the comments challenge the notion, whether or not, that Kirsner’s suggestion, in fact, is appropriate to be called a “mission statement.”

A “mission statement,” according to Wikipedia, “should guide the actions of the organization, spell out its overall goal, provide a sense of direction, and guide decision-making.”   It hardly seems to make sense that the “mission” — the “overall goal” — of an entire region like New England should be to “Attract, educate, and retain the smartest people in the world.”

I thought the overall goal of New England, or Dayton, or any region in America, has already been established, and is what we frequently affirm — “liberty and justice for all.”

I’m sure that totalitarian states like North Korea would like to harness “the smartest people” so that they will solve problems, develop products, increase their overall competitiveness, put people to work, etc.  Every Stalinist State, of course, seeks to find talented and hard working people who will throw themselves into zealous cooperation to advance the “mission” of the State.

But getting people fired up, educated, motivated — especially “smart people” — is not the “mission” of a Stalinist State, nor of democratic state.  It is a means toward an end, the means to achieving an overall goal.

I’m guessing that when Kirsner says the “mission” of New England should be to, “Attract, educate, and retain the smartest people in the world,” he is emphasizing that New England needs to cultivate effective leadership to solve problems, build businesses, make technological breakthroughs.  But his idea sounds very topdown — we (the powerful) are looking for “smart people” to give authority and privilege to.  It’s a concept that is embraced by every Stalinist.

To fulfill our stated goal of “liberty and justice for all,” topdown cannot work. We need bottom-up, grassroots approaches.  Nobody would have thought to “attract” or to solicit the Wright brothers, or Thomas Edison.  These successful problem solvers, ground breaking leaders, probably would not have fulfilled the definition of “smart,” agreed to by the powerful of their time.

The emphasis should not be on cultivating an elite, as Kirsner’s “mission statement” suggests, but on vitalizing our democracy.  In a vitalized democracy each person would have the resources and the opportunity to grow into his or her potential, each person would be nurtured and encouraged by an interconnected and enriched community.  In a democracy, greatness and leadership bubbles up, it is not imposed by some authority who somehow discerns who is “smart” or who is worthy.

Kirsner is absolutely correct. Not only New England, but Dayton and all of America needs authentic leadership — really in every endeavor — in government, business, science, education, religion.  Our failure to allow authentic leadership to rise in our society is a huge problem.  The answer is not through further gearing up elitism, that is already rampant, but through vitalizing our democracy.

For Our Future’s Sake, We Must Transform Our System of Elitism To a System of Democracy
Our Democracy Must Be Revived — If We Hope To Achieve The Dreams of Our Wisest and Best