Picture this.
The U.S. State Dept. under a Republican president decided to send Joel Olsteen or T.D. Jakes on a trip to foster a greater understanding about Christianity around the world?
What do you think Liberals will say jumping out of their skins?
“You can’t do that! That’s a violation of the separation between Church and State! It’s unconstitutional for the government to promote religion!
Well, that doesn’t seem to apply to the Muslim faith and the Obama administration. And to boot lets help a controversial Imam raise a little money for a mosque at Ground Zero in the process.
America, do you feel your intelligence being insulted and you’re pocket picked?
The New York Post is reporting that the imam behind a plan to build a mosque near Ground Zero is set to depart on a multi-country jaunt to the Middle East funded by the State Department -- raising concerns that taxpayers may be helping him with the controversial project's $100 million fund-raising goal.
Feisal Abdul Rauf is taking the publicly funded trip to foster "greater understanding" about Islam and Muslim communities in the United States, the State Department confirmed yesterday.
"He is a distinguished Muslim cleric," said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley, when asked about the journey, reportedly to include stops in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar.
"I think we are in the process of arranging for him to travel as part of this program, and it is to foster a greater understanding about the region around the world among Muslim-majority communities," he added.
Crowley said no fund-raising for the mosque and cultural center during the trip would be permitted.
"That would not be something he could do as part of our program," he said.
"Does the State Department have any idea they are sending a guy to the Middle East who is going to be fund-raising perhaps among the very same people he will be meeting with?" asked Debra Burlingame, a 9/11 family member.
Full story
Memeorandum
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