The intolerance of Jonah Goldberg

That, of course, is a hypothetical situation meant to make a point. This, however, is a point meant to contextualise what Goldberg claims is only an over-fretted hypothetical reality: the 1,600 per cent spike in hate crimes committed against Muslims in 2001 was a direct result of American intolerance of Muslims after 9-11.

Today we are experiencing the same type of anti-Muslim sentiments we witnessed then. The difference is, whereas in 2001 we saw a spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes following the slaughter of 3,000 innocent Americans at the hands of a dozen extremist Muslims; today we’re seeing a spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes after a news agency incited the masses over the plans of a well-respected American Muslim to revitalise a Burlington Coat Factory building and turn it into a community centre, gym, art gallery and 9-11 memorial.

Let me say that again: in 2001, innocent Muslim Americans were attacked because Muslim extremists murdered thousands of innocent Americans; today innocent Muslim Americans are being targeted because certain extremist news agencies are inciting certain extremist Americans who don’t agree with certain New York City neighbourhood improvement plans.

To ignore the media’s influence over the American public is one thing. To call Obama a hypocrite for caring less about Tea Partiers than he does about the attempted murder of a Muslim cab driver in New York City is another thing entirely. And yet we should know this. In his previous column, Goldberg described Obama’s statement about the Ground Zero controversy as “his most embarrassing blunder yet”.

Obama’s words: “… Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community centre on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances.”

And in his latest column, Goldberg describes Fox News commentator Glenn Beck’s “Restoring America” rally as a “religious, ecumenical and diverse” gathering.

Somehow toenail clipping collections don’t seem so crazy after all.