Ground Zero

[Satya]

And so the vitriol spreads...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/22/AR2010082202895.html?hpid=topnews

And the terrorists have won, because now America is less free.

 

[Philanthropist]

I think it's a distasteful choice by those building the Mosque, but this is still America and we would have to violate our own principles if were to not allow them to build their Mosque there. If they have the resoucres and willing business partners, this is just freedom at work.

 

[Philanthropist]

And the terrorists have won, because now America is less free.

...not a bad way of putting it; a bit cliche perhaps , but still true.

 

[bamf]

The funny thing is though there is already a Mosque (which is pretty much just for prayer and services) closer to Ground Zero, and has been there since before 9/11. Now that a community center that is open to the public being funded by a group that was created to better relations between Muslims and the West, which will have a place for prayer, that cannot see or be seen from Ground Zero is being proposed to be built (and they changed the name) people are going insane.

To me, it just doesn't make sense.

 

[Stu]

I get why folks oppose it. I do. It is nice to put your enemies in a box. And if you only watch the tube it does seem like el quada is putting a shrine on the soil of the fallen World Trade Center, where too many innocent people died. But religion, while it is many many things, is not a box.

 

[MrWindUpBird]

I don't really care, but frankly I have zero sympathy for the builders of this mosque. They have their right to butt their heads against the wall and choose this site, but if they really don't care about it's proximity to Ground Zero... why don't they move it to avoid conflict?

You can be 200% sure that if some Christians were trying to build a new church near a Muslim cultural site the wacko fringe of America/Europe would be all over it decrying "western Imperialism."

This is the country with TV stations that pull cartoon depictions of Muhammed of the air, while garbage like this has been acceptable/praised for two decades.

 

[bamf]

It's a community center that will be open to the public.

Also, the US built and maintains military bases near Mecca and other holy sites, and has for years. One of the reasons Al Qaeda attacked the US was because of a naval and air base so close to Mecca; King Faisal Naval base. We pulled out in 2003 but have another base in Dhahran in the Eastern Province.

When people say we let the "terrorists" win by disallowing this Mosque, it's kind of true. We have the same mindset Bin Laden had when ordering the attack on 9/11. People will most likely deface the property if built, much like Al Qaeda defaced New York.