The fear-mongering over a planned New York City Islamic mosque and cultural center has helped lead to violence in the recent attack on a Muslim taxi driver in that city. The incident may have been the last straw for civic leaders, individuals and families of 9/11 victims who found the fortitude to fight back.

In a welcome display of sanity over sensationalism, a coalition of more than 40 civic and religious groups has mobilized under the title "New York Neighbors for American Values." One participant, from the watchdog group Common Cause, said organizations just "spontaneously called each other, because we had the feeling that something very negative was happening."

The coalition frames attacks on the proposed mosque near the site of the destroyed World Trade Center as a controversy triggered by "irresponsible politicians" who seek to advance their agendas. When demagogy becomes dangerous, spewing hatred and prejudice against citizens who seek to exercise their freedom of religion, it is reassuring to see fellow Americans rise up against the intolerance.

As Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union said last week in announcing the coalition: "We reject the refrain of 'freedom of religion but not in my backyard.' " It's time for others to reject the poisonous hype that sanctions freedom for some but not for Muslim-Americans.

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