welcome back, professor. always good to be here, brother olbermann. do you think you know what happened here and happening here and the imam s faith that we are not going to have a koran burning on saturday is justified? i think it is overreaching. he s a kind and gentle man, but i think he s overreaching here unfortunately because i think that the unpredictable and arbitrary terrorism being practiced, the rhetorical terrorism, the bigotry of pastor jones has to be called for what it is. this is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to engage in the most narcissistic form of ma nip lagts of media and the broader world. a 50-member church commanding international and global awareness precisely because of his recalcitrants as refusal to
frankly speaking, john, most muslim leaders like rauf and non-muslims have to be much more sensitive to the cultural context in which the debate is being conducted. i m very dismayed about the intensity and the levels, and yet, we seem to be fueling this very fire. and paradoxically, the imam seems to be doing it with his project. paradoxically because he s a man of peace. finish this out for the koran burning on saturday, how potential inflammatory could that be globally? so, i mean, what i m heartened by is all of the acts of interfaith solidarity that i ve seen in this country and i think that is what s the best thing about america. i think if we live up to our idea of religious freedom and people stand together in solidarity with one another to
on the top floor and as muslims, you can be on the lower floor. who are you to tell them what to do with their center? it s interesting. you think that it s the first amendment is important. but for me to make a suggestion, you object to my first amendment right. no, no, i object i m making a suggestion. all i m saying is if the imam wants to make the statement that we really mean this as an interfaith center, not strictly a muslim facility that may allow some others in, then there are ways to do it to make that convincing. if i could change the subject briefly. i want to talk about the role of media on this, anderson, because i think that s important. we have to keep it quick. okay. the media can play a constructive role. if you would have the imam back with the families and have a real conversation, i think tonight was constructive. if we give a lot of attention to this koran burning on saturday and make a great big deal out of it, this fringe element guy with 50 people
if we give a lot of attention to this koran burning on saturday and make a great big deal out of it, this fringe element guy with 50 people, that s a mistake. we should not do that. david gergen, cliff may, roland martin, as well. take a quick break. and fold with one hand. you could switch for up to 600 highway miles on a single tank of gas. or the hundred-thousand mile powertrain warranty. over a thousand people a day are switching to chevy. they re not just trading in, they re trading up. get 1.9% apr financing for 60 months on a 2011 traverse or choose $1,500 cash back. where banks competed to save me a boatload of money on my mortgage, that would be awesome. sure, like that ll happen. don t just think about it spend 10 minutes at lendingtree and save up to $258 a month.
telling my pastor or the members what we should build. roland. no, no, no. wait, cliff south florida it s unfair, roland. then you further insulted another religion by saying since we founded the country, put us on the top floor and as muslims, you can be on the lower floor. who are you to tell them what to do with their center? it s interesting. you think that it s the first amendment is important but for me to make a suggestion, you object to my first amendment right. no, no, i object i m making a suggestion. if the imam wants to make the statement that that we really mean this as an interfaith center, not strictly a muslim facility that may allow some others in, then there are ways to do it to make that convincing. if i could change the subject briefly, the role of media on this, anderson, because that s important. media can play a constructive role. if you would have the imam back with the families and have a real conversation, i think tonight was constructive. if w