Tackling Myths About Muslims and the Proposed NYC Mosque

Along with a proposed mosque and attached community center near the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks, comes, unfortunately, mass hysteria and misinformation concerning both Islam and the roots of our country.

Following are reasoned responses to some of the more popular myths out there concerning Islam, this development project, and the founding of the United States.

Myth 1: Terrorists want to build a place of worship and community center near the 9/11 site.

Any somewhat-educated person knows that groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaieda would harshly (and violently) oppose modern-day sports, and the proposed mosque/community center is slated to have a swimming pool and other facilities for recreational activities and working out. Furthermore, it would be open to the community at large, allowing people whom the Taliban and al-Qaieda would deem evil to take part.

Myth 2: Muslims are terrorists.

Not all Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Muslims (Timothy McVeigh, anyone? And that's just one example).

And if it's true that all Muslims are terrorists, then, according to that same logic:

All Roman Catholics aim to slaughter (or burn at the stake) Protestants as heretics
All Christians, particularly Roman Catholics, aim to slaughter Muslims (The Crusades, anyone?)
All Protestants are heretics doomed for Hell
All Mexicans here in the United States are here illegally
All Germans are Nazis
All Jews are filthy rich
All Irish are drunks and always looking to get into fights
All Italians are gangsters
All Whites in the United States are Ku Klux Klan sympathizers
All Democrats are lazy and want to abort your unborn children
All Republicans are cold-hearted and want to crush the working class

We can go on and on with this list of crazy allegations which we know to be untrue. See the point? And yes, there is such a thing as Christian terrorism.

Myth 3: Muslims are intentionally insensitive about the proposed location and are all laughing at us.

While many feel that the proposed location is highly insensitive given the nature of the September 11 attacks, here's another way to look at it: By choosing this particular location, a community made up of moderate, law-abiding, Muslim-Americans is standing up to the extremists who desecrate the faith, and they're essentially telling these extremists: "While you tried in vain to destroy our community (New York), we seek to strengthen it and to be actively engaged in it. While you're attempting to rid the world of everything you deem to be evil and impure, we understand and welcome the rich diversity and complexities that naturally come with modern society. And we're here to say that you will not prevail."

Myth 4: The United States is a Christian nation.

Those on the Christian Right who try to bring into this debate the tired (and false) argument that this nation was established as a Christian nation need to get their facts straight. They have either never heard of, or they choose to ignore, The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary. Article 11 of the treaty, which was ratified by the United States Senate in June of 1797 and signed by President John Adams days later, states:

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion -- as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen, -- and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

So to say that, "We can't allow Muslims to walk all over our Christian nation!" is quite faulty. And what more authoritative of a source to make it clear that our nation was not established as a Christian one than the U.S. Senate of 1797 and the second president of the United States?