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Back to To the Point

To the Point

How an Uncontested Mosque Became the 'Ground Zero Mosque'

Seven out of every 10 Americans now oppose the mosque to be located inside an Islamic center two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. A few months ago, nobody cared. But what's come to be called "the Mosque at Ground Zero" is this month's angriest political issue.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Seven out of every 10 Americans now oppose the mosque to be located inside an Islamic center two blocks from the World Trade Center site in Manhattan. A few months ago, nobody cared. But what's come to be called "the Mosque at Ground Zero" is this month's angriest political issue. Last Friday, President Obama said Muslims have a right to include a mosque in their new community center. On Saturday, he said he did not mean to comment on the "wisdom" of the project, which many interpreted as a retreat from his first remarks. How did that happen? Was it a creation of right-wing Islamophobes? Are politicians now exploiting fears of a highly diverse religion? Have the mainstream media played a paradoxical role by downplaying Islamic extremism?

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    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

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    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

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    Karen Radziner

    Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

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    Sonya Geis

    Senior Managing Editor

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    Justin Elliott

    ProPublica

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    Clifford D. May

    Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

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    Brian Levin

    founding director, Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism, California State University, San Bernardino

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