NYC Mosque Controversy

I've written about it before, which you can read about here.

This controversy has gotten out of control, and it sickens me.  I have to ask why it is so disturbing to have a cultural center located a couple of blocks away from Ground Zero.  It has to be the "Mosque" part of it, otherwise I cannot imagine that this would be a topic of discussion for anyone.

So why is the "Mosque" consideration a problem?  Is it because the terrorists claimed to be Muslim and working on the behalf of Islamic ideals?  If that is the issue then I have to ask...so what?   We don't condemn an entire believe system simply based on the ideals of a few fanatics do we?  Do we demand that all Christians remove churches from parks, schools and anywhere else that children might congregate simply because priests have molested children?

Don't we constantly hear from Christians who claim that we are trying to remove their religious symbols and viewpoints from this country?  They claim they have every right to place their nativity scene's around the public square during the holiday season.  They claim that this country should be allowed to pray in schools, and teach creationism alongside of evolution..right?  They want their holiday's recognized by everyone even though this is a country with many different religious beliefs, encompassing many varied viewpoints, and yet to speak to them about tolerance and understanding would be unacceptable in their eyes.

But now they demand sensitivity from a different religious sect for their viewpoints, when they themselves are unwilling to offer that same sensitivity towards those who believe differently.  To use tolerance and understanding as an excuse is beyond the pale considering how these same people act when it comes to their own personal religious beliefs.  They have no tolerance and understanding, instead they demand acceptance of their beliefs.

If it is religious institutions that should not be close to Ground Zero, then should we remove or demand the removal of the churches that are located much closer than the Cordoba House would be?

  I'd be willing to bet that this would not go over well, so it all comes back to the fact that it is the Muslim religion that is the issue.

Are people really that intolerant?  To be sure the answer is yes.  People can claim that this is only about what they are calling the "Ground Zero Mosque", which is a total fabrication.

This is not a "Mosque" it is a Cultural Center.

It is not at Ground Zero, it is a couple of blocks away.

This is not being solely directed at the Cordoba House either.

There are problems cropping up all over the country involving this issue with Mosque's.

Tennessee, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Illinois as well as Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, and Midland Beach, Staten Island, in New York City, are all area's that are suddenly having controversies dealing with Mosque's.

This is about Muslims in the U.S.A. Plain and simple. That is the bottom line.

Our President recently came out with the only proper response that a president of this country should.

“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.”

This is and was the absolutely correct thing that our President should say.  There is nothing more to be added.  I know that many who oppose the idea of this cultural center are demanding that the president come out and take a personal stand on this issue, but it is not his job nor his place to do so.   His job is to follow the constitution and protect everyone, not a select few.

We've also heard from those who oppose this building that "they can build a mosque when we are allowed to build a church in Iraq" or other such nonsense.   Lets clear up that misconception now.


List of Christian Churches in Baghdad - Iraq
Chaldean Church (Catholic denomination):

1. "Pregnant without Sin" (in reference to Virgin Mary), built in 1921 - Camp Gelani.
2. Mar Aphram, built in 1940s - Shalcheya.
3. Mar Yousif, built in 1956 - Eastern Karada.
4. Mar Youhanan the Baptist, built in 1960 - alDura.
5. Holy Family, built in 1960 - Aurfaleya (Betaween)
6. The Virgin- Prayer's Lord (Sultana alWardeya), built in 1960 - Karada Khareg.
7. Holy Heart of Jesus, built in 1964 - Hay alWehda.
8. Mar Eliya of Heyra, built in 1964 - Hay alAmeen.
9. Mar Yousif- Protector of the Workers, built in 1965 - Hay alYarmook
10. Mar Yaqoub- Bishop of Nisibin, built in 1965 - alDura
11. The passing of the Virgin, built in 1966 - alMansour
12. Mar Toma the Disciple, built in 1966 - Nereya and Gayara
13. Mother of Continuous Help, built in 1966 - Hay anNedhal and alSadoon
14. The Virgin- Protector of Crops, built in 1968 - alBayya'
15. Mar Gewergis, built in 1969 - Hay Sumer/New Baghdad
16. Virgin Mary, built in 1971 - Palestine Street
17. Martyr Mar Baythoon, built in 1978 - Baladeyat/7-April
18. Holy Trinity, built in 1978 - Habebeya/7-April
19. Mar Marey, built in 1980 - Hay Beydha/alBanook
20. The Disciples Mar Putros and Mar Polos, built in 1986 - alDura
21. Congratulating the Virgin, built in 1989 - Hay alMuthana/Suq alThelatha
22. The Rising, built in 1994 - Hay alMualemeen/alMashtal
23. Mar Polos- The Disciple, built ??, al-Zafaraneya

Assyrian (include Assyrian, Assyrian Evangelical, and Old Assyrian):

1. Virgin Mary (Mar Kura), built in 1928 -Karada Maryem
2. Mar Qaradagh, built in 1946 - Camp Gelani
3. Evangelical Assyrian, built ??, Sahat alTayaran
4. Mar Gewergis, built in 1961 - alDura
5. Mar Odishu Nokhreta, built in 1972 - Elwiya
6. Virgin Mary, built in 1970 - Neyreya and alGayara
7. Mar Marey, built in 1985 - alAmeen
8. Mar Zaya, built in ?? - alDura
9. Virgin Mary (Old Assyrian Church), built in 1988 - Hay alReyadh

Syriac (include Orthodox and Catholic):

