Mosque near Ground Zero

[Caveat Emptor]

This will probably be merged, but I did several searches and found no existing thread.

Obama has voiced approval for the controversial mosque near Ground Zero, citing religious freedom. I agree based on those grounds, but not the location. It is just too sensitive, given the circumstances. The people that want to build this mosque / center should choose a site farther away. I know Islam is a "religion of peace", but they should still defer and pay heed to the raw emotions that are present.

[Rapscallion]

What I heard is that it's not going to be a mosque, but a centre where people can see the other side of islam.

I'm one of the louder voices who say, when people claim that the terrorists/Westboro group etc don't represent the real religion, that the rest ought to speak up more and be heard. They're doing that.

Insensitive? Perhaps. Doing the job of showing that they're not all bombers as the media portrays? Yes. Brave? I'm sure some would see it as a slap in the face, and I can easily see how that could be the case, but quite frankly the guys doing this have cojones that clank together when they walk.

Would anywhere else have the same effect? Would anywhere else be acceptable?

Rapscallion

[AdminAssistant]

A friend of mine just started this conversation on Facebook: "Did you know they're opening up a Japanese steakhouse in Pearl Harbor? A Wal-Mart in Dresden? A suburban shopping mall on Wounded Knee? A German Beer Haus in Poland?"

I think they should be able to have a center for Islam there. Why not? It's not like they're doing it AT Ground Zero, it's several blocks away. People need to realize that although 9/11 was committed in the name of Islam, Muslim people are not terrorists and they deserve the same freedom to practice their religion as everyone else. The whole thing smacks of Bush-era racism and xenophobia.

[HYHYBT]

If you're going to say "it's just too close," then what, precisely, would *not* be too close? What is the nearest point which would be acceptable, *had that been the original proposed site* (as opposed to one they switched to after complaints about this one) and what non-arbitrary means could you possibly have for drawing such a line?

Also, as The Daily Show brought up the other day, there are proposed mosques all over the country getting the same complaints, minus the "too close" one. If you want religious freedom for yourself (and who doesn't?) then you have to let others have it too.

[Rageaholic]

You know, my first thoughts on this was "No way! Jose!" It sounded too much like they were doing this on purpose just to cause controversy (then again, it was fox news).

Now I look at it and think, does it really matter? Does it really affect me? I've always had this philosophy that if it isn't hurting anyone, than it shouldn't be a problem. How is this mosque hurting anyone?

I think they should have the right. It's not like it's right on ground zero.

[daleduke17]

Two blocks is too close, IMO. If they want to build it, then, go ahead. I don't think it is in the best interests of the safety of the parishioners and administration to build it where they want.

Just take the free land that was offered by either the City or State of New York (I forget which) and have less worries about safety.

And, AA, is there anything out there where you can't claim xenophobia?

[Rapscallion]

Two blocks is too close, IMO.

What's an acceptable distance from ground zero?

Five blocks away? Three cities away?

Trust me, wherever it gets built it's going to attract some venomous attention.

Rapscallion

[AdminAssistant]

And, AA, is there anything out there where you can't claim xenophobia?

Sorry, but that's what I see. This nationalist idea that not only is America significantly better than all of those other stupid countries with their stupid socialist health care, BUT that the wonderful freedoms due to Americans only really belong to the rich and the white. Those poor suffering groups that have to deal with paying taxes on their Mercedes and dealing with a small group of Muslims who wish to practice their religion wherever they damn please. To forbid the building of this mosque would be the equivalent of saying that the First Amendment of the Constitution doesn't apply to everyone, just Christians.

[Hobbs]

To forbid the building of this mosque would be the equivalent of saying that the First Amendment of the Constitution doesn't apply to everyone, just Christians.

QFT all the way. You either support the Constitution, or you don't. People might be butt-hurt about this, but as I've said countless times, I will continue to defend to the death the rights that make such things possible.

[Arcade Man D]

A friend of mine just started this conversation on Facebook: "Did you know they're opening up a Japanese steakhouse in Pearl Harbor? A Wal-Mart in Dresden? A suburban shopping mall on Wounded Knee? A German Beer Haus in Poland?"

Do you know how many Christian churches are right near the Oklahoma City Federal Building? I mean, that bombing was performed by a Christian extremist, so clearly, any Christian church near that site is a slap in the face to all the people who died there.

That's my response to people who try to say the mosque is too close. And when they say "well, he was an extremist, on the fringe, not mainstream", the response is simply "exactly the case with the mosque in New York City."

[daleduke17]

Do you know how many Christian churches are right near the Oklahoma City Federal Building? I mean, that bombing was performed by a Christian extremist, so clearly, any Christian church near that site is a slap in the face to all the people who died there.

That's my response to people who try to say the mosque is too close. And when they say "well, he was an extremist, on the fringe, not mainstream", the response is simply "exactly the case with the mosque in New York City."

How many of those were there before the Murrah building bombing?

[KnitShoni]

How many of those were there before the Murrah building bombing?

Oh, so it's an issue of timing? What, then, would be an acceptable length of time to pass before building there? On the flip side, how many people would have called for the mosque to be razed had it existed before the attacks?

[Red Panda]

The entire controversy is idiotic and bigoted. The mosque is several blocks away and is a replacement for a differant one that was in the area prior to 9/11 but was too small. Its not like its being build across the street for no reason other then to cause controversy.

[Kimmik]

Hell I say put a mosque at the site of the tragedy and a synagogue *sorry if I butchered the spelling* and a christian church.. It wasn't Muslims that bombed the building it was terrorist trying to hide behind a religion, just like the Clan did, and the Catholics, and Christians, etc... It was a bunch of fracking hateful demented perverse religious zealots.

My friend sure as hell didnt bomb the twin towers, just like my friend didnt kill jews, or my christian friend torment my grandfather... it is NUTS that do that... not true followers.. it is zealots that take a religion and twist it and pervert it to make it say hateful things and to justify horrible crimes that we should be screaming off with their heads at..

It is no more fair to paint Muslims with the "Terrorists all of them" brush then it is fair to paint all Christians as being like the Westbro group, or the McVey's etc.

[lordlundar]

A number of reasons why the whole battle is a waste of time.

A) Not a mosque. It's going to be a cultural center. HUGE difference.

B) The reason for the specific location is because it's formerly the Bloomington Coat Factory, and no one else has made a bid for the building since they closed it down.

C) As already stated, it's going to replace another cultural center that has been only two blocks further away from Ground Zero and has been there for 40 years, predating the WTC itself.

D) A huge number of small business owners and street vendors around Ground Zero are Muslim. They were there before the attacks, helped out during the attacks, and were amongst the first to return after the attacks.