I chose this article because it hits really close to home mainly because I'm an American-Muslim. Articles like these are especially depressing because it makes me feel like Muslims aren't viewed as equal in the United States. I use to think that only ten percent of the people in America were ignorant and had views like the New York Post writer that says, "...There's no denying the elephant in the room. Neither is there any rejoicing over the mosques proposed for Sheepshead Bay, Staten Island and Ground Zero because where there are mosques, there are Muslims, and where there are Muslims, there are problems." But recently I feel like these feelings of fear and insecurities have increased in the public and for the most part I think it's because of the American Muslims that are so afraid to stand up for what Islam really preaches and to raise awareness in Americans. I think that this community center would be really helpful for that very reason, it might actually raise awareness in the people. In all honesty just the fact that they have an idea is bringing up so much debate that it is bringing the truth about what Islam truly is. That's not all though I think that a properly run establishment will also teach Muslims how to better the relations between Muslims and the rest of Americans. In all honesty the Muslim people are the ones to blame for the outlook that the rest of the world has of them. Especially the younger generation that didn't stand up for what they believe in and let everybody believe that all Muslims are "terrorists" and not just a very small percentage.
Lou Ann Zelenik warned, "Until the American Muslim community find it in their hearts to separate themselves from their evil, radical counterparts, to condemn those who want to destroy our civilization and will fight against them, we are not obligated to open our society to any of them. " I think this lady is so ridiculous! She is basically saying because of a few radicals that we shouldn't be civilized towards any of them. So if that is true should we not be civilized towards any white men because they were radical towards all colored people and until all of them stop being racist and stop committing hate crimes they shouldn't be allowed to assimilate into a society that is made up of immigrants.
I can see how this might be a difficult issue to deal with because everyone is so patriotic about 9/11 and that is understandable but to read some of the comments that people left about this article really to me is hard to believe. How do people have so much hate for a certain religion and still live amongst them on a day to day basis? Are they just being fake? Either way I think that if people look at this community center more positively, as to improve the current relation between American Muslims and everybody else I think this is the first step that is necessary to better the relation. And if the location is such a big deal just put it somewhere else. I don't think that's what matters and if that's what is holding this project back than I think it might just be another thing for the media to talk about.
