On The NY Islamic Community Center a Few Blocks Away From “Ground Zero”:
The U.S. Constitution guarantees our right to peaceably assemble, worship as we choose, and own private property. These rights do not change because fringe extremists using religion as a political tool committed horrible crimes.
The criminals that committed the bombing are as much a representative of Islam as Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were a representative for all white Christians. Or James von Brunn, Scott Roeder, Ted Kaczynski, Eric Rudolph, Richard Poplawski, and don’t forget what the Christians did to the Native Americans….- All terrorists, all white Christians.
Should we hold them as the standard for those demographics? Should deny all the people (whites, Christians) who have any of those things in common with them their basic Liberties? Should we deny churches to be built anywhere near where these atrocities took place?
Should we not allow people to fallow teachings that teach love, respect, and self control because a fringe few ostensibly used the dubious cause of religion to carry out acts of violence (which by the way is against the teachings in all major religions)?
Muslims DID NOT attack this country. Fringe extremist groups that use religion as a recruiting tool did. To try and condemn an ENTIRE religion because of actions by isolated fanatics reveals one’s own intolerance and a prejudiced double standard stacked onto the freedoms put fourth by our Bill of Rights.
Update:
Study: Contemporary Mosques Are A Deterrent To The Spread Of Terrorism
A two-year study by a group of academics on American Muslims and terrorism concluded that contemporary mosques are actually a deterrent to the spread of militant Islam and terrorism. The study was conducted by professors with Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and the University of North Carolina. It disclosed that many mosque leaders had put significant effort into countering extremism by building youth programs, sponsoring anti-violence forums and scrutinizing teachers and texts.
