That a 57-year-old black Christian minister, who gets teary-eyed when he talks about how he was "excluded as a young black man," is dead set on excluding Muslims is surprising enough. But even more surprising is who supports him and who doesn't.
Besides the three dozen, mostly black, protesters from his church - which his deacon says has more than 300 parishioners - Dozier is backed by two other black ministers from the area and about four local Jewish supporters, led by Joe Kaufman, founder of "Citizens Against Hate" and the "Republican Jewish Coalition of South Florida."
The irony of the founder of "Citizens Against Hate" demonizing Muslims seems lost on Kaufman, who argues that "This mosque should not exist on American shores." Irony abounds in this conflict.
[Willie] Larson, the NAACP head, went to the podium to caution against "religious intolerance." He quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
The audience booed.
"Now, I've seen it all," Louis said. "Black people booing King. Just how crazy can this get?"
Dozier is "prominent in local and national Republican politics" and has been described as a "confidante" to President Bush. Yet even the president has cautioned against demonizing all Muslims. It's strange to suggest that someone should listen to President Bush, but in this instance, Dozier and the other Pompano Beach Republicans who share his view should pay attention to their president.
