I don’t usually get into politics here, but as a member of a minority group, I feel compelled to speak out. The widespread disapproval of the “mosque at ground zero” - which is actually neither a mosque nor located at ground zero- bothers me on several levels.
While pundits on Fox News spin viewers up about the suspicious ties of the Park 51 funding, without mentioning that the Saudi prince they’re pretending to be afraid of is part owner of their company, I get the feeling that this is nothing more than political fear mongering.
Politicians have been using minority groups to whip the base into a frenzy forever. It’s nothing new. Stirring up Islamophobia is particularly helpful as public support for war in Afghanistan wanes . For more on this connection, read this article.
The bigotry is insidious. Seemingly reasonable people argue that it isn't a matter of religious rights - it’s just an issue of "sensitivity." It's offensive to suggest that Americans need to be “sensitive” to 9/11 victims when building a mosque. Muslim Americans should not be expected to endlessly apologize for a few crazies out of the billion or so worldwide. Equating the Muslim religion with terrorism is bigotry. Period.
Just because an idea has support from a majority doesn’t mean it’s okay. A majority once supported slavery, segregation, anti-miscegenation laws - to name a few. Public support allowed the internment of Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
As a member of a minority group, I am especially happy that the constitution of this country protects the rights of minorities from a tyranny of the majority. The founders of this country made sure to guaranty this since they were fleeing persecution for their own minority religious views.
I keep coming back to the quotation of Martin Niemoeller after the Holocaust: “Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me.”
I’m not a Muslim, but I will speak out.
Comments
i agree with everything you say. Well said.
"Equating the Muslim religion with terrorism is bigotry. Period." The Koran teaches terrorism as well as beating women. Any religion that teaches violence is not a religion, it's a cult. Therefore, it should not be protected under religious freedom.
jan, then you'd have to exclude the christian religion as well. plenty of violence preached in the bible- stoning, wiping out towns and murdering the children of nonbelievers.
Katie, you have visited my content regarding this issue and should realize the opposition to the mosque is about rejecting the Cordoba Initiative and its president Imam Rauf and not allowing the memory of the 9/11 victims to be spat upon by an imam w/nefarious aspirations.
Rauf & his "initiative" clearly has a desire to usurp our Constitution via Sharia law. Perhaps he will achieve this goal through his Sharia Index Project, which is included in his Initiative.
His books were published in select venues by orgs supporting Hamas; perhaps why the imam didn’t want to denounce Hamas. Follow the money....and ask yourself as a writer...would you publish your books with such orgs...And there is PLENTY more
Does this indicate that the imam is a terrorist? NO. Does this mean that all Muslims are connected to terror? NO..in fact most aren't.
To suggest that freedom loving Patriots are rejecting the radical imam & his sharia concept desiring to( in the least) insult us by erecting his initiative 600-ft from GZ because we are "islamophobic" is divisive rhetoric from the pages of the Sharptons of the world. shameful.
your allegations against the imam are baseless. he has spoken out against terrorism of all kinds. weird that he needs to. how may builders of catholic churches are forced to condemn the ira before construction can begin? american muslims died on 9/11. they remember it as the day we were all attacked.
american muslims had nothing to do with 9/11 and have no need to spit in their own wounds.
You're support for him claiming that he has a positive role is baseless, there is plenty of evidence revealing his radical ties and support for terror related outfits including his own books & shady financing..those 'allegations' are well documented.
You dismissing them has nothing to do with the reality of Rauf's dubious connections. Perhaps you're a decent person but share the same ideology as Rauf and struggles with the notion that his designs are nefarious and anti-American..therefore remain willfully blind.
Again..this is not about peaceful American-Muslims and Muslims that perished in the 9/11 attacks. Additionally, if the Catholic Church endorsed the hijacking of those planes and slaughtered 3,000 visitors and residents..the same backlash would occur. By equating crimes committed by 'Christians' is to deny state (islamic state) sponsored murders and the political machine attached to Islam, which transcends freedom of religion.
Patriots can discern the difference between Freedom of Religion...and stopping those hiding behind the same...without throwing the decent folks under the bus.
Hey Katie,
Thanks for your comment on my blog. In hindsight, I tend to agree that this was manufactured news designed to fuel ratings by inciting shameless tabloid anger, but some people bought it. I'm glad that my article can hopefully give them a constructive way to respond, which is for us to deal with ourselves first and then...
http://www.examiner.com/free-evangelical-in-minneapolis/the-mosque-at-gr...
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