At long last, President Obama has finally come out in support of building the mosque/community center near ground zero in New York. The President said, "As a citizen, and as a president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country." And I say to that... Amen, Mr. President!
The entire religion of Islam did not attack our country, nor does this building have anything to do with the faction that did. It should not be seen as a slap in the faces of the victims of 9-11, but instead a huge outpouring of American pride. Freedom is what we are founded on, and terror cannot make us take that away. We can stand up and show the world that while we will never forget what happened that day, we will never be so insecure and afraid that we will fear an entire group for what a portion did. We will stand up for all the victims of September 11th, including the Muslim ones, and we will say that this beacon of hope, spirituality and community will be welcomed, not feared. We will be Americans. And no one can take that away.
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It's amazing to me how much the Tea-Baggers like to claim that they're protecting the constitution and they're so focused on crapping on the First Amendment. Apparently freedom of religion is only freedom of my religion.
I would almost agree with Mike , except that I believe he should have stayed neutral and not come down on one side or the other. Yes, as you stated all persons of the Islamic faith had nothing to do with the bombings and should not be blamed and they have a right to practice their religion as everyone else. That is not the issue here. The issue is where they want to put the building. I mean is that the only spot in New York that they could get a permit? I think a little consideration should be given to the families of the bombing victims. If the bombing had taken place where the majority of the population had been Muslim, would they allow a synagogue or christian church built at the site. Why not an international community center where all persons of ethnical or religious background are welcome. That would still allow for hope, spirituality and community to flurish especially for children, who will one day be making the decisions on what is and is not acceptable and/or bias.
Neutral?!?!? How much more neutral can you get than to say that "they have a right to build it?" He didn't say it has to be there, nor did he say it can't be.
They absolutely were not the ones that bombed the WTC. Many Muslims died in the attack as well. The OKC bombers claimed to be doing so in the name of Jesus, and if you visit the OKC memorial there is a Methodist church directly to one side of it, and a Catholic church directly to the other side. Why are these not offensive to the families who lost people in the OKC bombing? Because they're intelligent enough to know that the people who worship there didn't advocate it, and didn't carry it out. Sadly the same common sense can't be found among people in the United States on this issue.
The government does not exist to do the will of the people. Thank God. If they did we would still have areas of the nation that are segregated, women may still not have the right to vote, and we wouldn't be making any progress on equal rights for homosexuals. Sometimes it is the role of the government to stand up for the minority when the majority is practicing oppression.
That mosque needs to be built. And it needs to be built in the location close to ground zero. If it doesn't we remove any real chance of healing that this nation has.
J - I get what you are saying. This shouldn't necesarily be a presidential issue, and you'd think the city of New York could just figure it out. But, the issue is so heated, it almost required him to say something. And, I will always be in favor of the "tolerance" option.
Mike - I totally agree with the Oklahoma City reference. Even the KKK acted out of what they considered their "Christian beliefs." No one banned churches in the south.
This is a hot button issue, for sure.... but I just think that a nation founded by people fleeing religious persecution ought to continue to practice the freedom that we supposedly enforce. And, if that means a mosque is built near ground zero, then so be it.
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