A proposal to build an Islamic Center two blocks from the World Trade Center site has galvanized those who blame all Muslims for the 911 attacks. It now  seems the whole country has chosen to weigh in on a  lower Manhattan zoning issue.

Republican senators and other right-wing leaders have decided in recent days to make the construction of Cordoba House a fall campaign issue.  While many leaders , such as Mayor Michael Bloomberg have taken pains over the years to say that America is not at war with Islam, these leaders determined to wage that war against Muslim Americans.

If  Muslim New Yorkers were more sensitive, the argument goes, they would accept blame for the actions of terrorists, and  at least keep out of sight.  They should be more aware of the painful reminder their presence inflicts on people across the country who have chosen to rush to the barricades over the planned  demolition of a dilapidated building that once housed Burlington Coat Factory.

The New York Landmark Preservation Commission decided that the  decrepit Park Place building did not qualify as a landmark and decided to allow the construction of Cordoba House, which would house a cultural center, an auditorium and a mosque.

Rep. Peter King King has been in the forefront of the right’s attempt to demonize all followers of the Muslim faith.

“It’s insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of ground zero,” said King, who in the past has referred to Muslims as ‘the enemy living among us,” and claimed that “we have too many mosques in this country already.”

Republican political leaders who see an opportunity to create yet another polarizing issue to run on to regain their power in November. King, Newt Gingrich, John Cornyn, and Sarah Palin are ready bring their war out into the open, regardless of the consequences.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan are leading the Cordoba House project. They have been outspoken representatives of moderate Islam. “Park 51 will be a home for all people who are yearning for understanding and healing, peace, collaboration, and interdependence,” the couple said in a recent statement. ” We are creating a new space where fresh stories of cooperation and service will reflect the living vibrancy of inter-connected communities.”

Rauf has lead delegations to the Muslim world on behalf President George W. Bush to talk about Islam in America, in an attempt to showcase America’s religious tolerance, and to show that our wars in two Muslim countries are not intended to be an attack on Islam itself. Thanks to King and others, Rauf is running out of time to make that argument.

“When your enemy is bent on committing suicide, just get out of the way.”  Thanks to the call for a repeal of the 14th amendment, Republicans are handing the Democrats a gift that could keep on giving through  a generation of election cycles.

In deference to tea-party activists, Republican leaders now claim they want to debate possible changes in the 14th amendment of the Constitution, with the goal of denying birthright citizenship to children of illegal Mexican immigrants who are born in the U.S.

Hispanic voters present and future, will not likely forget the rhetoric that accompanied the debate, with talk of “anchor babies” being “dropped.”

Even far-right ideologue Alan Keyes knows this is a risky turn in the debate, and he chastised the once-sober Lindsey Graham for jumping on the bandwagon. ”

“Now let me see, if birthright citizenship is not a birthright, then it must be a grant of the government,” Keyes said. “ And if it is a grant of the government, then it could be curtailed in all the ways that fascists and totalitarians always want to.”

Countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and many others do not confer birthright citizenship on immigrants to the country, particularly those who go there to work.  The effect is to have a group of citizens who never receive full rights under law, who are entitled to work but to little else, even for generations.

That is the situation that faced the US, when the 14th amendment was being considered to give citizenship to freed slaves and their descendants.  Despite racist fears of the “yellow peril,” posed by Chinese immigrant workers, the Congress passed the amendment in 1868. Since then, every person born in the U.S. regardless of their parent’’s country of origin- except diplomats – are American citizens.

Now. in 2010, we have constitutional scholars like John Boehner, John Kyl,  Mitch McConnell and John McCain calling for a “review” of the 14th amendment in an effort to deny citizenship to the children of illegal Mexican immigrants.

John Kyl says illegal immigrants are being “rewarded,” with American citizenship of their children.  Since when are children held legally responsible for the actions of their parents before their birth?  And aren’t undocumented workers still undocumented after the birth of their children? And how does denying citizenship to  US born children of Mexican immigrants keep employers from hiring undocumented workers?

Rachel Maddow recently pointed out that politicians know constitution is very hard to change, and this “review,” should it happen, will not make it very far. The idea instead seems to be to get people to accept a different interpretation of the amendment. That might work on the teabaggers, but the rest of know they are just blowing smoke.