Is this extremely narrow minded of these people to broadly associate Islam with terrorism? Is it not the case that the terrorists were Muslim; however being a Muslim does not make you a terrorists?
Doesn’t this form of religious hatred lead to even more polarisation?
Should the Islamic trust funding the building of the Mosque concede that perhaps due to the sensitive location of the site, they should look to build the Mosque elsewhere? What message would that send to different groups?
Typically Muslim’s are very nice, peace loving people!
Its just the Muslim extremists that ruin it for them and give them a bad name!
I would support the spread of different cultures all round the word but i just feel that having a mosque just 2 blocks away from ground zero is a little in considerate as alot of people (and its wrong to do so) instantly think of terrorism when the word muslim pops in to their head of they see a musim with a bag or a big jacket, i do it. and im ashamed i do it, but i just do.
When alot of people associate ground zero and musims with terrorism i just think thats insensitive towards the people that died, in those events.
15/20 blocks away in NY, fine but so close i think is wrong that Ground Zero will be practically have a shadow of a mosque cast over it.
But thats just my view, it would be good to head some others.
EDIT: What do you guys think should be built on the actual site of the trade centres?
Memorial?
Another building to replace the WTC’s?
Or just leave it as it is?
I think it should be a memorial, similar to the one in London for the 7/7 attacks.
What is actually currently?
Point 1 - On one side, Muslims didn’t commit 9/11. Al Qaaeda did. To say Muslims did it, is like saying all Irish people are responsible for the activities of the IRA or Provos.
Point 2 - However, on the other side, its a little insensitive of the Muslim community to want to build a Mosque there of all places… either they’re being deliberately obstinate, or they’re just guilty of gross insensitivity…
But then again, see point 1.
And for the computer nerds amongst you, that was a lovely demonstration of Basic Programming applied to conversation.
It is two blocks away and if I remember rightly, as it appeared on the Daily Show, there is actually a Mosque that already exists three blocks away, which was there before the World Trade Centre towers were even built…it pre-dates them.
Does one block really make that much of a difference?
What was fascinating, if you are interested in that sort of thing, is the Daily Show expose of Fox News reporting of this situation and the guilt by association and six degrees of separation that they have used to paint the people behind the mosque in a bad light, without any real evidence or justifiable reason to do so. Even going so far as to paint the person who has provided financial backing as a radical extremist Islamic…despite the fact that this same man owns stock in Fox News, the largest stock owner behind Murdoch himself, and was a friend to George W Bush…two facts that Fox News has remained remarkably quiet on.
I think the claim that it is too close, or insensitive is without merit but it sounds better.
I don’t know if this makes any difference to peoples thinking, but it’s worth considering that a percentage of those who died in those buildings were Muslim. Therefor, I do believe that it is reasonable to build a mosque near Ground Zero. Not all muslims are terrorists! And, before somebody says it, not all terrorists are muslim!
By the same rationale that a lot of poeple use in this situation, there should be uproar at the building of churches near areas that have been bombed by the IRA?!?
I’m gonna nick Toby’s style of response because I can’t be bothered to use my imagination, anyway…
Point 1 - people of the Muslim faith also died in the attacks on the World Trade Centre, they were working for the companies whose offices were located in the WTC, they were just as innocent as the non-Muslims who also died.
Point 2 - strictly speaking they are not actually building a Mosque, they are building an Islamic Community Centre which will in fact be open to all for use, it will have a swimming pool, basketball court, theatre, auditorium and an area designated for prayer, amongst other things.
Point 3 - I don’t think it’s insensitive at all, out of something quite tragic the Muslim community are trying to construct something which will give a great deal back to the community and bring people together of all cultures/faiths under one roof. To brand this project by the Muslim community as insensitive is to accuse the whole of the Muslim world of being guilty of the WTC attacks.
These two “everyday Americans” show both sides of the coin … I’ll let you make the choice who seems the sensible person with the “normal” views and who is the nutjob
I don’t understand why it has to be a muslim community center…why can’t it be just a genral community center for all that live in the area?
There it is again…apartite is in many diffrent forms and to me…it leaves a bad taste in my mouth…i hate ppl preaching anti racisam and than back peddle to suit their own needs…makes me sick to my gut if im honest…
Im an englishman…with itallian blood…and an american upbringing…how fkin diverse can you get…and this is why i’m saying that singleing it out as a muslim community center automatically give’s the impression that the muslim faith is more welcome than say…a satanist…
To me it is disrespectful to all those innocents who died in those buildings be they English or American, of whatever or no religion to claim to speak on their behalf when the forces that led to their deaths are probably still at large. If they could come back those people would most likely want to understand why they had died in that horrible way. Driving wedges between people and cultures won’t do anything to help answer that question in the long term.
It isn’t closer Chenster, I thought it was as well, but it is in fact 1 block further away then the proposed site. (You talking about the Wasjid mosque i think?)
Also I didn’t raise the point but picking out a moderate and placiing them against an extremist and claiming some sort of comparative answer to the issue is exactly what Fox News does and I don’t think it really helps matter.
Should I post up a video of Osama Bin Laden proclaiming 9/11 a victory, death to all Americans and infidels and juxtapose that against a video of a moderate American accepting some of the guilt that America holds for interfering in the Middle East and proclaim that actually this counts for something?
I don’t think that sort of thing helps. There are extremists and moderates on both sides.
completley fair point mate…but i’m wondering…if said ‘YMCA’ was suddenley built in Kabul or basra?..do you think there would be a warm reception greeting the staff as say…a Muslim community center in NY?..please don’t get me wrong…i have had this very same conversation with a samali/sweed freind of mine…he brought it up just a week ago when a british doctor was slain by the ‘Certain Muslims’ for spreading the word of christ… she was an eye doctor for a christian charity going to remote places of afganistan to treat people who would normally of been forgotton by the world…my mate was disgusted to say the least and spent a good 25 minutes on the subject…btw…he is a Muslim from birth but you would’nt think so…he dosent try to make it known as its a personal thing which is fair play…
also a fair point…but should we not be trying to socially outcasting stereotypes?..
But it’s not in Kabul or in Basra.
The US is a westernised country very similiar to our own where we are supposed to be tolerant of each other.
Denying them a community centre there would be similiar to us saying that you can’t build a Catholic church/school/community centre near any place that was bombed by PIRA over the years.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Terrorism has nothing to do with religion. It doesn’t matter what religion it is, no religion I know or have heard of preaches hate. Fanatics (of any religion) warp various religions to suit their agenda.
Seriously anyone that thinks this is somehow an affront to the victims of the terrorists that caused 9/11 is just plain ignorant in my opinion.
I can’t be the only one who thought they were chanting that can I? :hehe:
