amradelamin

The only thing I would add, to sum things up, is the following, which I had initially written on a friend’s facebook wall:

I don’t usually involve myself in these debates but facts are facts. 

1) The site in question is 2 blocks away, not at ground zero.

2) The site in question is already zoned as religious property. In other words, any US registered religion is free to buy this property and use it for lawful religious purposes, whatever the religion may be.

3) The Muslims who want to buy this religious property plan on making it a community/recreational center open to the public. It will include a swimming pool, gym, other sports and recreational facilities as well as a mosque. Again, it will be open to the public.

4) The US Constitution says, to sum it up crudely, that the US government can neither promote nor deny any one religion over another. In other words, just because the US population’s general attitude is anti-Muslim, the US cannot deny Muslims the right to buy property that is clearly zoned for religious use.

5) Islam is an officially registered religion with the US government and the US government recognizes it as such. They have the right to own religious property and act as a proper institutionalized religion, just like the various sects of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and other officially registered and recognized religions.

No legal barriers prevent the Muslim group in question from buying the specific land plot in question. The most vociferous of the people against this are all expressing anti-Islamic sentiment rather than any legitimate legal concerns.

rehaamr:

Absolutely must watch Keith Olbermann special report about the alleged Ground Zero mosque. On the one hand I’m baffled at how slowly and surely America is going insane. On the other, I only wish more Muslims would stand up for the freedom to practice other religions on THEIR land.