When the American right were being taught second world war history in their youth, they did not learn anything about the horrors of the period they learnt how to modernise the NAZI tactics of spreading fear and hate.

Lunatic right-wing bloggers have started a campaign against a “mega mosque to be built on the ground zero”. There is no such plan. The bloggers on the right doing the most to spread this are doing it oly for their personal and political gain at the expense of slandering a religion and enraging Americans. It should be of no surprise that Fox News will be getting in on selling the bigotry. Fox have invited Pamela Geller of Atlas Shrugs and “Executive Director” of “Stop the Islamification of America” (whose equivalent group is very closely related to the Neo Nazi British National Party) to spread her lies.

Geller has already been on Sean Hannity’s radio show spreading her lies.

Here is a quote from one of the right-wing blogs spreading her lies.

Currently, Muslims are attempting to build “a Mega-Mosque” near the site of the World Trade Center — to celebrate the murder of 3,000 Americans by Muslims on 9/11/01 by installing a mosque near Ground Zero as Islam’s way of claiming victory over America. Having a mosque so near the site of Islam’s worst attack on America, where their call to prayer will echo out into the streets where thousands of people ran for their lives on the day “The Religion of Peace” decided to prove, yet again, how peaceful it really is would be beyond shameful. It’s an absolute disgrace. Here’s how we stop it folks — and all it will take will be enough wealthy conservative, independent, and moderate private individuals in New York City to commission public works of art to line all the sidewalks in a three block radius of where that “Mega-Mosque” is supposed to be built. Pig sculptures. Pig fountains. Pig murals. A vast procession of pigs leading straight to where this Mega-Mosque is supposed to be built, so that any Muslims making a pilgrimage to this building to celebrate the murders on 9/11 will appear to join all of those giant pigs headed straight for the mosque as well.

Never mind how disgusted people should be for the suggestion that the victims of 9/11 should be modelled as pigs. People should feel disgusted that that quote is from a now mainstream Republican blog. What would the reaction be if this was written about the building of a synagogue?

Yet you have a national news network, that is syndicated in many Countries across the World helping to sell this crap.

So what is the truth?

No mosque is being proposed for Ground Zero. It is a complete and utter lie designed to spread hate.

What is actually proposed? A cultural outreach building to counter misunderstanding and fear about Islam that will have within it a mosque.

From the developers site:

Why the Cordoba House? In recent years the global public has shown an increased interest in Islam and the Muslim world. Many facets of Islamic life, religious, cultural and artistic, remain underrepresented and misunderstood. The Muslim community must provide an opportunity to educate individuals about Islam through education and organized experiences of art, culture and entertainment. A need exists in New York City, America and the world to integrate Islamic education, spiritual development, the arts and culture under one roof. The Muslim community in NYC will build a world-class facility to promote tolerance, self-awareness and self-recognition within society. Both community driven and globally oriented, the center will serve as the platform to launch a broader vision of Muslim-West harmony and interdependence. The community center will satisfy the current need of a prayer space in the lower Manhattan area, making it the only prayer area opened for the five daily prayers below Houston (greater lower Manhattan).

Where is it? Not on Ground Zero.

Slandering a religion and creating the politics of fear did not work out well in the 1930’s. The difference between then and now was that the far right did not have a 24 hour news network to back them.

I really do worry about America. An election defeat should have given the right an opportunity to look at their principles and beliefs and offer something to the American people. Instead they are promoting the only beauty queen to have never called for world peace as President, one who is busy endorsing convicted war criminals for Congress. They are creating and fostering a culture of fear and hate.

Appealing to the very worst of peoples fears and bigotry should never again be acceptable. It is shameful that hate has become a mainstream Republican viewpoint.