The blogosphere has been exploding for the last few weeks or so over this, a proposed plan to build a Muslim community center a couple blocks from Ground Zero in New York. Mostly, the debate has been like this:
Pro: It's private property, they can do as they please. It's not like they're hurting anyone. It's just going to be a YMCA-type center.
Con: Them Islamofascists is, well, fascists! Ruining the sacredness of our country's Christian values, and doing it right near where they attacked us! Rawr!
Pro: Uh, Islam isn't a monolith. We were attacked by Al Qaeda, not the entire Muslim faith. And last time we checked, America isn't just a Christian country. Says so right in the Constitution, under "freedom of religion." And again, private property. So yeah.
Con: But-but-but Osama bin Laden! Saddam Hussein! Traditional values!!!
Pro: Sigh. This isn't even a new thing, having Muslim gathering places in lower Manhattan. You do realize that there are already two mosques located a few blocks from Ground Zero, don't you? They're completely overloaded, and the cultural center would be taking the burden off of them. The existing mosques have been there for years.
Con: *Head explodes*
[I might have paraphrased the pundits' opinions slightly.]
I don't think I have anything more to add to the debate, other than emphasizing the point about hey, it's private property, they can do what they want with it. End of argument.
Also, no one seems to be listening to the Imam heading the project, as he continues to reassure people that the purpose of the center is to "push back the extremists" and "[send] the opposite statement to what happened on 9/11." Interesting, if by interesting you mean terribly predictable. Of course the silly little Muslim man can't decide for himself whether it's wise to build the center there. That would be assuming that he has, like, agency or something! Oh, wait...
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