Ron Paul on Park51

Representative Ron Paul does not mince words on the subject of the Park51 project.

Some strong words from Representative Ron Paul on the Park51 project.

Via RonPaul.com:  Ron Paul to Sunshine Patriots: Stop Your Demagogy About The NYC Mosque!

The debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque.

Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be “sensitive” requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from “ground zero.”

[…]

This is all about hate and Islamaphobia.

[…]

Political demagoguery rules when truth and liberty are ignored.

I will just let Representative Paul speak for himself.

FILED UNDER: Religion, US Politics, , , , , ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. ponce says:

    Sometimes Ron Paul is so right it’s scary.

  2. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    With opinions like yours, Taylor, I am suprised any school will let you teach but by most measurements our education system has been failing for years. You quoting Ron Paul shows the desparation you side is displaying in this arguement. Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid is on record as being against the building of a Mosque at that location. Dr. Howard Dean shares that opinion. I’ll bet you would think it OK for Mexicans to build a statue of Santa Anna at the Alamo. I want to have you investigated to see if what you teach your students is truthful. The school you teach at could become famous for having employed anti American professors.

  3. *sighs* Oh Ron, why do you make me love you so, when I know we can never have you.

  4. Herb says:

    I can see why you used so many ellipses.

  5. anjin-san says:

    Starting to like this guy…

  6. Brummagem Joe says:

    He’s defending private property which is one of the central planks of his belief system.

  7. Alex Knapp says:

    I’ll bet you would think it OK for Mexicans to build a statue of Santa Anna at the Alamo.

    Well, one of the primary reasons for the Texas Revolution was that the Texans wanted to own slaves, but the Mexican government had outlawed slavery. So, you know…

  8. Franklin says:

    I’m just baffled as to why Zels is so in love with Harry Reid and Howard Dean. I’d have never expected it.

  9. Steve Plunk says:

    Alex plays the race card where it doesn’t even matter. Dr. Taylor still wants to make this a property rights case while ignoring the fact people accept the right to build yet understand the power of public opinion. Where’s Doug?

  10. @Steve: in regards to this particular post, I think your beef would be with Paul, not me.

  11. And, in fairness, if one has read the ridiculous number of posts I have written on this subject, it is an over-simplification to state that I have made it a simple property rights issue.

  12. Alex Knapp says:

    Playing the race card? I was just pointing out that the Alamo is a rather poor example, because the Texans were primarily fighting for the freedom to own slaves. There were some religious freedom issues, too, though, that Santa Ana was on the wrong side of and the Texans were on the right side of. But it was the slavery issue that was of primary importance when the Texans were raising money, supplies and arms from the US, primarily the southern states.

  13. Steve Plunk says:

    Dr. Taylor, You have indeed made a ridiculous number of posts on this topic and have pretty much been a defender of the mosque based on first amendment grounds. In fact bringing Ron Paul’s argument of the first amendment grounds into play supports my contention. Of course he would stand by the first as a libertarian. But this is not about the first amendment.

    Alex, The Texan’s were primarily fighting for the right to keep slaves? Was is not the desire to not be a part of Mexico for many reasons? And what does the slavery issue have to do with erecting a statue of the man who killed the defenders of the Alamo? So, you know…that was you equating the slave owning Texans with the mosque opponents. Using that analogy is playing the race card.