A few words on a perplexing subject

[jaunthie]

Okay, I've been watching this brouhaha build and build in the news for days now, and I can't stand it anymore. So for those of you who don't like reading opinion pieces, consider yourselves warned. I am about to voice an opinion - and back it up with FACTS.

Fact one: The Pilgrims (who are generally seen as "the start" of this country, never mind that they weren't the first ones here or even the first colony here) came here IN ORDER to have the FREEDOM to practice their own particular brand of religion, which happened to be frowned upon "back home."

Fact two: Freedom of religion is enshrined as part of the constitution. Amendment 1, excerpted: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...". It is also mentioned tangentially in the Declaration of Independence ("the pursuit of Happiness") as one of the unalienable rights of all people.

Fact three: Both the separation of church and state, and the freedom of individuals to practice whatever religion appeals to them, are well enshrined in legal precedent in this country.

Fact four: The Park51 project (two blocks from "Ground Zero") passed its zoning permit. The builders have every legal right to build the community center and mosque as part of that project.

Fact five: The majority of "objections" to "building a mosque at Ground Zero" (which it is not, being two NEW YORK blocks away, and those blocks are NOT small) fly in the face of the legal and moral principles on which this country was founded.

Okay, you could argue that that last one is as much opinion as fact - but you'd better bring the concrete arguments and cite your sources.

Look, folks. My opinion: the vast majority of objections I've heard about building this mosque boil down to racist and prejudiced slander/fear-mongering/hatred. A mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero is not some kind of insult or slap in the face to the memory of those who died that day. Newsflash: American Muslims died that day in the towers, too.

As an American, I take the separation of church and state very seriously. I also take the right of individuals to follow the religion of their choice very seriously. And as an American, I take serious offense that this "controversy" - fueled as it is by sensationalism, hope for political gain and/or ratings, and the worst kinds of fear and bigotry - exists at all, much less is shaping up to be some kind of "campaign issue" and sound-bite fodder.

To my fellow Americans, I ask: Remember that freedom of religion is one of our core principles. Honor what makes this country great, and stuff this so-called controversy where it belongs: in the trash-heap. We're better than this.

And that is my soapbox standing for the day.

Comments

[sunkrux.livejournal.com]

I'm with you.

[(Anonymous)]

Ah yes, but such an eloquent soapbox it was! I've been trying for days to come up with some sort of rant on the subject but every time I do I get so angry I have to stop and wave my arms and shout.
Nicely done.
--Jake

[ceekayeff.livejournal.com]

As a native New Yorker and someone who visited the city just 2 weeks after 9/ll and who annually visits, I feel I have to offer some thoughts.

The pain and fear of that day is still palpable in NYC. Its residents were traumatized in ways we can only imagine. People went into panic last year when a low flying plane circled the harbor for a filming of Air Force One in flight.

Almost everyone knew of someone who died that day, myself included. Seeing the glowing embers in the night sky for weeks afterward as we crossed the Manhattan Bridge on the subway is a picture burned into my brain. What must it be like for the survivors of the smoke and chaos, those who saw people leap to their death and heard the bodies hit the pavement, those who lost loved ones and imagine the horror of their last moments? The painful memories are real for New Yorkers. You see the haunted looks as they talk about it. Bigotry is not what drives most objectors - it is the pain.

Your facts may be correct but sometimes you don't do something just because you can. What does the Muslim community want to accomplish by building this? Some of the discussions have led to an interfaith chapel being included in the building - step in the right direction. Is the size with its reflective exterior appropriate? Will there be a call to prayer 5 times day? Do they have a rational, moderate Muslim Imam in charge? Will turmoil in Muslim countries overseas lead to this being a rallying place for terrorism and discontent?

Random fact: To my knowledge the only religious building in the immediate area is St Paul's chapel (very modest in size), where Washington worshipped.

The controversy is being sensationalized but the need for sensitivity and respect is real.

I don't have the answers but I hope that I have given you something to think about.

[jaunthie.livejournal.com]

No argument from me that this was an extremely traumatic event for New Yorkers, above and beyond the trauma experienced by almost everywhere else (Washington DC and the relatives of people on those four planes excepted). And I can see where the knee-jerk reflex for many people in response to said trauma is to react negatively to anything that stirs up memories of that day.

But a quick check of the lower Manhattan map shows a number of churches (2 Catholic, a Lutheran church, an Assembly of God tabernacle, and others less specific) and at least one synagogue already in the general area under discussion. And the stated purpose of the center is "...a symbol, a platform that will give voice to the silent majority of Muslims who suffer at the hands of extremists. A center will show that Muslims will be part of rebuilding lower Manhattan." That seems like a reasonable response from one group victimized by the events of 9/11 to another. (Speaking of the need for sensitivity and respect, I think that applies to all parties.)

But even if you don't believe in their stated intent, the group sponsoring this center has the right to build and the right to worship, without question, without having to prove anything to anyone (outside of meeting legal building codes and zone permits), and without being presumed guilty or wrong simply for being Muslim. Or, as former Bush administration Solicitor General and 9/11 widower Ted Olson said the other day:

"I do believe that people of all religions have a right to build edifices, or structures, or places of religious worship or study, where the community allows them to do it under zoning laws and that sort of thing, and that we don't want to turn an act of hate against us by extremists into an act of intolerance for people of religious faith. And I don't think it should be a political issue."

I think he's setting a pretty good example. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him, or easy for anyone personally affected by the losses incurred that day. We should live up to our best principles, not live down to our fears and the negative ideas projected on us by others.

Definitely food for thought.

[ceekayeff.livejournal.com]

This morning on THIS WEEK Christiana Amanpour had a very rational discussion with interviews on this topic. I wish the information shared and her approach could be the norm. Sensitivity did seem to be in play from the beginning until the extremest media got hold of it. It would be great if this could turn out to be an example of open discussions that lead to an example of what is good about the U.S.

[fisherbear.livejournal.com]

More to the point, why are we holding ecumenical Sufis responsible for the crimes of a bunch of Wahhabi head cases? That's like throwing the Quakers out of London because the IRA blew up Bishopsgate.

There are a lot of things horribly wrong with this, but that has to be at the top of the list. These people had nothing to do with the attacks. Historically, theologically, and practically - bupkis. Nothing. They didn't do it, and it is simply wrong to act as if they did. (It's particularly ironic since as far as al Qaeda is concerned, the Cordoba imam is an apostate, and first against the wall when the caliphate comes.)

There's not much I like about our last president, but his refusal to treat Muslims - especially American Muslims - as an indistinguishable mass of swarthy faces was one of the things he really got right.