By Thomas Hair

Staff Writer

When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution in 1787, America was envisioned as the pinnacle of freedom, where one could practice their religion without fear. Now, protestors in New York are challenging that philosophy.

The reason for the commotion is because a mosque – a Muslim place of worship – is being planned near what was formerly the site of the World Trade Center. The proposed “Ground Zero Mosque” has provoked much controversy around the country – to the point that a large number of protestors have been parading the streets in the area surrounding the site of the proposed mosque.

 Many of the protestors defend their views by claiming that Ground Zero is “sacred ground” and a “war memorial”. Although we should not disrespect those that perished on 9/11, the protestors are taking matters to an extreme.

These protestors are behaving as if the mosque is a monument to terrorism. This re-enforces the fact that many Americans are misinformed on the details of the proposed mosque: there is nothing unjust about the misunderstood establishment.

First of all, contrary to common belief, the mosque isn’t being a built on the actual site of what was formerly the World Trade Center, but two blocks away.

Secondly, the proposed mosque, officially called “Park51”, isn’t even a mosque in the normal sense of the word. If someone mentioned a ‘mosque’, you might think of a cacophony of bells and worshippers kneeling in the streets. Park51 is less of a traditional mosque and more of an Islamic community center that includes a mosque among other things, such as recreational facilities, art studios and a September 11^th memorial.

The protestors seem to have the ideal that the mosque will be an anti-American terrorist base, on the soil where thousands were killed by terrorists. The inclusion of a 9/11 memorial as part of the mosque combats the primary focus of the protestors’ argument.

To me, it makes absolutely no sense to deny the construction of this mosque. Doing so would be a flagrant denial of religious freedom.

Those against the mosque displayed ignorance-fueled signs claiming, “All I needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11”, “Islam=Violence and Hate” and “A mosque at ground zero spits on the graves of 9/11 victims”.             

However, there were also some people present defending the religious rights of the Muslims, displaying signs that read “Stop the Hate” and “Do you believe in religious freedom?”

The two groups were passionate, but it never became violent thanks to a large amount of police officers supervising the protest and separating the two groups.

But to me, this conflict is larger than one building: this is just one event contributing to the growing anti-Islam attitude of many Americans. Ever since Islamic radicals shocked the world on 9/11, Muslims have been looked at with increasing suspicion.

I am baffled by how uninformed many Americans are about other cultures and religions. A recent survey by TIME Magazine reports that only 55 percent of people believe that a majority of Muslims are loyal Americans while nearly 30 percent are of the opinion that Muslims should not be allowed to be on the Supreme Court.

The cause of these feelings towards Muslims among Americans seems to be the dogmatism that all Muslims are terrorists and should be held responsible for Al-Qaeda’s treacheries.

This is just plain wrong. Most Muslims here are loyal Americans just like everyone else. In fact, the word Islam means “peace” in Arabic, not violence and hate as many have come to believe.

However, there is a whole other aspect to this mosque debate. I have established that the Muslims should be allowed to build their Islamic Center, but I do not think it would be prudent. Yes, I whole-heartedly believe that they should build Park51 in their selected location, but many people do not.

Robert Kunst, of Miami Beach, protests in front of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, Wednesday, September 8, 2010. Church members there plan to burn copies of the Quran on September 11. Kunst is against building a Mosque near Ground Zero in New York and is also against the burning of the Qurans. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

It is for that reason that I think it would be wiser for the Muslims to build Park51 elsewhere. I’m concerned that people like the Anti-Islam protestors marching around in the street would surely be a danger to innocent citizens trying to use the facility. Recently mosques have been burnt down in multiple states, including New York.

A faction of Anti-Park51 protestors in Florida plan to burn hundreds of Korans, the Islam holy book. The radical group is doing this in protest of the Ground Zero Mosque, as can be seen the photo to the right.

This disturbs me, and I think that if Park51 is completed, fires or worse may devastate the facility and those who use it.  Although I support the rights of the Muslims to build Park51 wherever they desire, I think they should consider at length choosing a location farther from Ground Zero, for their own sake.

That way, the protestors would be somewhat satisfied, the Muslims would get their community center, and there would be less risk of vandalism or injury. It works out nicely for everybody!

Of course, if the Muslims in New York insist on their proposed location, that is perfectly okay; it is their right and it is in no way dishonoring the lives lost on September 11.

Every day in school we recite the end of the pledge of allegiance, “…with liberty and justice for all.” We must take these words to heart and allow these New York Muslims their unalienable right to worship where they choose.