Cultural Writer, Philadelphia Inquirer
Cultural writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and author of Mohamed's Ghosts: An American Story of Love and Fear in the Homeland
PROFILE
Stephan Salisbury
Guest
FROM Stephan Salisbury
Which Way, L.A.?
The 'Mosque at Ground Zero' and Religious Freedom In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Temecula, California, plans for Islamic mosques have generated heated opposition . But the objections are different from those being raised in lower Manhattan, where a mosque is planned as part of a larger Islamic center two blocks from Ground Zero.
To the Point
The 'Mosque at Ground Zero' and Religious Freedom The furor over what's called "the mosque" near Ground Zero centers on part of a $100 million project called Cordoba House . Opponents, including some high-profile Christian and Jewish groups, call it "insensitive" to the families of people who died on September 11. Elsewhere in the country, opposition to new mosques began with concerns about traffic and parking, but lately it's focused on the Muslim religion itself. Islam has been called a "cult" that encourages terrorist bombers and is accused of secret plans to bring Shariah law to America. That's raised concerns about the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. Is a basic American principle at risk at a time of uncertainty over economics and immigration?
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President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
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Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.