The relevance is that the so-called "hallowed ground" is not, in fact, so hallowed as demonstrated by its surroundings. But the more appropriate response is to ask why should anyone answer your questions when you never answer theirs?
NY dems must be afraid of the same thing: Rep. Michael Arcuri, a Democratic incumbent in NY-24, came out against the project. Rep. Tim Bishop [D-NY], whose NY-1 district has three GOP challengers duking it out, said, "As a New Yorker, I believe ground zero is sacred ground and should unite us. If the group seeking to build the mosque is sincere in its efforts to bring people together, I would urge them to seek an alternative location which is less divisive. I dispute the wisdom of building at that location, not the constitutional right." Rep. Steve Israel, the Democrat in NY-2, said, "While they have a constitutional right to build the mosque, it would be better if they had demonstrated more sensitivity to the families of 9/11 victims. I urge them to do so before proceeding further." NY-13 Democratic Rep. Mike McMahon: “We have seen very clearly in the past weeks that building a mosque two blocks from ground zero will not promote necessary interfaith dialogue, but will continue to fracture the faiths and citizens of our city and this country. As such, I am opposed to the construction of the Cordoba Center at the currently-proposed location and urge all parties to work with local community leaders to find a more appropriate site. “Muslim Americans deserve the right to practice their faith — as we all do. I believe a new location is the right compromise so that Muslim Americans can worship without eliciting feelings that push us away from our country's basic tenet of religious acceptance while the families of 9/11 victims obtain the peace of mind they deserve.”
Duh. They are similarly afraid of actively pursuing a pro gay rights agenda and for similar reasons. The GOP makes bogeymen (of Muslims, gays and immigrants), the public responds favorably to hate rhetoric and the Democrats lay down for it. I vote with the p***y party because it is the least of evils. You vote in lockstep with the party of hate and intolerance. You must be so proud.
I missed the million posts in which you similarly oppose all house of worship for Christians and Jews based on the atrocities that have been committed in the names of their gods.
as Jon Stewart put it so well... You Can Build A Catholic Church Next To A Playground -- But Should You?
No, actually I'm right. 1) You claim you would object to a strip club on the grounds that strip club patrons used their love of lap dances as a pretext to committing an act of terrorism. 2) The above is clearly meant as an analogy to the fact that the 9/11 terrorists used Islam as a pretext for their attack. 3) Therefore, your logic implies that those who commit acts of terror in the name of some ideal (Islam or strip clubbery) are making a statement for the entirety of that ideal, including all others who would employ the ideal for otherwise peaceful purposes. 4) Further, by holding all adherents of Islam responsible for the actions of a few murderous ones, you have exposed yourself (numerous times in this thread and in others) as a bigot. QED
It's sad that I have to spell it out for you. America has a concept called freedom of religion. You can practice your religion, whatever it may be, wherever and whenever you like. It's a founding concept of the United States. Islam is a religion. Thus, Islam can be practiced anywhere. This is the legality aspect which, I think we can all agree, does not come into play here. The cultural center would be perfectly legal. So what does come into play? Most people are claiming an Islamic cultural center would be "insensitive" to the 9/11 victims. Why? Why is it insensitive to build it 2 blocks from Ground Zero? What could the answer to the question of "Why?" be? Well, let's brainstorm: "Muslims flew the planes into the Twin Towers on 9/11." Yes, they were of the Muslim faith, but it was a skewed, vicious, crazy and extremist form which 99%+ of Muslims would denounce as being valid. Muslims didn't crash into the buildings; extremist crazies that used the Muslim faith as a scapegoat did. What other answers to the "Why?" might you have? If you cannot accept my reasoning for the first answer being invalid, please explain. Perhaps you're hung up on the terrorists parading under the guise of Islam and lumping all Muslims under that umbrella? Well, then you'd be a bigot.
again, wrong. i'm not holding all muslims responsible for 9/11, nor would i hold myself responsible were strip club patrons to suddenly morph into al queda. a mosque there would be a powerful symbol to the fascists who attacked us, and an affront to those who died that day. if the goal is truly reconciliation, prove it, and move it. btw, you know Imam Feisal has said the US is partly to blame for 9/11- reconcile that.
is this guy a bigot? I cannot imagine that Muslims want a mosque on this particular site, because it will be turned into an arena for promoters of hatred, and a symbol of those who committed the crime. At the same time, there are no practicing Muslims in the district who need a place of worship, because it is indeed a commercial district. . . . The last thing Muslims want today is to build just a religious center out of defiance to the others, or a symbolic mosque that people visit as a museum next to a cemetery. . . . [T]he battle against the 11 September terrorists is a Muslim battle…and this battle still is ablaze in more than 20 Muslim countries. Some Muslims will consider that building a mosque on this site immortalizes and commemorates what was done by the terrorists who committed their crime in the name of Islam. I do not think that the majority of Muslims want to build a symbol or a worship place that tomorrow might become a place about which the terrorists and their Muslim followers boast, and which will become a shrine for Islam haters whose aim is to turn the public opinion against Islam.
Bush seemed carefree as he spoke about the books he was reading, the work he was doing on his nearby ranch, his love of hot-weather jogging, his golf game and his 55th birthday. oops.
Deckard brought up the McDonalds next to Ground Zero, you brought up the Subway and I am bringing up p*rn distributors to show that there are all types of businesses and institutions around Ground Zero. If Ground Zero is sacred ground then I would think that people should be more upset about having a strip joint near it than a place of worship.
True and I think Bloomberg phrased it very eloquently. I would agree if I didn't know much about DonnyMost's posting habits. He has a long record of being hostile to religion in general and based on that I don't think he is singling out Islam in particular here. This just happens to be the particular issue he is applying his ideology at the moment.
