Ground Zero Mosque: Why here? Why not here?

  

            The Ground Zero Mosque, or Park 51, has been a highly controversial issue in the mainstream media for the past several months. This controversy started when Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf announced his plan to build an Islamic community center close to Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center. Many Americans oppose the project because they believe the ground is sacred, and 9/11’s memories remain fresh and bitter. Politicians are divided. Many Republican leaders are against it, while Democrats have different viewpoints on this issue; some support it and others do not. The wave of opposition to Park 51 shows the intolerance and discrimination against Muslims in the United States. The pressure to relocate the project is an example of Americans’ antagonism toward Muslims, which many politicians are trying to capitalize on. The First Amendment gives Americans the right to practice their religion without persecution. Therefore, Muslims should be allowed to build Park 51 at the proposed site because it is their right under the constitution. They also have the right to stand up and speak freely against an anti-Islamic movement which keeps spreading obvious falsehoods about Muslims and Islam.   

            The intentions behind the Ground Zero “Mosque” were misunderstood by many Americans. First, and most importantly, the Ground Zero “Mosque” is not really a mosque. It is a community center that has a space for Muslims to pray and worship God. So it should not be called a mosque because there are huge differences between a mosque and a community center.  Second, according to the managers of the project, the community center will be two blocks away from Ground Zero and the Ground Zero memorial will not be visible from the Park51 building. Although many people assume that the Islamic center is funded by terrorist organizations and countries unfriendly to the United States, the founders of the project state that “We will not accept assistance from any person or institution that is flagged by our security consultants or government agencies” (Park 51). This statement clarifies that the fundraising for the Islamic center will have no connection with any terrorist organizations or individuals who might be considered suspect. People should learn the truth rather than making prejudiced assumptions about the project.

            According to the First Amendment, Muslims have the right to build the center. However, bigots disagree. For instance, Marty Peretz, owner of the New Republic, denied Muslims’ First Amendment rights when he said, “frankly, Muslim life is cheap…. I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse it” (Linkins). Peretz believes Muslims are unworthy of the rights that protect his own misguided statement. Peretz in his statement showed his ignorance when he failed to distinguish between “right” and “privilege.” The First Amendment guarantees rights, not privileges.

            Top leaders have different opinions regarding the opposed Islamic center close to Ground Zero. President Obama defended the when he said, “As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practise (sic) their religion as everyone else in this country” (Batty). Obama followed the principles of the First Amendment rights by equating all citizens regardless of race or creed. A most repulsive statement, however, was voiced by Newt Gingrich, the Republican former speaker of the House of Representatives, when he said, “Nazis don’t have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington. We would never accept the Japanese putting up a site next to Pearl Harbor” (Krakauer). Frankly, Gingrich equates the Nazis, who killed 6 million Jews, with Muslims who merely want to build a community center. Gingrich’s second analogy when he implies that building a community center is like involving us in a WWII. Only a minority of Germans wanted the destruction of the Jews, and only a minority of Japanese wanted to rule the world. Even so, only a minority of radical Muslims attacked us on 9/11. Therefore, Gingrich should stop generalizing about Muslims and make a public apology for his fanatical statement. The founders of the project should ignore such a blockhead and instead take his statement as a motive to forge ahead. 

            It seems obvious that Muslims should take a step forward and build the community center to protect their rights and send a message that Muslims are an integral part of American society, but other Americans should also stand and support the Park 51 project, regardless of their faiths and backgrounds because this is a constitutional issue. As George Wright, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon, said, "We are sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. And freedom of religion is part of that Constitution” (Dvorak). Relocating the project will endanger everyone’s rights. Therefore, people should back the Park 51 project or junk the constitution.        

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