By Miranda Buttram Posted October 20, 2010
Many of the original settlers of America traveled here to escape religious persecution. They came to America and achieved a country that gave each citizen a multitude of liberties, including freedom of religion without persecution. America seems to have forgotten why the settlers left their home countries because America has now become the persecutors, like their previous religious oppressors.
A community center, not a mosque, with a prayer room, has been approved by the New York City Community Board to be built near Ground Zero. People have made ridiculous accusations that terrorists are trying to build a mosque there, not only is that intolerant and prejudice, but it is stereotyping. There are millions of people of the Muslim faith, yet many still stereotype that they are all terrorists due to the actions of several radicals.
Those who are building the community center have the constitutional right and city approval to build it. People argue that it is too close to Ground Zero. However Ground Zero encompasses twelve blocks and the community center would not be visible from it. Although for some only, New Jersey would be far enough away to build it. It is like arguing that a Catholic Church should not be built anywhere that was affected by the crusades, though it has already happened.
When did American citizens become people who are prejudice and judge people on the actions of others of their religion? There are certain people of all faiths that have committed murder, but we do not judge the rest of that faith as such. What about Robert Yates who was convicted of 15 murders? He was of a Christian upbringing and is currently a Christian too, yet we do not judge all people of that faith as we judge him, and rightfully so. The same principle applies to those building the community center; they have no connection to the terrorists that caused that tragic day, aside from their religion. It is wrong to deny them the rights the American government guarantees them. As the Declaration states, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” when did this change?
The Mosque near Ground Zero: Con
By Madison Waldie Posted October 20, 2010
Who would have thought that the lives of a nation could be changed in one hour and forty-two minutes? This is how much time it took for two buildings to come crashing to the earth in New York City on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. This is the amount of time it took for 2,733 innocent American civilians to be killed by a radical Muslim group called al-Qaeda.
The reputations of Muslims and the Muslim faith were severely altered on that day. When the 19 hijackers committed the suicide attacks and mass murders, they pledged their allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and their mission as radical Muslims. The mission of global Jihad, or holy war.
Nine years later and just two blocks from where the World Trade Center Towers once stood, members of the Muslim faith have made plans and for Park51 or the “Ground Zero Mosque.” Although the Islamic community center is not on or in Ground Zero it is just two blocks away.
The first thing that comes to mind is the families of the nearly 3,000 victims are being slapped in the face by these radical Muslims and their plans. This 13-story and 100,000 square foot building is just 600 feet from where citizens of our country were gruesomely murdered.
A group of victims’ relatives, 9/11 Families for a strong and safe America, called the proposal, “A gross insult to the memory of those who were killed on that terrible day.”
The First Amendment in the constitution grants the freedom of speech to ALL Americans, I am also aware that the First Amendment states that Americans have a right to religion. That is why I am not stating that these plans are illegal or against the law, but I am saying that this is wrong. Park51 is morally, ethically, and politically wrong. I honestly do not understand how one could fly an American flag, sing the Star-Spangled Banner, or celebrate Independence Day and be in support of the travesty happening in Lower Manhattan.
It may seem like I am stereotyping the Muslim religion and its members but when there are Muslims overseas shooting at our service men and women and the help that we are trying to bring them it is hard not to be skeptical of their beliefs.
