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Ground Zero Mosque and President Obama
On the eve of his family’s trip to the Gulf Coast last Friday, President Obama seemed to endorse the proposed building of a Mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero in New York City. At a Ramadan dinner, he stressed everyone's right to freedom of religion under the U.S. Constitution. But on Saturday, after Republican criticism surrounding his remarks soared, Obama rephrased his statements, announcing “I was not commenting, and I will not comment, on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there.” So what did the president really mean? And, with the mosque debate escalating, should Obama have voiced his opinion?
On the eve of his family’s trip to the Gulf Coast last Friday, President Obama seemed to endorse the proposed building of a Mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero in New York City. At a Ramadan dinner, he stressed everyone's right to freedom of religion under the U.S. Constitution. But on Saturday, after Republican criticism surrounding his remarks soared, Obama rephrased his statements, announcing “I was not commenting, and I will not comment, on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there.” So what did the president really mean? And, with the mosque debate escalating, should Obama have voiced his opinion?