Moral equivalence in Fear Itself

Let's take a look now at something that may have been overlooked, that being the subtle allusion to the Ground Zero mosque controversy in Fear Itself #1. Spider-Man Crawl Space reviewed it, and was unimpressed, but really galling is the riot breaking out between both the opposition and the apologists for the mosque, which, though not mentioned directly, is obviously what Matt Fraction is hinting at. And:

While Fraction’s word usage was distracting from time to time, there was nothing that drew me out of the comic more than the not-so-subtle allusions to real world troubles. The protests that took place in Lower Manhatten harken back to the turmoil over a mosque being built near Ground Zero. The interjection of a depressed man having to move his family from Broxton because he lost his house and job was a bit much as well. Why were the Avengers so shocked to learn that a riot could be induced by normal people without the nudging of a super villain? Is Steve Rogers just delusional from being hit in the head by a brick during the riot?

Yep, he gets struck with a red rock here, and receives a bloody forehead. Even if it wasn't the opposition to the mosque that threw it, the whole riot subplot is still ludicrous and another serious detractor for this story. And isn't that interesting how, in a book where a deity may be causing a scare, the riot between sides over the unnamed subject wasn't caused by his superpower? But even if it were, it'd still be pretty awful. Mainly because of how they depict the opposition to the mosque going ape and then using a moral equivalent - the pro-mosque demonstrators do too - to cover their tracks. A very cunning weapon of deceit.