Lets do a little reading, shall we?
A controversial mosque and Islamic center to be built some 600 feet from Ground Zero cleared its last legal hurdle this week, winning approval from New York’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. It also won the endorsement of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who insisted, “I believe that this is as important a test of the separation of church and state as we may see in our lifetime, and it is critically important that we get it right.”
A raging controversy is going on all over America over the construction of a mosque and religious center near Ground Zero, Manhattan, New York. Ground Zero was the sight of ill fated twin towers where three thousand innocent people were killed on 9/11. At a cost of $150 million, the present mosque which is two blocks away from GZ in an innocuous, obscure private low rise building that used to be a coat factory outlet, would be converted into a 13 story building consisting of mosque, religious center, a 500-seat auditorium, a library and a pool. The mosque management says it will be modeled on the Y.M.C.A. and Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. The new building will have no religious markings, no dome, and not even a minaret. It will not look like a traditional Mosque. Till recently the project was going smoothly as more than a dozen government departments including New York City Commission had approved the plan and New York’s Mayor, Bloomberg gave his unequivocal support to the project. The timing of approval procedure of the mosque project was perhaps crucial. Faisal Shehzad’s arrest for terrorist activities had created a country wide concern for security and focal point of criticism was what is called ‘Islamic terrorism.’ As soon as the building plan was announced, attention was turned towards the mosque and people of different shades and opinions started denouncing it. Some groups, political leaders and media outlets joined the opponents saying that the building of the mosque near GZ would adversely touch upon sensibilities of relatives of those killed on 9/11. They feel it is an affront to those killed on 9/11. In their opinion the mosque “is a deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of Allah.”
Note:
Two types of response are found to the proposal.
One is the people who see it as a very positive act and think that it will dissolve the differences that have arouse between major religions of the world, as assured by Imam Faisal. They don’t consider it a political but a social act to bring people of different religions closer and don’t find it a threat to their security. Those who think that people from all casts and religion should have complete freedom:
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ~Benjamin Franklin
The second kind of people are those who consider it nothing, but a serious threat to them. Basically lead by a stream of politicians and religious leaders. They are having arguments such as:
“so many Muslim leaders have failed to speak out against radical Islam, against the attacks” & “The mosque might end up being funded by radicals”.
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