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In New York City a group of people want to build a community centre that also houses a place of worship. Another group of people (many of whom claim to love freedom and liberty) have dedicated their lives to stop them. The world has taken notice and many people are wondering what the big deal is.
I am, of course, speaking of the proposed community centre and mosque in New York City.
I am going to be upfront: this story makes me livid. Not because a group of people want to build a house of worship, but because of the reaction to the proposed site, the aims and objectives of the building, and the overt racism and stupidity that continues to be allowed in the mainstream media with respect to the building.
The facts are clear: the centre is going to be large. It will be 13 story facility that will house health and wellness equipment, rooms for rent, a performing arts centre, a cultural centre/museum, an art gallery, bookstores, restaurants, education facilities, a 9/11 memorial, and a place of worship. But what becomes less clear in the mainstream media and out of the mouths of commentators is the truth. For all intents and purposes it seems to me like a rather large and diverse community centre akin to a YMCA, one that represents the size and diversity of New York City.
But it seems the only things mentioned are the words: mosque, Ground Zero, and 9/11. There’s no mention of the performing arts centre, art galleries, restaurants, and the like; just that Muslims want to build a mosque in “the gaping wound of Ground Zero” as catholic.org put it.
The truth of the matter is that the centre will be built two full blocks away from the outskirts of what is considered Ground Zero.
The mischaracterization of the building and its nature and placement is bad, but the outright stupidity and racism attached to the movement behind blocking the centre is far worse.
Reliably, it is the usual suspects of slanted news commentary (not news reporting) who are involved: the Sean Hannitys, the Sarah Palins, the Glenn Becks.
While there are so many caustic, silly, and terrible things that have been said about this peaceful building, the most memorable, of course, came from Sarah Palin. On her Twitter account, Palin stated, “Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn’t it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.” This is such a loaded statement, and it needs to be examined.
First, the name of the mosque isn’t the Ground Zero Mosque (it’s Cordoba House), but to use any other name wouldn’t serve her or her backwards viewpoint. The second is the implication that you aren’t a true American unless you agree with her viewpoint. 9/11 stabbed all of us in the heart, but we know stupidity when we see it. The last is the call for peaceful Muslims to “refudiate” the community centre. Peaceful Muslims have the right to peaceful assembly and the right to worship any religion they wish, as enshrined by the Constitution. It’s funny that the Palins/Hannitys/Becks hold the Constitution with such esteem and regard, but only when it suits their viewpoint/worldview – they are silent for anyone else. These peaceful Muslims are not breaking the law, so stop infringing upon their rights of assembly and observation of religion. Also, refudiate isn’t a word. When confronted with this fact, Palin likened herself to Shakespeare.
The fringe elements, those who liken the community centre to building a memorial to Hitler in Auschwitz, were never going to be reasonable. But surely publications like The Washington Times can avoid phrases that associate all Muslims to jihadist extremists. In a May 27 op–ed this year, The Washington Times published the following: “The ‘religion of peace’ has some very violent adherents, and they are increasingly active on U.S. soil. It’s a sign of cultural weakness that Americans are afraid to say no to a mosque on the most prominent site of jihadist victory in the United States.”
Timothy McVeigh was a self–proclaimed Christian, and he committed another act of deadly terrorism in Oklahoma City in the name of his faith, but the news media didn’t go around and equate all Christians to terrorists.
This is the real shame. There is such ignorance, not only in the fringe movements who say the building of the community centre is killing the 9/11 victims all over again, but the mainstream media such as The Washington Times and the cable news networks. These news reporters and commentators play fast and loose with the rights and freedoms that so many proclaim to love. The Constitution applies to all people all the time, not just the ones that look the same as those commentators. This disgusting mess is a real test to those who love their freedom. Does it have limits, or is it open to all? It should apply fairly and evenly to all, yet in circumstances such as this the ideals of the Constitution and its amendments have yet to be realized for all Americans. V
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