Letters: 'Ground Zero mosque' & creeping sharia-ism

IN HIS article

"No Mosque-ing Their True Feelings,"

Will Bunch showed his true liberal feelings. His one-sided article failed to mention three small facts about Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind the "Ground Zero mosque":

1. Imam Rauf has refused to acknowledge that Hamas is a terrorist organization, which is how the U.S. government classifies it.

2. Imam Rauf has been quoted as saying U.S. foreign policy was in part responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Basically, it was our fault.

3. Imam Rauf is a supporter of sharia law and would like the U.S. to be sharia-compliant.

For those not familiar with sharia, here's a New Jersey family court judge's decision not to grant a restraining order to a woman sexually abused by her Moroccan husband and forced repeatedly to have sex with him, sounding the alarm for advocates of laws designed to ban sharia in America:

Judge Joseph Charles, in denying the restraining order to the woman after her divorce, ruled that her ex-husband felt he'd behaved according to his Muslim beliefs, so he didn't have "criminal desire to or intent to sexually assault" his wife.

According to the court record, the wife, also a Moroccan who'd recently immigrated to the U.S. at the time of the attacks, alleged:

"Defendant forced plaintiff to have sex with him while she cried." The woman testified that her husband always told her "this is according to our religion. You are my wife, I can do anything to you. The woman, she should submit and do anything I ask her to do."

Charles ruled in June 2009 that a preponderance of the evidence showed the defendant had harassed and assaulted her, but "The court believes that [the defendant] was operating under his belief that, as the husband, his desire to have sex when and whether he wanted to, was something that was consistent with his practices and it was something that was not prohibited."

Charles' ruling was overturned last month by New Jersey's Appellate Court, which ruled that the husband's religious beliefs were irrelevant and that the judge, in taking them into consideration, "was mistaken." Bunch also didn't mention that a Greek Orthodox Church damaged during the 9/11 attacks has been denied authorization to rebuild.

This is why the majority of Americans don't want this mosque built!

Mark Eliasen, Broomall

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Michael Smerconish's suggestion that Philly adopt a "share-a-bike" program is brilliant. If we did, there might be some actual bicycles in the bike paths that now consume half of our most critical downtown streets.

Tex Kubacki, Philadelphia

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The school district's new climate and safety director, Chief Inspector Myron Patterson, is on loan from the Philadelphia Police Department. He must have learned from other recent personnel developments that you don't quit your day job to take a position with Superintendent Ackerman.

David Krain, Philadelphia

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Trashing of books, computers and other valuable assets isn't what disturbs me about the Camden library downsizing.

How government secures funds is disheartening. I blame Ben Franklin and all of our Founding Fathers for continuing the British taxation system as being the primary source of paying for public services.

When will government ever learn?

Wayne E. Williams, Camden