New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission has voted not to grant protection to an old building in downtown Manhattan, thus clearing the way for construction of a new Muslim mosque and community center — the highly controversial “Mosque at Ground Zero” that will actually be two blocks away.
Good. That’s as it should be. This is America, after all. Freedom of religion and all that. There’s no good reason why a religious group, or anyone else, shouldn’t be able to buy property and build something, provided they meet all the applicable zoning and funding laws, etc.
To put a fine point on it: I’m more afraid of those who oppose the mosque than of the Muslims who will build it.
You are absolutely right. I do wonder, however, if the city government that has done the right thing by allowing it will be as helpful when it comes to protecting it? My concerns have never been about whether or not it should be allowed, but rather why are those who would build it willing to take the risk? I’d imagine that their insurance premiums are going to be through the roof.
American terrorists (that’s what they’d be) striking back at a (perceived to be) Muslim terrorist mosque? That possibility had never crossed my mind. But you’re right; some of those protesters seem almost crazy enough to try it. And if they do, the 9/11 terrorists will have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.
I couldn’t agree more. There is something very unchristian about so-called Christians slamming another religion. But they justify it by saying the Muslim religion is not a religion. Consider the Christian church burning the Koran. Do those idiots not realize the damage they’re doing to this country? That they are reinforcing many Muslim beliefs the country is at war with their religion? That they are putting this country in jeopardy of being attacked again because of their twisted bullshit?
Nope: they could care less as long as they got something to bash. This country has a long way to go before it can call itself a religious tolerant country. A start would be making no big deal about the Muslims building a Mosque where they own the property.
Aside from not believing in the supernatural, nothing has turned me away from religion more than “Christians” who don’t practice what they preach. And often it seems the ones yelling and protesting the loudest are the ones also claiming to be the most devoutly Christian.
I don’t see the big issue around it. I think the religion -Muslim has a long way to go to ensure people see their religion as being safe and normal just like any other. You have the not goods in all of them-even Christianity
Right now in NYC, it’s those “Christian” protesters who need to worry about appearing safe and normal.
You’d think people would get tired from spending so much energy perpetuating hate. I typically ignore the lunatic fringe when it comes to stuff like this, so I haven’t paid much attention to the whole debate. But perhaps that’s New York rubbing off on me. Better yet, I’ll say that this is a NYC thing, the rest of the country wouldn’t understand. 😉 Seriously, though, New York is a huge city with a huge, diverse population. I will admit that it irritates me when someone in Iowa gets riled up about a Manhattan planning issue without fully understanding the dynamics of the city itself. I felt that way when I was living in the D.C. area, too. Whenever people around the rest of the country get bent out of shape and antagonistic with hate, they forget that they’re not the ones living in the bullseyes.
Quite right. I hadn’t noticed where the protesters are from, but if they don’t live in NYC they should butt out.