A Mosque near Ground Zero

Recently my facebook profile was abuzz with a debate surrounding the proposed building of a Mosque near Ground Zero in NYC. The argument is obviously a passionately emotion-filled one for a majority of those that have lost loved ones in 9/11. In stating that, the majority of arguments are not fundamentally rational because of the emotions attached to this particular issue. And, it is always difficult to debate an issue when someone is emotionally attached. I'm not saying that people shouldn't feel for their lost loved ones, but they shouldn't argue with those emotions, because it distances their logic and reason from the point. I had made a point to inquire how many Muslims died in the destruction of the World Trade Centers as part of my argument, because many people are placing blame on the religion of Islam as the culprit behind the attacks on America and the World Trade Centers on 9/11, which couldn't be further from the truth.

A friend of mine debated with me and others on facebook against building a Mosque near Ground Zero, which is fine, open and free debate is one of America's greatest freedoms, as is the freedom of religion. This particular freedom and the issue of tolerance was center to my argument. It seems that America is still quite the xenophobic country, and one that is extremely Islamaphobic as well. Like all religions, extremism is part and parcel to their existence, and politics too--fanaticism is a reality that we have to endure while not vilifying entire religions. Eventually, my friend deleted his comments stating it was my post (although he did decide to take part in the debate) and he didn't want others thinking he was a White supremacist, which he isn't. He just isn't well versed in the facts of history as he attempted to make associations to past historical events for his argument, which were completely irrelevant to the argument. His points were way off topic, which I assume is because he is emotional tied to the events of 9/11. He tried to argue fear and security as points for not building a Mosque, hardly relevant to the construction of a Mosque near Ground Zero. He also claimed that blind tolerance of other religions is what allowed 9/11 to happen, which is completely off point, and untrue. It was simply the act of men that were financed by fanatics, who planned for and carried out their plan in the name of a religion. It wasn't the religion that flew two planes into the World Trade Centers, it was a group of men. Waters become muddied with emotionally charged arguments because reason is not present in emotion. No one vilifies Christianity when individuals bomb abortion clinics or murder doctors that preform abortions in the name of Christ, granted the scale pales in comparison to 9/11, but the relevance exists.

President Barack Obama recently stated the right of religious freedom in America in the right to build a center of worship wherever chosen, then he distanced himself from the ongoing debate probably because it is a contentious and emotionally charged one. The con-argument over the construction of a Mosque has been centered around the remembrance of those that lost their lives on 9/11 and that a Mosque would be an insult to that memory. Yet my question still remains, how many Muslims lost their lives on 9/11 in those two Towers? And, how is targeting a religion going to limit the memory of the people that died at Ground Zero? Arguing against the Mosque as bad taste is not an argument it's a misdirected emotion limiting reason, which does about as much justice to the memory of those that died as not remembering them at all.

Whether or not a Mosque and Islamic center is built near Ground Zero is going to become an even more heated issue in America and especially around New York City. Tolerance for others and other religions, and the realization that Islam was and is not the cause of terrorist acts, but man is is a realization that people must comprehend and accept. If not, our Constitution may be open to attack and our 1st Amendment right may be altered making the US a fanatic nation in the name of Christianity.

In all honesty, my opinion for, or against the building of a Mosque near Ground Zero isn't part of the debate because, I am not part of that community. (Although, I don't believe building a Mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero diminishes the memory of the people that perished in the World Trade Centers.) I am a part of the larger community and I know what is right, because I am far enough away from the pain the individual families feel for their lost loved ones, that I have not muddied the issue with my emotions. I honestly feel for these families because they seem to not have dealt with their loss. I also feel for Muslims that had nothing to do with the attacks on American soil on 9/11, that just want a better life in a nation of immigrants, in a nation that believes its self to be the greatest nation on Earth. Although, the recent arguments over this proposed Mosque near Ground Zero hampers this assumed greatness, and I feel more for the fact that these souls are misguided in their efforts to "remember" their loved ones by diminishing Others as responsible for something they, nor their religion caused.

For history and another opinion: Keith Olbermann

I have to state that a friend of mine called me up to speak to me directly, not to necessarily debate the issue, but to offer his opinion and perspective, which I greatly respect and appreciate. I was completely flattered that he would take the time to do so, thank you Woody! He and I may not agree on the larger issues surrounding this debate, but as friends, we can engage in open dialogue with mutual respect and admiration.