Ah, the Mosque!

The mosque that has been proposed for a location in downtown Manhattan has been causing quite a storm. Here is the controversy as I see it:

Not every opponent who has addressed this issue is a bonehead. Some have deep feelings for the awful events of that day. I think we should respect their feelings. We who support that group of Americans that want to build that facility must explain in a rational way why it should be built.

That building site was on the market for redevelopment for eight years. There were no takers. This group wants to make that derelict real estate into something beautiful and useful to the whole community, in the same way that the 92nd Street Y serves that community. The local neighbors in New York City know these people and a large majority support the building of the complex. Even people who have lost family members when those criminals did their dreadful work support the developers.

I heard a report that 67% of Americans oppose this project, but 67% of all Americans do not live in New York, and their voices are not as important as those who do live there. In any case, that majority, or any majority opinion, does not trump the US Constitution. We profess to live under a guiding law, always, not just when it is convenient to our way of thinking.

As I said when I began, not all opponents are bigots and haters, but some are. We have to resist the ranting of the lunatic fringe, while recognizing that some opponents are not part of that group of haters. George Bush must be given credit for making the distinction between Muslims and terrorists when he was president. My guess is that he would have said something similar to what President Obama said.

Some say why create the tumult of this argument? Why not do what Governor Patterson suggested and do a land swap for another location? Here's why not. When you are in retreat from the forces of bigotry, there is no compromise. As people back you into a corner and you agree to another solution, they are never satisfied. There is no place that you can go that would be satisfactory to those that oppose you. All around the country there are objections to the building of mosques. They are nowhere near "ground zero", so it’s hard for me to buy the argument that retreat would be a good thing. If I were that leader I'd be damned if I'd retreat. Loving this country means supporting the laws that govern us. We can, of course, change the Constitution, but I don't think any of us of sound mind want to live in a country that condones the harassment of any religion or group. We tell people of the world “We’re better than that”. Now let’s live up to our boast.

Ernie Fazio