Let me make two things clear: 1. The “ground zero mosque” is not just a mosque – it’s a community center open to non-Muslims with amenities ranging from fitness centers to museums. 2. It’s not on ground zero, it’s two blocks away and only 686 feet closer than an existing mosque.
According to the Associated Press, Muslims have been praying less than 80 feet away from the site of another 9/11 terrorist attack for years; inside the Pentagon, in a room made specifically for daily prayer during its massive renovation. What’s the difference?
Religious freedom is one of the core values our country was founded on. The fact that this is even an issue is embarrassing. If anything, we should be supporting this “mosque.”
Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International, explains that Sufi is a sect of Islam that is peaceful and loving. Not only is Sufi opposed to al-Qaida, but Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind the project, is sponsored by the U.S. State Department to travel to Muslim countries and promote peace and cooperation between Americans and Muslims. Rauf has spent a majority of his life on a good will mission, swaying Muslims from supporting extremists, preaching tolerance and understanding.
Why are we getting in his way? Wouldn’t we rather allow Muslims to practice their religion in a tolerant environment rather than alienating them and pushing them in to the arms of extremist Islam?
According to the local ABC news, there are many families of 9/11 victims who support the building of this mosque.
We have to remember that among the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were a number of Muslim Americans. Those who argue that the building of the “ground zero mosque” is disrespectful, breed ignorance and fear. With this logic, churches shouldn’t exist near the site of the Oklahoma City bombing out of respect for those who died since Timothy McVeigh was Catholic.
“The war against the terrorists is not a war against Islam. In fact, you can’t have an effective war against the terrorists if it is a war on Islam,” writes Maureen Dowd of The New York Times. If you are at war with Islam, you’re at war with over 1.5 billion people in the world. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity.
9/11 was an attack on America (including Muslim Americans) organized by individuals who were extremists (contrary to our propaganda and sensationalism, only a minuscule percentage of Muslims are extremists.) You can’t condemn an entire demographic for the acts of individuals.
Our resistance just shows our ignorance. The truth is, Muslims live in New York and will continue to practice their religion whether the cultural center is built or not.
According to the Associated Press, Muslims have been praying less than 80 feet away from the site of another 9/11 terrorist attack for years; inside the Pentagon, in a room made specifically for daily prayer during its massive renovation. What’s the difference?
Religious freedom is one of the core values our country was founded on. The fact that this is even an issue is embarrassing. If anything, we should be supporting this “mosque.”
Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek International, explains that Sufi is a sect of Islam that is peaceful and loving. Not only is Sufi opposed to al-Qaida, but Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind the project, is sponsored by the U.S. State Department to travel to Muslim countries and promote peace and cooperation between Americans and Muslims. Rauf has spent a majority of his life on a good will mission, swaying Muslims from supporting extremists, preaching tolerance and understanding.
Why are we getting in his way? Wouldn’t we rather allow Muslims to practice their religion in a tolerant environment rather than alienating them and pushing them in to the arms of extremist Islam?
According to the local ABC news, there are many families of 9/11 victims who support the building of this mosque.
We have to remember that among the thousands of Americans who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on 9/11 were a number of Muslim Americans. Those who argue that the building of the “ground zero mosque” is disrespectful, breed ignorance and fear. With this logic, churches shouldn’t exist near the site of the Oklahoma City bombing out of respect for those who died since Timothy McVeigh was Catholic.
“The war against the terrorists is not a war against Islam. In fact, you can’t have an effective war against the terrorists if it is a war on Islam,” writes Maureen Dowd of The New York Times. If you are at war with Islam, you’re at war with over 1.5 billion people in the world. Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity.
9/11 was an attack on America (including Muslim Americans) organized by individuals who were extremists (contrary to our propaganda and sensationalism, only a minuscule percentage of Muslims are extremists.) You can’t condemn an entire demographic for the acts of individuals.
Our resistance just shows our ignorance. The truth is, Muslims live in New York and will continue to practice their religion whether the cultural center is built or not.
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