Your Reaction to the So-called Ground Zero Mosque is Making Me Feel Guilty
An Appeal to End This Racist Behavior in the United States
Firstly, I feel it necessary to remind people that Muslims were murdered on September 11, 2001, alongside Jews, Christians, Atheists, homosexuals, children, mothers, etc. What did most of these people have in common? They were American. What does that say about America? That real Americans are willing to set aside differences of color, race, religion, gender and age and just live amongst each other in harmony. The problem is that no other country is going to see that. So many people have discarded that ideal for the sake of showing their religious or racial superiority that the entire population looks like a bunch of bigoted idiots.
A question we must ask ourselves is, what sentiment are we evoking with this negative reaction to a mosque? We are telling Muslims that, despite the fact that people of "your kind" died alongside "our kind" and despite the fact that there are thousands of mosques in this country; you are not allowed to build one where we do not want you. When they want to know why we treat them this way when they are American, our response must be, "Because people you are probably not related to and certainly were not affiliated with committed an act of terrorism here." "You speak their language and have the same skin tone. You remind us of the terrorists." To say anything short of this would be a lie and to say this makes us look like a country of fools.
Following the horrible logic used by mosque naysayers, I can say that Germans cannot build homes or businesses near the Holocaust Museum. I can say that Vietnamese people cannot build near the Vietnam Wall. I could say that just about nobody is allowed to build near Arlington Cemetery. Does that sound American to you? Have we all forgotten that any U.S. resident who is not of Native American descent is a descendant of an immigrant?
Here is a little history lesson to remind you of the pointless endeavor that bigotry has been in this country. Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. The United States government reacted by stripping Japanese-Americans of their rights and forcing them to live in internment camps. Residents reacted with racism. Why did they do this? Because they suspected that there were spies all around us, living within our borders. Do you have any idea how many Japanese-American spies we know of from World War II? There was not even one. A hardcore bigot might say that this was because they were all locked up. Anyone who knows anything about the history of war knows that where there is a will, there is a way. If they were going to spy, they would have, regardless of our Nazi-esque behavior.
Do you know how many terrorists are known to be connected to that proposed mosque in New York? The answer is none. You never know if one might turn up, but jumping the gun because of a person's heritage is absurd. Not only that, it is un-American. You cannot tell a terrorist by the color of their skin or the way they pray. I wish that the people who think they can tell a terrorist by their skin tone or prayer habits would stop making the rest of us look bad. I am sure Muslims in the United States feel the same way about Muslim terrorists, who we must not forget attacked them too.
Published by Shelly Barclay
Shelly Barclay writes on a variety of topics from animal facts to mysteries in history. Her main focus is military and political history. She is the Boston History Examiner, Military History Examiner and the... View profile
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32 Comments
Post a CommentOkay, firstly,Islam is a valid religion. I wonder how many Islamic people you have come into contact with, Patricia. No offense, but to make such a blanket statement that Islam's sole purpose is to convert the world reeks of the same ignorance I am unhappy about. Christianity has abandoned its barbaric ways? Tell that to homosexuals and abortion doctors. There is denying that the people building this COMMUNITY CENTER are funding terrorists. There is no proof that they are. This is crazy. I will NEVER judge an entire group of people based on individuals. Most people learn nothing from the past, I will not be one of them.
"It would be insensitive if terrorists were building the mosque, but they are not." There is no way to deny that, terrorist or not, these people building this mosque support organizations that fund the terrorists.
"As for Christianity not preaching murder, you would be right, if we are only talking about the last couple hundred years." As for this comment, that's the point, every other religion in the world has abandoned its former barbaric ways. Islam has not.
I'm sorry but until Islam revokes the barbaric, midieval aspects of its Law of Sharia, and until the "good" muslims demand that the religion adhere to modern mores and the governments of islamic countries abandon their barbaric theocracies, I will never consider islam a valid religion. Whether people want to hear it or not, islam's sole purpose is to convert the world. And btw, there were exactly 50 muslims killed on 911, not counting the terrorists.
Wow, I knew I liked you but I did NOT realize your brilliance. Boy was I missing out. Great Read and honesty, thank you, Shelly!!!
Heather, it's hardly insensitive when you consider that Muslims were killed in the attacks too. Muslims didn't perpetrate 9-11, terrorists did. As for Christianity not preaching murder, you would be right, if we are only talking about the last couple hundred years. Before that, it was a free-for all. As for the Nazi comment, I believe it is obvious that the comparison is a bad one. Nazis were a group of people who believed in an elite race of people, some of them believed that they should kill everyone else to get it. Muslims are as diverse in their beliefs as Christians. You would label them all terrorists? It would be insensitive if terrorists were building the mosque, but they are not.
but I think due to the events that have happened its understandable people are alarmed and perhaps a little worried when that idea was proposed. -something the people who wanted to build the mosque should have considered if they want to be accepted and respected- it only raises concern that they want to build it near that tragic place.
I just personally think it is a little ridiculous. Do i think we should descriminate against people? no. But it shows a lack of judgement towards people who would be asking to build such a place there; it comes across the wrong way. It seems disrespectful and insensitive. It's not because we hate muslims, but it would rub salt in some people's wounds if they were to build such a facility in that location. What Tony said about the religious teachings is true...not all, but alot of it embraces drastic and violent principals. How would people feel if Nazis wanted to start a church about their beliefs? I doubt that would be looked upon well -especialy if it was in an area where people had been persecuted because of them. It's the same principal. Christians may teach homosexuality is wrong, but it's not a part of that religion to teach killing or physical harm because of those beliefs, So i find that to be a mute point. I see what you're saying about everyone having equal rights, b
Shelly, I think it is more fear than hate.
That's good to hear, Peter. Well, not the first part, but it is good to hear that some people are not blinded by hate. Joan, I have seen footage of where it is going to be built. Interestingly, it's a bit of a walk from Ground Zero.