Backstabber Report

The Anger Over A Mosque Near Ground Zero

President Obama has decided to weigh in about a mosque that is planned and approved to be built near Ground Zero in Manhattan, the place where the Twin Towers once stood until Muslim extremists flew two planes into them, killing more than 3000 people. In that news conference, President Obama stated that Muslims have a right to build it. As much as it goes against our own anger at what occurred on 9/11 in 2001, he is right.

Our Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion and although it was Muslim extremists that performed the murderous act of destroying so many American lives, those Muslims who follow the teachings of Islam and are not fanatical murderers are being punished.

The City of New York has contributed to the anger by isolating the local community in other ways. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which once sat right across the street from the World Trade Center, was crushed under the weight of the collapse of Tower Two on September 11, 2001. St. Nicholas was the only church to be lost in the attacks, and nine years later, while City of New York officials are busy removing every impediment to the building of the Cordoba mosque three blocks from the site, St. Nicholas’ future remains unclear. It has been unable to obtain approval to rebuild it’s church.

Trouble emerged after St. Nicholas announced its plans to build a traditional Greek Orthodox church building, 24,000 square feet in size, topped with a grand dome. Port Authority officials told the church to cut back the size of the building and the height of the proposed dome, limiting it to rising no higher than the World Trade Center memorial. St. Nicholas was to be rebuilt two blocks from it’s original location.

This seems to be adverse to the decision approving the mosque. In an effort to appease the Muslim community, New York City planners bent over backwards to favor one religion, while roadblocking another.

Though the groups against the mosque claim the mosque will be built “at Ground Zero” and will “tower over Ground Zero,” it is in fact, to be built three blocks away and will be 13 stories high. It too, will be taller than the Ground Zero Memorial, though certainly won’t tower over the memorial in an area of 10 story buildings from 3 blocks away.

Still, the question of common sense among the Muslim community must be raised. Obviously they realized this would create a firestorm of controversy having a mega-mosque built so close to Ground Zero. They are well aware that the wounds of 9/11 still haven’t healed and it may be generations before they close enough to tolerate a mosque in close proximity to Ground Zero. Intentionally putting Manhattan, the Christians, and our Constitution between a rock and a hard place. To deny the construction of a mosque so close to Ground Zero smacks of anti-Muslim prejudice. To allow it is a slap in the face to all Americans who can still remember exactly where they were and what they were doing as they watched the live broadcasts of planes slamming into the towers and people jumping to their deaths from a burning skyscraper.

Even as I type this, it is difficult to quell the anger as my memory recalls those images.

Compare it to building a meeting hall for the United Daughters of The Confederacy only three blocks from the national park where Martin Luther King is buried. Even though they are a non-threatening group, it just wouldn’t mix well when history is considered. Though you can’t block such things on moral grounds, if they met building codes and other requirements, common sense from anyone who thought of such an idea would have them re-thinking such a proposal.

Which is what the Muslim community needs to do. Re-think the proposal. Though their intention may be to only pray to Allah and practice freedom of religion, which few Americans would deny them, doing so in a location so close to an area where extremists in that religion caused so much pain is a constant reminder of what a few Muslims did. It may not contribute to any reconciliation or understanding of their beliefs. It will simply revive much of the anger Christian Americans work at suppressing, because we know it isn’t right to blame an entire religion for the acts of the few.

Yes, they have the right to build their mosque anywhere approved, but they would do far more in healing the wounds of 9/11 if an announcement was made that their religious community understands the feelings of the majority of Americans who would rather not see it being built that close to Ground Zero.

Such a decision can only come from the Muslims themselves. They have a right to build, but in doing so the wounds of 9/11 may never heal, as they would if they made the decision to relocate.

For this writer, I would accept the location of the mosque if they proceed. Personally, I believe that a community should not be faulted for the few maniacs and murderers that every community has in it. Christians had their own murderous followers in it's history during the Crusades. True Muslims aren't murderers and those that follow their faith without extremism should be welcomed and not blamed. Though difficult, the acceptance of moderate Muslims praying in the area might take place many years from now, if the Muslims who take up residence in their new mosque work extremely hard at proving their desire to become an active part of the area and reach out with a message of peace among all faiths.

I feel though, that I would be in the minority of public opinion.