Breaking the Muslim fast of Ramadan with diplomats from Islamic countries and members of the US Muslim community last Friday night, President Obama reminded the US of its constitutional duty to support freedom of religion, including the right of New York City Muslims to build a mosque and Islamic community center near Ground Zero.
Today, amid a storm of criticism—a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that nearly 70 percent of American opposed the planned construction--the President told CNN that in defending the right of Muslims to build a community center and mosque, he was "not commenting on the wisdom" of the project.
"I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding," the president explained. "In this country, we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion."
The President made his comments while hosting the fast-breaking Iftar dinner at the White House. The dinner represented a gesture of goodwill toward Muslims worldwide who are now participating in the month-long, dawn-to-dusk Ramadan fast that started on August 11. One of the pillars of Islam, Ramadan is also supposed to be a time of prayer, reflection, and peace.
Opponents of the mosque complex term the proposed construction near “hallowed ground” provocative and insensitive to the victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001, in which some 3,000 people perished. Yet, the Masjid Manhattan mosque, established in 1970, lies only two blocks north of the Cordoba House and has not attracted any controversy.
Let’s not forget that innocent Muslim passengers and visitors to the World Trade centers, perished, too during 9/11. The hijackers, according to the majority of Muslims worldwide, do not represent them or their faith at all. In fact, most of the victims of Al Qaida’s continuing terrorism are and have been Muslims.
While the builders of the proposed mosque complex certainly have the right to seek to build it, their timing was ill advised, and their discretion nonexistent. The mosque complex may not materialize after all. Significant legal and other hurdles remain.
America needs to demonstrate to the world, especially to the Muslim World, that it still upholds the principles of freedom of religion. Our nation needs to stand above religious intolerance everywhere, here as well as in those Islamic nations, such as Saudi Arabia, that do not allow the construction of churches, temples, or other non-Muslim houses of worship within their territories.
If you seek additional perspectives on the Arab World, in particular the events taking place in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, check out Bill's other stories at Examiner.com.
Comments
Since Imam Rauf recently said that "We are trying to establish something that follows the YMCA concept, but is not a church or a synagogue, or in this case a mosque," and that "It is basically a Muslim Y," then opposition against the building of it would not be anti-Constitutional in nature, nor would it be a suppression of religious freedom.
Imam Rauf said that it is basically a Muslim YMCA.
Therefore, opposition to it - based upon HIS own words - would not be a suppression of Muslim religious freedom, nor anti-US constitution in nature.
by my opinion, musliem countries suppos to allow build churches there in there countries...
and if they like pace, buiding mosque is not te final word, they could do lot of other things...
verry poor idea any way....
I'm so proud of President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg for their unwavering support for religious freedom in America.
I have yet to understand why can't Muslims build a mosque in lower Manhattan if it happens to be near Ground Zero? Islam didn't attack America on 9/11, Al-Qaeda did. Muslims were killed too in those attacks, and Muslim firefighters rushed into the burning towers to save as many people as they could. So Muslims are the victims of 9/11 too, as a matter of fact the biggest number of casualties of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are Muslims. So stop this hypocritical opposition to this mosque.
Just out of idol curiosity, why can't christian churches be built in their country. and you call us racists. go home fix your own country.
Don't people use Spell-check programs any more? Comments 2 and 4 in particular need some serious makeovers.
Anonymous Comment 4: (BTW I'm a new guy, just saying)
I do call you racist, why? Because you are. No matter how many times you try to redirect attention, that doesn't change the fact that you blatantly are. Christian churches can't be built in a large majority of those Middle Eastern nations because they are Islamic Republics. If I recall correctly, the United States has separated church and state as well as endorsing RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, which those Islamic nations have clearly not. I do not condone their actions, but it's a fact.
Besides, do you really want to compare the US to Iran or Saudi Arabia? Think before you type. Moron.
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