Now that we\u2019ve had two days to stare at the below picture of a tomato, we can move on to other, more weighty, subjects. First on my plate (and yes, I plan on getting back to Oliver Stone\u2019s comments which, unlike Mel Gibson\u2019s, more or less have been have been swept under the carpet), is the building of the Mosque near ground zero. On one hand, I\u2019m reluctant to say I oppose it. This is because of religious freedom, the First Amendment, and other juicy reasons I, as an American, should lean on. But I\u2019m also aware that some legitimate questions exist and transparency would do no harm in this case, transparency that does not seem forthcoming. There are also other legitimate concerns. Hence the main problem I have with the topic so far is the charges of bigotry, and \u2013 my favorite \u2013 Islamaphobia<\/span>, against anyone not welcoming the building with open arms. As I recently responded on another site: <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I would suggest \u201cIslamaphobia<\/span>\u201d isn<\/span>\u2019t the best term. Phobia suggests an irrational fear. Since we spend so much of our time being told to be scared pantless<\/span> over those Christian theocrats<\/span> wanting to conquer our country because of such unthinkable measures as prayer in school or abstinence education (with continual references to the Crusades and Salem, MA to underscore why we should be worried), I\u2019m having a hard time seeing concern about Islam as irrational given the not-too-long-ago slaying of thousands of innocent people and the destruction of world famous structures in the name of that religion. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n