Speaking of Islam and religious liberty, I was thinking about the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" this morning. As I understand it, the plans have changed to a museum with condos and a prayer center. But a few years ago many of the same people who now insist that RFRA laws are discriminatory and unconstitutional put up a rather vigorous defense of a building that was going to discriminate against women.
Dems framed the entire debate as a Republican "war on Islam". They even bristled at the term "Ground Zero Mosque". It was instead a multifaith "community center", complete with recreational facilities such as a basketball court and swimming pool.
The only problem with this "community center" is that women were going to be restricted from using the same facilities as men. They were going to be segregated to their own smaller pool where they would be required to cover themselves from neck to ankle.
I guess this sort of discrimination is copacetic, but if a baker or a florist or a photographer doesn't want to participate in a gay wedding then he's a hate mongerer.