1. The Disciples Mar Putros and Mar Polos (Orthodox), built in 1964 - Industerial Street
2. Mar Yousif (Catholic), built in 1965 - alMansour
3. Lady of Salvation (Catholic), built in 1968 - Eastern Karada
4. Mar Maty (Orthodox), built in 1981 - Hay Sumer/Ghadeer
5. Mar Toma (Orthodox), built in 1978 - alMansour/Hay alMuhandeseen
6. Mar Behnam (Catholic), built in 1982 - Hay Sumer/alQanat
7. Mar Behnam (Orthodox), built in ?? - Hay alMechanic/alDura

Armenian (include Catholic and Orthodox) :

1. Holy Heart of Jesus (Catholic), built in 1938 - Eastern Karada
2. St. Gregor the Illluminant (Orthodox), built in 1956 - Sahat alTayran
3. St. Garabeet (Orthodox), built in 1973 - Hay alReyadh

Melkite, known commonly as "Room" (include Orthodox, Catholic and Latin):

1. Mar Anderaous (Orthodox), built in 1940's - Camp Gelani
2. Room Catholic, built in 1962 - Karada Dakhel
3. St. Jerjis (Orthodox), built in 1976 - Hay alReyadh
4. Cathedral of St. Joseph (Latin), built in 1965 - Hay alWehda/Elwiya

Protestant:

1. Adventest Church, built in 1958 - alNedhal Street

Evangelical:

1. National Evangelical, built in 1954 - Hay alNedhal

http://www.chaldeansonline.org/church/christian.html



So now what is the next excuse going to be?


That Muslims need to be understanding of how "we" feel?

Like somehow Muslims are not included in that "We".

Muslims died on that day as well.  They rushed to the scene of the unfolding disaster and helped in ways that anyone else might have done.   They are as much of the "we" as anyone else.
Here is a list of the Muslims that died on September 11th.  Remember their names as they deserve to be honored just like anyone else who died that day due to the terrorist attacks.

Samad Afridi
Ashraf Ahmad
Shabbir Ahmad (45 years old; Windows on the World; leaves wife and 3 children)
Umar Ahmad
Azam Ahsan
Ahmed Ali
Tariq Amanullah (40 years old; Fiduciary Trust Co.; ICNA website team member; leaves wife and 2 children)
Touri Bolourchi (69 years old; United Airlines #175; a retired nurse from Tehran)
Salauddin Ahmad Chaudhury
Abdul K. Chowdhury (30 years old; Cantor Fitzgerald)
Mohammad S. Chowdhury (39 years old; Windows on the World; leaves wife and child born 2 days after the attack)
Jamal Legesse Desantis
Ramzi Attallah Douani (35 years old; Marsh & McLennan)
SaleemUllah Farooqi
Syed Fatha (54 years old; Pitney Bowes)
Osman Gani
Mohammad Hamdani (50 years old)
Salman Hamdani (NYPD Cadet)
Aisha Harris (21 years old; General Telecom)
Shakila Hoque (Marsh & McLennan)
Nabid Hossain
Shahzad Hussain
Talat Hussain
Mohammad Shah Jahan (Marsh & McLennan)
Yasmeen Jamal
Mohammed Jawarta (MAS security)
Arslan Khan Khakwani
Asim Khan
Ataullah Khan
Ayub Khan
Qasim Ali Khan
Sarah Khan (32 years old; Cantor Fitzgerald)
Taimour Khan (29 years old; Karr Futures)
Yasmeen Khan
Zahida Khan
Badruddin Lakhani
Omar Malick
Nurul Hoque Miah (36 years old)
Mubarak Mohammad (23 years old)
Boyie Mohammed (Carr Futures)
Raza Mujtaba
Omar Namoos
Mujeb Qazi
Tarranum Rahim
Ehtesham U. Raja (28 years old)
Ameenia Rasool (33 years old)
Naveed Rehman
Yusuf Saad
Rahma Salie & unborn child (28 years old; American Airlines #11; wife of Michael Theodoridis; 7 months pregnant)
Shoman Samad
Asad Samir
Khalid Shahid (25 years old; Cantor Fitzgerald; engaged to be married in November)
Mohammed Shajahan (44 years old; Marsh & McLennan)
Naseema Simjee (Franklin Resources Inc.’s Fiduciary Trust)
Jamil Swaati
Sanober Syed
Robert Elias Talhami (40 years old; Cantor Fitzgerald)
Michael Theodoridis (32 years old; American Airlines #11; husband of Rahma Salie)
W. Wahid

This entire controversy is more than ridiculous, it is bigoted, hateful, and un-American.  What's worse it shows  us in a bad light to the world.  How intolerant are we?  How can we profess to live by the constitution if we allow this kind of action to take place?  What does it say about us all that we are allowing small minded people to control this narrative?


On the one hand we have people screaming for the government to do something, anything to keep this cultural center from going up and on the other hand we have these same people screaming about government overreach and interference.   The hypocrisy is astounding but expected as we see it continuously from the same people, over and over again.

Stop calling it the Ground Zero Mosque.  It isn't one.
Stop calling it the 9/11 Mosque.  It isn't one.

It is the Cordoba House, it is a cultural center and it needs to go up as planned, in the place it was planned, because our constitution not only allows it, but since we are a nation of laws, our laws say that as long as it meets the appropriate approval within the legal framework, that there is no reason to keep it from being established.

Palingates has a great post up with the tweets from the head twit herself regarding this controversy. Check it out!

Don't be afraid to stand up and speak out against this group of haters who are trying to stop this cultural center from being established at the currently planned location. The country and the world needs to know that not all of us feel the same as these loud mouthed knuckledraggers.
 Make your voice heard.