Where's the Outrage?

Some words of wisdom from someone who lost his wife in the 9/11 attacks.

I remember taking calculus as a senior in high school. I would like to say that it was all Greek to me, but I think that Greek would be much easier to understand. I simply didn’t get it. Calculus did not resemble any of the math I had learned up until that point. In spite of the fact that it used some algebra and geometry and elementary functions, I was drowning in the abstract concepts.

The “controversy” over this mosque is hitting me the same way. I don’t get it. Al Qaeda brought down the Twin Towers and Al Qaeda is a radial offshoot of the Islamic faith. Therefore, a mosque should not be built within two blocks of the Ground Zero? Really? I understand that emotions are running high. All Americans feel an emotional attachment to the Twin Towers, Ground Zero and 9/11. For several months in late 2001, we were all New Yorkers. Everyone was glued to their TVs.

Policy should not be made based on emotional feelings. Policy should be made based on sound fundamental principles. We can find many of those principles within our Constitution. We know that our forefathers fled Europe in order to practice religion the way they wanted to practice it. Because religious freedom is important to all Americans, it is written into our constitution. The Constitution clearly says — freedom of religion. We also have the right to own property. So a religious group would like to place a religious structure on private land. What’s the big deal?

I’ve been told that various factions both inside and outside of New York don’t think that building a mosque that close to Ground Zero is a good idea. So? Unless the mosque is going to be built with federal, state or local funds, it is a private enterprise. To my way of thinking, if you really don’t want a mosque there, then you need to buy the property. Maybe you should ask Rupert Murdoch to lend you the money.

I’ve also been told that Hamas supports building a mosque. I don’t care what Hamas thinks. They are terrorist organization that does not influence policy here in the United States. We should follow our rules and our laws. (Oh, and Governor Paterson should stay out of this. Nothing good can come from jumping in the middle of this insanity. Howard Dean, what happened?!?!? Did you get hit on the head? Can we revoke his liberal license?)

Finally, how close to Ground Zero can you build a mosque without this controversy? If two blocks is too close, how ’bout five blocks? If five blocks is too close, how about 10 blocks? Where is the line? Should we put it to a vote? I find this whole controversy a complete and total distraction from the important issues that grip our country. We need jobs. Those of us who have jobs need a living wage. We need clean energy. We need the economy to get better. We need to bring our troops home from two ineffectual wars. Yet, here we are, fixated on a mosque being built on private land two blocks from Ground Zero. This whole argument makes just as much sense as calculus did back in high school.

BTW, I’ll be on Local Edge Radio at 4 pm EST, today! Check me out.

Tags: Al Qaeda, Religion // 8 Comments »