Dear Editor:
Building a mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero has been a recent news headline that has identified the tender boundaries of our Constitution. But as a United States citizen I oppose the idea of building a mosque strongly. The mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero should NOT be built, it violates and disrespects every lost life of 9/11. I also do have to say that I am not prejudice or have any bad feelings toward the Islamic religion. But to say that I don't find the idea of building a mosque near Ground Zero offensive would be a lie.
It does indeed make it difficult to draw the line from the foreign Muslims to the American Muslims. In fact 35% of Muslims worldwide are American. Constitutional rights state the freedom of religion, but there is also a point to where a human respect should come to mind. Listen to us, it is not only Muslims who can play the American Rights card. Under our beliefs every single person should have their opinion heard. According to our Humanities class research, 67% of Americans people believe that they have the right to build a mosque at Ground Zero, although 71% of Americans state that to build this mosque would be inappropriate. Tell me if I'm not correct, but that is a large amount. Still the inconsiderate ordeal rages on. There are about 1,900 mosques in the United Sates, plenty for the amount of Muslims in the U.S. So why build one so close to a place of tragedy? It is like a bandaged wound, this cruel proposal is just like ripping it off and once again exposing the very sensitive cut in our history.
As Charles Krauthammer writes in Washington Post: “When we speak of Ground Zero as hallowed ground, what we mean is that it belongs to those who suffered and died there – and that such ownership obliges us, the living, to preserve the dignity and memory of the place ... It's why, while no one objects to Japanese cultural centers, the idea of putting one up at Pearl Harbor would be offensive.”
Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six people died that day on 9/11. Why bring up the touchy situation once again? I strongly believe that there are other spots to build a mosque. Why choose this place? Media attention? We don't know, but this definitely was NOT necessary.
Sincerely,
Zoe Thomas
This writer needs to do better research. She states "In fact 35% of Muslims worldwide are American," when IN FACT, only about 2.5 million Muslims live in America (not necessarily all are American citizens), and there are 1.57 billion Muslims in the world, so actually only 1.5% of the world's Muslims live in the United States, not 35%. An error of this magnitude serves to discredit her whole argument.
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