debate over Park 51

OK! So there is this whole debate over the Park 51 Project. The Park 51 Project is a proposed Islamic Cultural site on Park Place in lower Manhattan, just two blocks from the site of the 9/11 tragedies at the World Trade Center. Ok I realize the huge controversy over this because a $100 million project is being proposed by Muslim funders right by a site that was attacked by Muslim extremists only a little over 9 years ago. But let's remember a few things: 1) Muslim extremists attacked us on 9/11..extremists who only represent a VERY VERY tiny fraction of a religion that is actually peaceful. 2) it is a CULTURAL site not a jihad training camp. 3) there are 1.7 billion Muslims in the world; approximately 1 million of those muslims live in NYC. (one million people deserve their rights to free practice their religion). I am not advocating for or against this project because I honestly can see both sides of the argument very well.

The chair of Islamic Studies at the American University in D.C; Akbar Ahmed thinks its absurd to blame all the Muslims for 9/11 however he said this: "I don't think the Muslim leadership has fully appreciated the impact of 9/11 on America. They assume Americans have forgotten 9/11 and even, in a profound way, forgiven 9/11, and that has not happened. The wounds remain largely open [...] and when wounds are raw, an episode like constructing a house of worship—even one protected by the Constitution, protected by law—becomes like salt in the wounds". While Ahmed makes an excellent point that the wounds remain open, we can't forever blame an entire religion for the actions of what amounts to be a ridiculously small percentage of radical Islamic extremists.

And for that reason that Akbar Ahmed presents, I can see the argument for moving the mosque to an alternate location. I do not believe that it has to be only two blocks from such a tragic accident that took the lives of so many innocent civilians and attempted to ruin our economic infrastructure. I read in an article just yesterday that the King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah is in talks with New York City officials to buy space at an unused hospital in the west village to use as an alternative space for the Park51 project. It is interesting that this article even mentions the king's name because prior to this the Saudi King was quoted for not wanting anything to do with this project. I guess it is an attempt to show that Muslims are still mourning the tragedies of 9/11 also. That is something one must remember---Muslims died in 9/11 as well (and I am not talking about the terrorists). I am talking about actual Muslim civilians who worked hard and loved this country too.

But on the same hand, I feel that even if the project is moved to an alternate sight someone will find a reason to say that the cultural center does not belong there either. With a war in Afghanistan and a war in Iraq and constant threats from Islamic extremists, I feel as though Americans are growing more and more Islamophobic with each passing second. It is just really sad because this project is meant to show that Muslims are NOT all terrorists and that NOT all Muslims hate Americans.

It is interesting who is condemning the project and who is supporting it. Ted Olson, former Solicitor General who lost his wife on 9/11 supports Park 51 proposal. He said "we don't want to turn an act of hate against us by extremists into an act of intolerance for people of religious faith." A woman who lost her son on 9/11 said that today its Islam and tomorrow it will be another religion. She is exactly right. Today Muslims are ostracized and a few decades ago it was the Russians; before that it was the Japanese. I am in no way saying "oh poor Muslims. Boo hoo. we are so discriminated against. we are so hated. oh feel bad for us." That is not what I am saying. However, at some point this has got to stop. Hatred and racism will not get America anywhere. Haven't we already learned our lessons?

We also need to put aside our emotions for one second and look at it from a civil rights standpoint...from a legal standpoint. Muslims residing in America are protected under the Constitution of the United States of America whether people like it or not. They have the right to practice their religion as they please. This cultural center is an attempt to accomodate the approximately ONE MILLION Muslims that reside in New York City.

Maybe one day America will live up to its motto of land of the FREE. We are supposed to be the melting pot...especially New York City.