A recent CNN poll shows that 68% of Americans believe that a Muslim community center and mosque shouldn’t be built near the site of the World Trade Center. I’m not sure whether I should be reassured or panicked that (according to the same poll) 51% of Americans (63% of New Yorkers) believe that the developer, Feisal Abdul Rauf, has the constitutional right to build it.

Do they not see the sinister parallel to Germany 80 years ago? Marginalize a religion – blame them for the bad things that are happening in your country, and then take it from there. No, I don’t think we’re going to have Auschwitz in Kansas in ten years, but that virus of hate is unspeakably virulent; when it appears in even tiny quantities, you have to stamp it out immediately.

Even Jack Cafferty, the CNN writer with whom I often agree, asks a loaded (and unanswered question), “Real reason Muslim community doesn’t want to relocate mosque?” He never even offers a suggested answer. I’ll offer a suggestion: “The developer thinks that he’ll make money and/or help repair community relations.”

We have enough problems in this country, and those who are fomenting inter-faith division are dragging us down further. Unfortunately, the American public is a pretty gullible bunch and a huge majority of them are buying into the “Islam is evil” propaganda.

I need to mention here that our President took the statesman-like step of supporting the right of the Muslims to build their community center and recalled the words of people such as George Washington to support it. That was sure to hurt him in the polls, but kudos to him for doing the right thing.

When a country is having a tough time financially, it is most at risk of falling victim to hate-mongers singling out a specific minority to blame for the ills. 1930′s Germany is the perfect example.