The New York "Mosque" Controversy II

 I do not understand why it would "disrespect" other loyal Americans for these loyal Americans, just as much victims of Al Qaeda as you or me, to build their center in lower Manhattan where our mutual enemies attacked us. Certainly Muslims in lower Manhattan are as likely as you or me, actually more so I imagine, to know workers at the World Trade Center who were killed in the attacks of 2001. Moderate Muslims are specifically targeted by Al Qaeda.

The Golden Rule is a great way to look at this. When I put myself in the place of an American Muslim I feel the incredible pain of seeing my own countrymen accepting Bin Laden's world view of a war between Americans and Islam instead of a battle against extremists who kill moderate Muslims daily. Putting myself in the place of my Muslim students, parents, and friends -- some of whom had very close relatives murdered by different terrorist, Saddam, BTW -- I would be terribly hurt and insulted and even angry.

Our allies among the Kurds, Shites, and Sunnis in Iraq and Afghanistan must wonder if we can be trusted if we treat even Muslim Americans as if they are "disrespectful" just for using a building in lower Manhattan. Our soldiers include loyal American Muslims and are fighting alongside Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq. What message are the folks so vehemently opposing the "Mosque" sending the moderates?

I say again: Bin Laden must be chuckling at his unwitting allies. I believe that the vociferous opponents of this building are helping Bin Laden estrange Muslims from America. They are helping him create extremists. If they can't support it, they should be silent, in my opinion, because, even if they were right that it would be best not built, it is counterproductive, divisive, and helps Bin Laden achieve his goals to continue to alienate our allies among the Muslims. If we agree they have the right to build it, then how does insulting them help our cause?

The better response to the announcement of the building, however, would have been: "Good for these folks! This demonstrates that America will not fall into Bin Laden's trap. We actually believe in the words of our founding documents. See OBL, you creepy medieval rabid dog, reasonable Muslims are not on your side. They believe in America and want to help lower Manhattan recover from your evil."