The Wrong Question

Submitted by Art M. (United States), Aug 16, 2010 at 13:19

Instead of asking "Should we allow the building of a mosque near Ground Zero?" we should ask: "Why are we not celebrating the building of a mosque near Ground Zero?" I'm not suggesting that we should celebrate it. I'm not asking this question like a mother saying "Why don't you finish your vegetables ...". I'm literally asking why do we not celebrate it? Hint: we have good reason. And it need not be this way. First, notice that even most of the supporters of the mosque near Ground Zero kind of "hold their nose" at the prospect of this establishment in this location, but insist that permitting this will demonstrate our commitment to freedom. That is, even most public supporters have strong reservations about it. Why? Prior to 9/11 most of us knew little or nothing about Islam as a religion, let alone the violent extremists hijacking the religion.

9/11 gave us one interpretation of Islam, and the actions of Taliban and Al Qaeda since that time have only reinforced it. Muslims in the West do not appear to have taken sufficient action to distant themselves from the violent interpretations of Islam. I contrast their reaction to 9/11, for example, to their reaction of someone in Denmark drafting a political cartoon in included the founder of their religion. Where is the outrage to the notion that 9/11 represents their religion? Or the Taliban? Perhaps they ARE expressing outrage but the media are not covering it. I don't know - is it so hard to express outrage visibly? How about demonstrations? Parades? Letters to Editor. Op-Ed. A "Flotilla"? I have definitely seen Muslim leaders behave oddly when the topic. Statements like "I already condemned 9/11" or "I object to all violence" carry the body language of someone sympathetic with the violent extremists. This may not be how American Muslims intend to be perceived, or THINK they are being perceived. But the bottom line is: no matter whether a mosque is built near Ground Zero or not, this OUGHT to be a HUGE wake-up call to American Muslims that they have permitted their image to be defined by Al Qaeda and the Taliban. And where would they most want to build a mosque? Art

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