I need to express my disappointment in the controversy over the proposed Muslim gathering place near Ground Zero in New York City. It is not technically a mosque, although the distinction may not matter much. I’ll refer to it as a Muslim Center, although people of different faiths will be invited to use many of the facilities there.
I am disappointed that there is a controversy. I am disappointed that public figures are using people’s fear and bias to score points (political points or rating points). I am disappointed in the cowardice of other public figures who fail to defend simple American principles.
I agree with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who stated that terrorists attacked freedom on 9/11, and it is shameful to restrict the freedom of Americans in the name of 9/11. This group has the right to build this Muslim Center, and I see no legitimate reason to question either their intentions or their sensitivity. They were not responsible for 9/11. Period.
The United States hosts any number of neo-Nazi groups that label themselves “Christian” but have shameful beliefs and have performed violent acts. I don’t believe that my activity as a Christian should be limited in any way because of what they have done, and I’m quite offended if you associate me with them. And I try not to do unto others what I don’t want done unto me.
The arguments brought forward in opposition to the Muslim Center are baseless and politically motivated. Let’s look at a few:
“It’s not a matter of Constitutional rights. It’s a matter of knowing what’s right.”
They do have the Constitutional right to build the Muslim Center. The argument that it’s not “right” is based on an attempt to associate this group with terrorist killers. Newt Gingrich made this analogy: “Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington.” The problem is, the Nazi’s did kill the Jews. This group of Muslims did not kill Americans or support terrorism. The appropriate analogy is to say “Because the Nazi’s were evil, people of German descent can’t be trusted.” We know that doesn’t make sense, and neither does this controversy.
“This [Muslim Center] is an expensive project, and we really need to ask ‘Where is all this money coming from?’ Because there are a lot of unanswered questions there.”
Rick Lazio, the Republican candidate for Governor of New York, said this. His background is in law, so his spin on this really borders on unethical. Simply put, people in America are innocent until proven guilty. But lawyers like Lazio know that once you plant a seed of suspicion, people hold on to it. It’s not fair, but Lazio isn’t interested in being fair to these particular Americans.
Just because this group is Muslim doesn’t change their responsibilities for financial disclosure. If the FBI decides they are worthy of investigation, then let the FBI do their work, but Lazio has nothing but racism and religious intolerance to back up his accusation. Every building project in New York takes a lot of money. Is Lazio going to do a special investigation on all of them? There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions surrounding Donald Trump. Perhaps he's involved with terrorism.
“This isn’t any different from when Catholics first came to America and had to face skepticism. It is ‘reasonable’ skepticism. They [Muslims] need to prove themselves as a legitimate religion in America.”
I paraphrased this one, but columnist Ross Douthat said that Catholics were discriminated against and attacked because the Catholic church didn’t appear to support American liberalism in the 1800’s. Therefore, Douthat proposed, mainstream Americans get to pick on any new or different minority religion that comes along, until that religion proves its American-ness.
First, this is just silly. Past discrimination does not justify current or future discrimination. Americans do not have to prove their religious “bona fides” before they serve as soldiers, vote in elections, or build houses of prayer.
Second, Catholics were not discriminated against primarily because of the political positions of the Vatican. They were discriminated against because they were in the minority, they were different, and other more powerful groups could benefit from that discrimination.
That discrimination wasn’t right then, and it isn’t right now.
I am disappointed that there is a controversy. I am disappointed that public figures are using people’s fear and bias to score points (political points or rating points). I am disappointed in the cowardice of other public figures who fail to defend simple American principles.
I agree with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who stated that terrorists attacked freedom on 9/11, and it is shameful to restrict the freedom of Americans in the name of 9/11. This group has the right to build this Muslim Center, and I see no legitimate reason to question either their intentions or their sensitivity. They were not responsible for 9/11. Period.
The United States hosts any number of neo-Nazi groups that label themselves “Christian” but have shameful beliefs and have performed violent acts. I don’t believe that my activity as a Christian should be limited in any way because of what they have done, and I’m quite offended if you associate me with them. And I try not to do unto others what I don’t want done unto me.
The arguments brought forward in opposition to the Muslim Center are baseless and politically motivated. Let’s look at a few:
“It’s not a matter of Constitutional rights. It’s a matter of knowing what’s right.”
They do have the Constitutional right to build the Muslim Center. The argument that it’s not “right” is based on an attempt to associate this group with terrorist killers. Newt Gingrich made this analogy: “Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington.” The problem is, the Nazi’s did kill the Jews. This group of Muslims did not kill Americans or support terrorism. The appropriate analogy is to say “Because the Nazi’s were evil, people of German descent can’t be trusted.” We know that doesn’t make sense, and neither does this controversy.
“This [Muslim Center] is an expensive project, and we really need to ask ‘Where is all this money coming from?’ Because there are a lot of unanswered questions there.”
Rick Lazio, the Republican candidate for Governor of New York, said this. His background is in law, so his spin on this really borders on unethical. Simply put, people in America are innocent until proven guilty. But lawyers like Lazio know that once you plant a seed of suspicion, people hold on to it. It’s not fair, but Lazio isn’t interested in being fair to these particular Americans.
Just because this group is Muslim doesn’t change their responsibilities for financial disclosure. If the FBI decides they are worthy of investigation, then let the FBI do their work, but Lazio has nothing but racism and religious intolerance to back up his accusation. Every building project in New York takes a lot of money. Is Lazio going to do a special investigation on all of them? There are certainly a lot of unanswered questions surrounding Donald Trump. Perhaps he's involved with terrorism.
“This isn’t any different from when Catholics first came to America and had to face skepticism. It is ‘reasonable’ skepticism. They [Muslims] need to prove themselves as a legitimate religion in America.”
I paraphrased this one, but columnist Ross Douthat said that Catholics were discriminated against and attacked because the Catholic church didn’t appear to support American liberalism in the 1800’s. Therefore, Douthat proposed, mainstream Americans get to pick on any new or different minority religion that comes along, until that religion proves its American-ness.
First, this is just silly. Past discrimination does not justify current or future discrimination. Americans do not have to prove their religious “bona fides” before they serve as soldiers, vote in elections, or build houses of prayer.
Second, Catholics were not discriminated against primarily because of the political positions of the Vatican. They were discriminated against because they were in the minority, they were different, and other more powerful groups could benefit from that discrimination.
That discrimination wasn’t right then, and it isn’t right now.
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