On August 21st five to eight thousand people gathered to protest the building of a mosque/cultural center four blocks away from Ground Zero. One question I ask “Why is there still a hole in the ground?” Why didn’t we rebuild the World Trade Center, why didn’t we show our resolve? Are we really as patriotic as we pretend? People seem to only react when a finger touches the wound. Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin first touched the wound with his comments and now the building of a 100 million dollar mosque on a site very close to Ground Zero. If we would have rebuilt the twin towers, do you think we would be having this debate; emphatically not. New York City is special since it has been referred to as the great melting pot. These are beautiful sentiments until you turn on the television to Fox News or talk radio pundits whom espouse their opinions; some refer to it as hate speech.

I’m not a fan of conspiracy theories, they bore me.  In dealing with the WTC, there are plenty. One thing I like doing is thinking about the maybe, maybe there is something behind all this ill repute. First to take our attention off important matters since mid- term elections are right around the corner. Secondly, to trump up support for the base to make this a rallying cry for patriotism. Thirdly, and I chuckle at this one, is President Obama a Muslim? Remember he had to defend whether he was a radical nationalist Christian, now he is a Muslim. Even Franklin Graham weighed in on the issue. This issue came full circle when he defended right for the mosque to be built. This is as close to a conspiracy as I get, this is logical reasoning.

Is the mosque/cultural center argument about freedom of religion, if so, why? Another question, are Muslims tolerant? Let’s (yawn) bring The Constitution into the fray. The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. See Amendment 1 pages 125-126 of  Understanding the Constitution by Corwin &  Peltason, seventh edition. I don’t like it when politicians mention God; I don’t know who their God is. They never speak of God as personal  or of an intimate relationship. I asked were Muslims tolerant. I believe this to be a fair question. Nearly three thousand people of all races died on that uneventful day. I have to qualify this by saying “Muslims also died”. Isn’t it ironic how we separate people by calling them Muslims or Jews; I understand why. Why don’t we say 2,800 Christians died? This is a sore subject that still touches the hearts and minds of most Americans. It touched me when it happened, I will never forget the day it happened; I can even describe the weather that day. We need a dialogue to take place.

Former Gov. Howard Dean weighed in on his support for the building of the mosque. He was one of the first politicians to mention there should be an open dialogue. Gov. David Patterson believes it should be on a different site entirely. I do think it to be a bit arrogant when you don’t consider having a dialogue. On the other hand, unpopular I may add.(are you trying to say unpopular as the dialogue may be it should take place) Look at how we treat brown people, from slavery to present day immigration reform, now to the mosque debate. It reminds me of when Reagan took office, he needed an enemy, remember  Moammar Kadafi. In this reference to brown people I’m speaking of Muslims. Look at the many wars we’ve waged on their land, no wonder they have such a disdain for us and our culture. I do believe for the sake of love, if not for that reason there should be a dialogue. If after that, you feel entitled, which you are; go ahead and build your mosque.

New York City has roughly 100 mosques to date, probably more if you count home worship. The question should be then; do we really need another mosque? In 1970 there were around 10, but from 1998-99 many mosques sprang up.  Among the boroughs: Queens 28, Brooklyn 27, Bronx 20, Manhattan 17, and Staten Island 8. We in America can boast of tolerance and acceptance. As the rhetoric heats up among Palin, Rush, Beck and other pundits, it only forces the builders of the mosque to build it all the more. Talks of eminent) domain does nothing for the hopeful dialogue.

I’m all for freedom of any kind. In order to be free, we have to allow others to be free. That doesn’t mean we have to like what others do, but we do have to be tolerant of others as long as they’re not aggressing against peaceful people.

The NON Conformist