MY VIEW ON THE ISLAMIC CENTERThe majority of the people in the neighborhood support turning a destroyed Burlington Coat factory into a Islamic center and the majority of 9/11 rescue workers who are begging for Congress to pass a health care bill support the Islamic center. The fact of the matter is the mosque should not be an issue. It is nowhere near ground zero really, like 3 blocks away with tons of buildings blocking it from view to the tourists.
The anti-mosque movement is based very strongly on anti-muslim sentiment. Didn't we fight in Iraq to liberate muslims from Saddam Hussein? Arn't we in Afghanistan now to free muslims from the Taliban? At least those are the most optimistic, friendly- faced explanations of why we pump money into deadly warfare.
Also, is it really even a mosque? Truthfully, its an Islamic Community Center called, "Park 51," no longer to be called "Cordoba House" for fear of triggering even more misunderstood controversy. This Community Center plans to house a culinary school, an auditorium, a swimming pool, a basketball court, and yes, space for prayer. But it is not really a mosque, so we all need to stop calling it that. Calling this Center the "Ground Zero Mosque" not only makes people think up dramatic images of an actual mosque right on the site of Ground Zero, but it also misconstrues the entire debate.
Time Magazine's recent article poses a more important question than weather we should build the community center- "Is America Islamaphobic?".
The anti-mosque movement is based very strongly on anti-muslim sentiment. Didn't we fight in Iraq to liberate muslims from Saddam Hussein? Arn't we in Afghanistan now to free muslims from the Taliban? At least those are the most optimistic, friendly- faced explanations of why we pump money into deadly warfare.
Also, is it really even a mosque? Truthfully, its an Islamic Community Center called, "Park 51," no longer to be called "Cordoba House" for fear of triggering even more misunderstood controversy. This Community Center plans to house a culinary school, an auditorium, a swimming pool, a basketball court, and yes, space for prayer. But it is not really a mosque, so we all need to stop calling it that. Calling this Center the "Ground Zero Mosque" not only makes people think up dramatic images of an actual mosque right on the site of Ground Zero, but it also misconstrues the entire debate.
Time Magazine's recent article poses a more important question than weather we should build the community center- "Is America Islamaphobic?".
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