Absurdity, Allegory and China

“Ground zero is hallowed ground to Americans,” Elliott Maynard, a Republican trying to unseat Representative Nick J. Rahall II, a Democrat, in West Virginia’s Third District, said in a typical statement. “Do you think the Muslims would allow a Jewish temple or Christian church to be built in Mecca?” ( G.O.P. Seizes on Mosque Issue Ahead of Elections)

Elliott “Spike” Maynard is running for a seat in the U.S. Congress as a representative from West Virgina. Spike, “a strong conservative voice” – or so it says on his campaign website (ilikespike.org) – is a recent convert to the GOP. He used to be a Democrat as well as having been a former West Virgina Supreme Court Justice. I would think it’d be tough sledding trying to reason with any justice who could utter (even think!) the sentence, “Do you think the Muslims would allow a Jewish temple or Christian church to be built in Mecca?” as a position for disallowing the building of a mosque in Lower Manhattan? What a fundamental lack of respect for the intelligence of the good folks of West Virginia. Using the “Let’s be just like them” argument is totally nonsensical. Someone ought to let Spike know that he’s off the rails on this one, that what he, in fact, said, is that we need to be just like those folks in Mecca. U.S. history has mostly not been about that sort of thing, though we have been known to intern citizens of Japanese ethnicity, and there is still the continuing legal/moral dead zone of Gitmo, which we were once promised would have been closed a good six months ago.

This fabricated partisan political offensive (see A CNN anchor expresses the crux of “mosque” opposition) has been classically fumbled by the Democrats, who have been blindsided once again by the dull-eyed, mean flank of the ever-juggling right. And now that it’s gotten a few more sharp teeth, they all want to feed on the politically visualized carcass. Even a guy like Spike. Especially a guy like Spike! A former judge with the reasoning skills of a toddler with a loaded gun is a characteristic that has indelibly marked the post-Watergate GOPs, though they ramped up from six shooters to automatic weapons under the Congressional reign of Newt Gingrich in the 90s.

To put it very bluntly, the “ground zero mosque” is a constitutional legal issue, not a political one.When a vote grubbing fool like Harry Reid allows himself to be pulled into the fray by declaring whether or not he is for or against it, thinks it’s a good or a bad idea, is inconsequential. A politician’s opinion doesn’t matter in this scrum, and to declare your feelings, one way or another, is a very rookie move. The only answer to the question regarding the expansion of the Manhattan mosque is, “It’s a constitutional issue that, most likely, can only be changed by a constitutional amendment. So, if you don’t want a mosque in your neighborhood, work on a constitutional amendment that will undo the Establishment Clause. See how that one flies for you.” My bet is that it will be the proverbial lead balloon. But if the Dems are going to use that strategy they need to speak it as if they mean it, which means that they will actually have to mean it: speaking with fortitude, confidence and belief, rather than their default running-scared mutterings.

My sense is that someone/group could sue to stop the construction, but I don’t see how this could ever really go anywhere, short of amending the constitution, that, as I said, would more than likely fall into the sea. (The last time they tried an amendment, they couldn’t even give women equal rights. Of course, discriminating against a single religion may be right up the “average American” alley, which speaks heaps to the American education system.) If this were ever brought before the right leaning Supreme Court of the United States, it is a relative no-brainer. Even speechless Clarence Thomas might actually be forced to utter a nay. But it is highly unlikely that a case like this would even be accepted by the Supreme Court, since it is pretty clear that what is good for Muslims would also have to be good for Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Melvin the Broom Guy who’s started his own church in the strip mall under the overpass.

But there will always be people like the former judge and current candidate Spike Maynard of Tug Valley, West Virgina, who just got his name in the New York Times. But think about this one Spike (Sarah, Mitch and Newt): What if the mosque was, instead, a Catholic church. Given the seemingly unending tales of child sexual abuse, would Newt Gingrich, a recent convert to Roman Catholicism, be willing to campaign against the expansion of a cathedral within the boundary of what is perceived as hallowed ground? There is no more hallowed ground than the bodies of our children, many of whom have been horrifically victimized and have had their lives shattered by the overpowering criminal weaknesses of certain twisted clergy. Would the outrage extend to include the community of Roman Catholics? Spike ought to be more concerned with some of his Christian statemates who secretly meet in little back road buildings and handle poisonous snakes as a test of their faith (as well as God’s), despite the local laws agin it. Wait until the NYT catches up with that bag of rattlers. How will the good Spike handle that? With more gems of fractured reasoning and bone-headed idiocy, I’m sure. But he may score big again and get his name in the New York Times. And that plays real good in the holler, especially at ‘lection time.