Since Adam Kokesh is a radio talk show (which air on Albuquerque station 1550 AM) it is hard to know when to take him seriously as you suspect that any minute that flower on his lapel will squirt water at you.
Recently, “Adam Kokesh of Santa Fe lost to Tom Mullins of Farmington for the Republican nomination for the 3rd Congressional District seat” he is described as a “young, libertarian ex-Marine”:
Lately he's been weighing in on the "ground zero Mosque" controversy. And, as was the case during the primary campaign, Kokesh cannot be described as a generic Republican.
On Wednesday, he wrote, "I hereby convert to Islam! But don't worry, I'll only be like most Americans about their religions. I won't really believe everything my religion says, I'll primarily use it to judge other people, and I'll only go to a mosque a few times a year."
Later in the day he wrote, "As a Muslim Jewish American War Veteran, I think the churches at ground zero are an offense to Muslims (and Jews) killed on 9/11 and should be torn down immediately. However, the strip clubs can stay. I want to know what 72 virgins will look like."
(The best comment he got for this on Facebook was from a woman who asked, "Virgins at strip clubs?")
How does Kokesh really feel about the issue? Last week on Facebook he wrote, "Eventually, society will look back on those who are protesting the building of a mosque near 'Ground Zero' the same way that we look back on the Klan today."[1]
See the point: funny and sad, true and false.
It appears that this will be to be elucidated as many times as the issue comes up—due to the fact that the media and pop-culture are emotive reactionaries and not pensive musers—but, as opposed to the received version of the argument, the opposition to the ground zero mosque is a peal for compassion, empathy, sympathy and good old decency and understanding. It is not, may it be repeated as often as it needs be repeated, it is not about legal or religious rights.
Imagine that there is a widow left to raise her children alone because her husband was murdered on 9/11. Imagine that she does not want to see a monument, as it where, a mosque on, or near, the sacred ground at which her husband was murdered. Imagine that this is not about legal or religious rights but about compassion, empathy, sympathy and good old decency and understanding.
Now imagine that Adam Kokesh just referred to her in terms of the Ku Klux Klan.
Well, neither scenario must be imagined; they are all too true. She is hurting and alone and he is likening her to the KKK.
Sadly, the only way that he would be ashamed of himself for making such statements is if he has integrity as shame is the daughter of integrity.
Note:
[1] Steve Terrell, “Governor's name game was labor of chagrin,” The Santa Fe New Mexican, 8/25/2010, copyright 2009, The Santa Fe New Mexican and MediaSpan
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