Plans to build a new YMCA two blocks from where the World Trade Center once stood in New York City are drawing attacks from those who believe it’s an affront to those who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
These critics point to Christian extremists such as cult leader David Koresh, Olympic Park Bomber Eric Rudolph, anthrax hoaxer Clayton Waagner and anti-abortion assassins such as Scott Roeder and Michael F. Griffin as reasons why an entire religion should be condemned for the actions of a few wing nuts.
While the controversy had been simmering for days, it really heated up when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich went on the attack, asserting there shouldn’t be a YMCA near ground zero because there aren’t any churches, synagogues or YMCAs allowed in Saudi Arabia.
“I realize I’m rationalizing my position by invoking an extremist dictatorship, but we should abandon our Constitution whenever it’s convenient and it fits my agenda.” Gingrich said. “America is experiencing a Christian cultural-political offensive designed to undermine and destroy our civilization. This ‘Y’ sounds like a real threat to this nation. Did you know it’s going to have a pool?”
Gingrich sought to distance himself from Christian conservatives by noting that he had been divorced three times, committed adultery and served his first wife divorce papers while she was in the hospital recovering from chemotherapy.
On Friday, Fox News host Glenn Beck joined the fray by noting that YMCA stands for Young Men’s Christian Association. He drew the words “YMCA” and “Christian terrorism” on a blackboard.
“See, now all I do is draw a line between the two and that proves there’s a link. See the link? The link is the line I just drew on this chalkboard,” Beck said. “That proves there’s a connection between the YMCA and these extremists. All you need is a piece of chalk and a board and you can fool anyone into thinking it’s a concrete fact. You can prove anything you want. Now I’m going to cry.”
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said it’s up to the leaders of the proposed YMCA to specifically condemn every act of violence committed by extremist Christians. She called on her followers to use their own Constitutional rights to deny the Constitutional rights of others.
“I wouldn’t care if the leader of this YMCA was a moderate who worked with the Bush administration and the FBI on reaching out to Christians and reducing terrorism. I don’t care if all of its funding will be examined by the U.S. Treasury Department to make sure there’s no links to extremists,” Palin said. “The First Amendment should only apply to those people who agree with me.”
Republicans were not alone in their criticism. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) also came out against the project, on the grounds that he’s in a tough re-election battle and willing to go against his principles to stay in office.
“As a Mormon, I’m fully aware of the ugliness of religious intolerance and the importance of the First Amendment right to freedom of religion. I still support that freedom, unless it becomes unpopular,” Reid said. “I love the Constitution and all, but I like being a Senator even more.”
Supporters of the YMCA point out that Christians, along with Jews and Muslims, are allowed to pray in a chapel at the Pentagon, which was also attacked on 9/11. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a supporter of the project, noted there are already several churches, temples and mosques in close proximity to ground zero. He said opponents were just playing politics.
“People act like they’re building a church, it’s not a church it’s a cultural center, an activity center. This center will be a blow to the extremists, not a haven for them, for it will be open to all New Yorkers of all faiths and have a designated prayer area among many other things,” Bloomberg said. “A religious extremist would never tolerate such close proximity or associating with those of other faiths, it’s an anathema to them. In that sense, Christian extremists are just like Muslim extremists. They have no tolerance for anyone.”
Marcus Manfred is an enigma. A simple and complex man who was raised by wolves in the lower upper part of the eastern west. He is more than you think and less than you know. He is the solution to every question you have ever asked, as long as the answer is three. 
An entire religion should not be condemned based on a handful of extreme acts by a few wackjobs! An entire religion should be condemned because it is a religion, and therefore a worthless perpetuation of mythology that distracts people from advancing science and doing other worthwhile things. Oh, and it also gives rise to wackjobs that perform handfuls of extreme acts.
Attaboy Sam! As dogmatic a statement as any I’ve heard from any religious wackjob. Kind of ironic that you don’t recognise your own faith in the “Religious cult of Scientific Advancement”. That very same science which has not performed dollop loads of extreme and damaging acts on society, environment etc? Nazi doctors performing live experiments on disabled human beings, nuclear bombs & Cherynobl…..
Palin said. “The First Amendment should only apply to those people who agree with me.”
Gotta love it how certain people say they are all for protecting the constitution and then comment as long as it fits into their agenda