I've kept my mouth shut on this issue because I wanted to take the time to really think it through and reconcile how I feel about both sides of the issue at stake here: upholding one of our founding principles of religious tolerence versus showing compassion for those who died at the hands of religious extremist who happened to be of the Islamic faith subverted as they may have been.
If you say you honestly believe in the Constitution and the American way of life, you have to allow this Mosque to be built right where the ground has been broken.
Freedom of religion was one of the reasons our Founding Fathers left the British Crown. They wanted to be free of religious prosecution. In many ways, the stain of the Salom Witch Hunts remain a stain on this country's early history. Other than the occasional cult that have popped up here and there, this country has upheld the right of the individual to practise whatever religion he/she wants as long as such doesn't infring on the basic rights of others. Furthermore, because this country is a nation of laws, we've afforded every entity the right to do whatever they want to do as long as they follow the laws in place. By all accounts, the owners of the land where this mosque is to be built has followed the law to the letter. Moreover, as another poster has mentioned plans were in the works to build this mosque at this particular site long before 9/11 occurred. As such, how can the owner be denied his right to build a place of worship wherever he wants as long as he follows the city building and zoning codes?
The way I see it, this isn't a Liberal or Conservative thing. This is an American values things. To disallow the building of this mosque would send a message to those who wished to do this country harm on September 11, 2001, that they've won! They've destroyed the very Constitutional rights we've fought so hard to uphold. As an American can you live with the alternative? Can you live with the hypocrisy that would clearly be on display for the world to see and the message many around the world would take from this, the very nation that talks big on religious freedom and equality and democracy for all? Can you see how wrong it would be not to allow this mosque to be built?
I fully understand how those who are opposed to its construction truly feel, but as my wife said to me while we were discussing this very issue, "9/11 was an event; tragic as it was allowing the mosque to be built will not bring back those whose lives have been lost". Clearly, it won't take away the sting the "slap in the face" at building this Islamic place of worship so close to where the Twin Towers once stood appears to be making, but to disallow its construction gives power to radical Islam and quickens their resolve. The way I see it, WE take away their power by reaffirming to the Muslim world that we are not at war with Islam and that no matter how hard they try to tear us apart and demonstrate that we are a nation divided full of religious hyporcrits, we will never yeild to their inhumanity and subversion of our basic freedoms.
