New York City is often considered one of the most culturally diverse and progressive cities in the world, but a paradoxical shadow of Islamophobia has been cast over New York and the rest of the United States.
A proposed cultural center and mosque located just a few blocks from Ground Zero has given way to a debate about religious freedoms and cultural appropriateness. Protesters, among other voices of dissent, are calling this center an attack on American values.
Echoing much of the same disapproval, New York Congressional candidate Ryan Brumberg said, “It’s interesting; Imam says he’s trying to build a community center to have interfaith relations. If that’s actually what he cared about he would move the mosque 20 blocks away, 30 blocks away and have so much goodwill toward the community.”
This argument comes up quite a bit. People are saying that it’s not a matter of whether or not this mosque should be built, but rather where it should be built. However, this issue is not really about zoning, but an extension of non-Muslim Americans equating Islam with terrorism.
Looking at current domestic news, one might even question who the real terrorists are. Since July alone, equipment at the site of a future mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn., was set ablaze; a brick was thrown at an Islamic center in California, along with signs that were placed outside reading, “Wake up America, the enemy is here” and “No temple for the god of terrorism;” Dar El-Eman Islamic Center in Arlington, Texas was set on fire; five teenagers were arrested near Lake Ontario, N.Y., after they sideswiped the son of a Waterport mosque’s founder; and lastly, a Muslim cab driver in New York City had his throat and face slashed in what is believed to be a hate crime for the driver’s religious affiliation.
September 11, the root of a lot of this anti-Muslim dialogue, is quickly approaching. Many people spend this day mourning those lost, but one church in Gainesville, Fla., has different plans. Instead of spending the day reflecting on the events that occurred nine years ago the Dove World Outreach Center has decided to hold a Quran burning.
Rev. Terry Jones of Dove World Outreach Center told Fox News, “We realize that this action would probably offend Muslims. Just like I am offended when they burn the Bible or when they burn the American flag. What we are aiming at is that radical element that we feel is much larger than our politicians want us to believe.”
While Terry Jones and members of Dove World Outreach Center believe that the best way to conquer radicalism is with radicalism, Gen. Petraeus and members of the Obama Administration feel differently.
Gen. Petraeus has gone on record saying, “Images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan—and around the world—to inflame public opinion and incite violence. Such images could, in fact, be used as were the photos from [Abu Ghraib]. And this would, again, put our troopers and civilians in jeopardy and undermine our efforts to accomplish the critical mission here in Afghanistan.”
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, at a dinner marking the end of Ramadan, “Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. Many of you know that in 1790, George Washington wrote to a synagogue in Newport, R.I., that this country will give ‘to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance’.”
According to The Guardian, “The real story of Islam in America can be found in this room and rooms across America. We write it tonight in the spirit of fellowship and the celebration of goodwill that is a hallmark of Ramadan. We will write it in the months and years to come as we continue to reach out to engage people around the world in a search for common ground, common understanding and common respect.”
As we progress towards the ninth anniversary of 9/11, let’s not continue spreading hate and bigotry upon our fellow Americans, or fellow humans for that matter. Let’s instead yearn to quench the hunger for common ground and give the proper respect to everyone regardless of their religious beliefs.
Michael Patrick is a junior majoring in political science.
