In the context of all that's happened, this is very much a brave thing for an elected officeholder in the Republican Party-- or in general, really-- to do. In a decent, sane political environment, politicians would regularly reach out to the Muslim community like this, remind people of American values of tolerance and liberty, and speak out against those who sought to spread fear or demonize Muslims. Dislike him as some may, no one can deny that G.W. did just that
right after 9/11 and has not changed his message since.
Can you imagine what it would be like had Obama had gone to the Washington Islamic Center this past weekend, and given a speech where he called Islam "a religion of peace", quoted a passage of the Koran that read
"evil in the extreme will be the end of those who... rejected the signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule" , said that hijab-wearing women needed to be respected, and called those who intimidated Muslims "the worst of humankind"? Can you even begin to imagine the reaction to a speech like that? Everyone would just go
insane!Yet that is exactly what Bush did a week after 9/11, and those are
the very words Bush said! Isn't that just something! You have to admire that. You also have to feel a bit sad that Obama could never do the same thing without half (more than half, probably) the country losing their minds. Things have changed. It's hard to not call Flake brave.
Now, if a candidate in the Republican primary were to visit a mosque, he (or she) will earn my lifelong respect. That is something that would require real guts (provided one is interested in any kind of political future in the Republican Party). If we're looking for the alpha male candidate, the one who visits a mosque is the
real high-energy candidate.
