The Islamic Center Near Ground Zero

by Little Miss Attila on July 31, 2010

Do we only believe in property rights when it comes to what strikes us as “appropriate”?

I’ve certainly vented about the building of the Islamic center in lower Manhattan, but when I first heard about it, I was told that it was actually at Ground Zero. Later commentaries placed it across the street, and then a block away; that last appears to be closer to the actual truth.

I’m also hearing from some who are supposedly on my side that the presence of particles from 9/11 victims should prompt us, out of sensitivity, to forbid the construction of any sort of monument to Islam. Which sounds great, until you realize what a large area that would really place off-limits to contruction of any project linked to Islam.

At the same time, I’m not sure that questioning the wisdom of this project, or seeing it as borderline-inappropriate, is really “bigotry,” a point that Bruce acknowledges in a backhanded fashion despite his own headline’s evocation of concern that there is anti-Muslim prejudice about the project. And then there is Alex Knapp and his association between opposition to the Islamic Center and Koran-burners. Which is, of course, a huge stretch.

Would I prefer the maximum amount of space between the Islamic center and the footprints of the Twin Towers? Well, yes—I would. Though I doubt that one usually has one’s first choice of real estate in lower Manhattan. Do I think that property rights and freedom of worship are in the upper echelons of rights—right after speech and gun rights? I do. I really do.

Should we all breathe really deeply right now, and try to pick our fights with as much logic as we can muster?

Yes. Yes, we should.

{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Texan99 July 31, 2010 at 7:08 pm

There’s “anti-Muslim prejudice about the project”? I’ll say there is. Why shouldn’t there be? On the other hand, I don’t feel I have the legal right to prevent someone’s building a mosque on private property no matter how offended I am. I have the right to be offended and to do anything I like to protest, and if that makes someone feel like the object of prejudice, tough.

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ponce July 31, 2010 at 7:56 pm

Nice to see your true colors come out, Tex.

Not that was any doubt before.

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Little Miss Attila July 31, 2010 at 8:28 pm

Watch it, Ponce. She has a point: there have been, in Lower Manhattan, a few PR . . . difficulties WRT Islamic outreach.

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The Sanity Inspector July 31, 2010 at 8:33 pm

Intellectually, I think that most of the Muslims involved in this project are probably sincere, in their own notions of bridge-building. Emotionally, I feel that this “center” represents the enemy’s taunting touchdown dance in our endzone.

And why name it “Cordoba House”? The Caliphate of Cordoba was an allegedly golden age in Spain, when people of many religions lived prosperously and harmoniously together, firmly under the rule of Muslims. Why not name the thing “American House” instead? America is a place where people of many religions live prosperously and harmoniously together, minus the being subjugated by Muslims part.

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ponce July 31, 2010 at 9:12 pm

LMA,

Here’s a simple test to see if Tex’s attitude is racist:

Replace the word mosque with church or synagogue and see if you’re offended.

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Darrell July 31, 2010 at 9:16 pm

I don’t feel I have the legal right to prevent someone’s building a mosque on private property no matter how offended I am.

Let’s take the ponce challenge!

I don’t feel I have the legal right to prevent someone’s building a church on private property no matter how offended I am.

Nope. Not offended at all. You lose, ponce. Now go stick your head in the toilet.

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Texan99 July 31, 2010 at 9:19 pm

LMA, if you’re warning him off of something he said to me, no need. I stopped reading ponce’s comments a while back, for reasons I explained at the time.

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ponce July 31, 2010 at 9:28 pm

Haha, Tex was tired of getting his butt wooped.

Darrell,

That’s the spirit!

Let’s reserve our hatred for the violent extremists of every stripe.

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Darrell July 31, 2010 at 9:41 pm

1) Is the building site in the area of 9/11 damage?
Why, yes. Yes it is. The former Burlington Coat Factory building occupying the site was severely damaged by the aftermath collapses of the attack and was condemned and abandoned. Fits the definition of Ground Zero to me.

Giving people a say on what goes into their neighborhood? What’s this country coming to? Next, people will want a voice in all areas that affect their lives! Trust your betters.

Next you will tell me that the Aska Mosque on the Temple Mount and the various mosques on the most sacred sites in Hinduism–dating back thousands of years– are part of some sort of nefarious plan! Just coincidence folks, nothing to see! All that celebration talk on the terrorist websites, gloating that they will choke us with our laws and standards of fair play is just a hat tip to Alinsky and our new Administration. We should be flattered that they follow so closely. We all know that they don’t get record numbers of new recruits with victories like this one they are declaring. Everyone wants to volunteer when they suffer a huge loss, don’t they? It’s human nature or something.

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Trencherbone August 1, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Azmat Hussain August 1, 2010 at 2:40 pm

Darrell your record is pretty poor in this area, seems like you don’t make much difference in the world. I bet you there would be no mosque being built if you were for it. That is what I recommend for you, do the opposite, you might get some success.

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Darrell August 1, 2010 at 4:30 pm

My record in ths area is excellent. You don’t like getting your ass handed to you, though, in an intellectual argument. Then, you think that saying St. Paul was Muslim makes sense, so we have different standards and perspectives.

They may not have these in “Canada” growing up, but the previous entry is an example of sarcasm, sprinkled with irony. Look those up the same place you did “cognitive dissonance.” Wiki says “understanding the subtlety of this usage requires second-order iterpretation of the speaker’s intentions. This sophisticated understanding is lacking in some people with brain damage, dementia and autism, and this perception has been located by MRI in the right parahippocampal gyrus.”

Let’s try a little experiment. Take the Left off the face of the Earth and let’s see how often I am right. It’s like multiplication by zero. No matter how much how many people do so many correct things for so long, when the Left gets involved it all turns to nothing. You can tell by my right parahippocampal gyrus, that I’m serious and telling you the truth.

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Joe August 2, 2010 at 5:54 am

I’m with Tex on this one. These Cordoba Islamic Center folks are up to no good, but if they buy property and follow zoning…well I support first amendment and property rights too. They are entitled to build same as anyone else.

And Ponce, your substitute church scenerio only makes sense if you make the highjacking terrorists who caused 9/11 the same faith too.

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Joe August 2, 2010 at 5:56 am

And I was against the International Freedom Center too. That was a Soros backed secular museum that intended to put 9/11 in context with New World Slavery and Native American genocide. The Cordoba Islamic Center is just a twist on that.

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I R A Darth Aggie August 2, 2010 at 12:24 pm

Well, they should be cognizant of the sensitivities of the “American street”. That does go both ways, right?

On the other hand, if they own the property, and they should be permitted to build what they like, within reason & building codes.

Best of luck finding contractors willing to the work, and even more luck in finding labor (skilled and unskilled) who will be willing to do the work and do it right.

Maybe instead of the sensitivities of the “American street”, they should consider the sensitivities of the Iron Workers Local, many of whom helped dismantle the wreckage of the Twin Towers, or know someone who did, or know someone who died there.

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