The mosque saga has gripped not just New York, but also the world. More than 50% of Americans, it seems, are against the idea of building a mosque next to ground zero citing insensitivity to the relatives of the victims of the 9/11. So riled up are some Americans that they've taken their cause from cyber world to protest in the streets.
I feel sorry for the immran. I do believe that he had only good intentions in wanting to build a larger community centre for his community and that it was just pure coincidence that an opportunity to do so situated itself two blocks away from ground zero. His desire to make improvements for his community has been blown out of proportion by the media and by politicians.
For instance, dumb questions have been raised by people such as Palin and other politicians, thus fueling more negative sentiments. And negative sentiments (as we all know) flame one another, quickly evolving into a bonfire that very often incites violence.
Before speaking and making comments, people (especially public figures and newsmakers (they are called newsmakers for a reason)) should consider the repercussions of their words even if it were just a wee comment. The youths across America and around the world are listening and more frighteningly, learning. Already, a group of teenagers have been arrested for harassment at a mosque. How many more copycats will there be? Why are we tearing the fabric of our society? What sort of landscape are we setting for the future generation? What sort of ideas are we incepting into their minds?
To the people who are so riled up against the building of a muslim community center, let's not forget that the 9/11 attacks were attacks against America not by muslims but by fundamentalists. As there are muslim fundamentalist, there are also Christian fundamentalist. A simple example can be found in America's backyard where a Florida pastor made the headlines by threatening to burn the Koran on grounds that "Islam is of the Devil". And then there are pastors who have already set fire to the koran! Just as these detractors do not represent the entire Christian Community, Muslim fundamentalist also do not represent the entire Muslim Community.
Here is a good story by the new york times of a muslim widow whose husband lost his life during the 9/11 attacks. They return to ground zero every year and pray to Allah.
Let's also keep in mind that the World trade Center was (as its name implies) a WORLD trade center. Its walls provided opportunities and jobs for people of all walks of life, within which many of them realized their American Dream. Furthermore, the word "trade," means to exchange. Be it through everyday interaction along the corridors or up and down the elevators, these people (whether created by Allah, Jesus, Buddha, or Other) connected with one another and made new friendships whilst respecting cultural and religious differences.
There was even a muslim prayer room in one of the towers!
This blogpost has a few other good reasons.
If we truly (as we claim) wish to commemorate the people who lost their lives to terrorism, American should consider how else one could do so. The issue should not be if "building a muslim center near ground zero is the correct" (this is a red herring that ALL fundamentalist (both muslim, christian and others) hope for and then manipulate), but rather how else or what else one could do to remember the people who have lost their lives and more constructively, what one could do to promote social cohesion and religious harmony.
We need to think of ways and methods to foster a strong community of Americans (and I do mean all of America) who will stand against ANYTHING that threatens what being American means. Religious identity should not be something that makes one more American or less American but something that was made possible because of America.
Anger begets Anger and it will tear both America and the world asunder if we are not careful.
Below videos that show how the people rather carelessly and irresponsibly manipulate the news for their own benefit.
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