Mosqued Identity

As we ascend the social ladder, viciousness wears a thicker mask." - 
                     Erich Fromm

I don't subscribe to the local papers, I watch a little BBC, CNN, listen to the radio, check in on my favorite web news site daily.  Yesterday on my morning jog with the puppies, I noticed that the Tribune had put out teaser papers along the street to try to get people to subscribe. As I was jogging by I could not help noticing the headline: "Mosque near, not AT Ground Zero." Seriously - it was front page news, with a bold headline.  Where, exactly, has the Trib been for the last 2 months?   And they still didn't get it right.  It is not a Mosque.  It is a community center.  It is not a multi-billion dollar enterprise being funded by foreign terrorist groups.  It is a multi-billion dollar proposal being supported by a community.

This has been one of those things that I watch in the media, abhorred at the crazy rhetoric being bounced around.  More than a little shocked at the twisted turn politicians are taking. We're still in America, right?  Our political leaders are still bound to uphold the tenets of the constitution, right?  Elected officials are to protect the rights of all citizens, right?  If none of that has changed - what is going on?  How is the transformation of an empty building in Manhattan, in a neighborhood that is full of empty buildings into a community center that will provide a public place for gathering, playing (basketball courts and rec areas planned), and yes, prayer, a political issue?  Would we care if it was a Jewish Center?  a Mormon Center? a Catholic Center? a non-demonitational Mega Church Center? Baptist? Cavalry? Hindu? Wiccan? - OK, the last one might get some flack.  

The World Trade Centers were bombed by a terrorist group that use Islamic fundamental rhetoric to incite mayhem, instill loyalty in their followers and fear in the hearts of non-Muslims world wide.  In no way do these people speak, or act, for all Muslims.  And they certainly do not speak for Islamic-Americans. Timothy McVey was Catholic, his act of "Home-grown" terrorism did not filter into hatred of all Catholics.  I wonder if it would have been different if a foreign, Irish Catholic, terrorist group had master-minded the Oklahoma City bombings?  After Pearl Harbor, thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were rounded up and placed in detention facilities. Will we not learn from this?


Separation of Church and State is my favorite principal of our constitution - but it is not an amendment. It is wrapped up pretty firmly in the first amendment - you know, the free speech one: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."  The camps screaming that they can speak out against this non-mosque because of the 1st amendment have no concept that they are trampling all over the 1st amendment rights of others.  I get that public figures, particularly media pundits have a right, a constitutional right, to speak against this thing.  I also get that our constitution allows freedom of all speech, even untruthful speech.  If Dr. Laura wants to drop the N-word on a broadcast, and face the wrath of the public and her producers, that is her business; but, when politicians weigh in with venomous words and misleading "facts," we have a very different problem.

Political figures, when acting in their official capacity - which, face it, is anytime they are in public - exercise free speech to voice personal opinion that does not uphold our constitution, I feel like they violate their station, and my trust. Pundits berated Obama for his support of the non-mosque.  How could he do anything different?  He is the highest elected official in our country - what right has he to any POLITICAL opinion that does not support the founding principals of this great nation?  When he later said that he did not necessarily support the construction of this non-mosque, only their RIGHT to move forward, people jumped all over him for being weak.  How is that weak?  I want politicians that will support my rights, even if they don't share my values           

I almost understand the mob-mentality that makes a witch-hunt seem like the only viable option - but will we never learn?  We are still scared, and hurting, Almost ten years later, blaming the wrong people have cost us thousands of American lives, and disrupted our integrity as a country.  Approximately 10% of the victims of 911 were Muslim-Americans. They are not a grieving community, they are part of our grieving community. Generations of Islamic Americans have enriched our culture and our country.  In large and medium sized cities across America these people stand shoulder to shoulder with us.  They are Teachers, Coaches, Doctors, Shopkeepers, garbage collectors, active members of our police force and military, ambulance drivers and lab techs. You probably do not know who most of them are - it is not necessarily safe for them to be open about their religion.  How sad is it that a country that prides itself on religious freedom has created a culture where your coworker can't feel comfortable starting a conversation about family gatherings at Ramadan while you prattle on about your Christmas dinner?