The proposed Mosque near ground zero in New York has been quite the controversy. This topic is controversial, because preventing the Mosque from being built is a violation against the First Amendment in the Constitution. However at the same time, the extremist beliefs from the Muslim religion that became the root to the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and having that reminder near Ground Zero is seen as disrespect.
This is a gray area because if we dictate and prevent people from building their church or temple, where will it stop? It would not just end with the Muslims, this issue can lead on to other religions as well. It is understandable to be upset and insulted that the very religion that encouraged that terrible event is to be near the very place it occurred. As for the ones who want to build the mosque near Ground Zero does not make sense. Why they would want to face that much protest is incomprehensible.
After the terrorist attacks, some people were very intolerant of Muslims. There was slander, defamation and vandalism against those who have the Muslim faith. American Muslims received the but-end of the intolerance of their beliefs because of the terrorist attacks. The same thing happened with the Japanese in Pearl Harbor. After the attack, Japanese Americans were taken to concentration camps, because they were seen as a threat even though they weren't. The attacks from Japan had nothing to do with Japanese Americans, but people did not see it that way because they were blinded from anger, resentment and shock. It is the same with the Muslims, those terrorists have nothing to do with Muslim Americans, but like WWII some Americans won't be able to see that for a while.
I once saw a documentary on 30 Days about a Christian living with American Muslims for 30 days. When the family explained their beliefs to the Christian man, they said that their faith is about peace and good will. They also said that the terrorist attacks are not apart of their faith but instead it is taken to the extreme. An analogy would be like the extremism in Christianity with hypocrisy and legalism.
The people who want to build the Mosque near Ground Zero should consider the feelings the victims of 9/11 and realize that America will probably not accept the Mosque near the place where tragedy arose due to the Muslim faith. At this angle it is seen as adding an insult to injury.
This is hard topic to tackle because in the legal sense they have the right to practice their religion and establish a place of worship. However in the moral sense, they should not be able to have it near ground zero. If they built their Mosque somewhere else in New York, I don't think it would be such an uproar because there are Mosques all over the country.
For the sack of safety, it would probably be best not to build a Mosque near Ground Zero, because if they do there will probably be more protests, violence or riots due to intolerance. In the sense of the big picture, can Americans tell other religions what they can or cannot do when the Constitution says they have that right? Wouldn't it be hypocritical to attack one religion but practice whatever religion they choose without protest? Where would the line be drawn? This incident will not stop at the Muslim faith, but instead spread to other aspects in our daily lives.
