JapanForum.com - Mosque at Ground Zero

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Quote:

Originally Posted by noodle (Post 824399)

I'm a bit split on this... Being a Muslim myself, I witness pure ignorance everyday when it comes to Islam, even among my friends who supposedly take interest in my culture and belief. I'm generally the type of person that will never try to teach my belief to someone, and perhaps it's not good, but I usually prefer letting people do their own research. In reality, unless people see something on TV concerning the subject, they'll never go on google and research about it, hence the result of mass ignorance!

The point I'm getting at is that, this centre would be a great way to inform the types of people that I can't be bothered to inform, but at the same time, this centre will re-hatch all the negative sentiments a lot of these ignorant people have. So I guess, it's a good way to try to teach that the fundamentals of Islam has nothing to do with 9/11, but it's a risky way of doing it, because it might backfire and end up reigniting the discrimination that has been spread for the past 9 years. After 9/11, it was very tough for Muslims in America. I'm not speaking from personal experience, but there are two security guards at my building that lived in NY for 20 odd years, have a family, a home etc, but felt they had to move out of the US and come to France. They miss the US, the US is their home and they hope to move back one day, but controversies like this, will surely end up delaying the return to or at least openness of Muslims in America.

I fail to see how it would rehatch negative sentiments.

In fact it only seems to be a controversy because the republicans want to turn it into a political point scoring issue.

As MMM said... it was approved unanimously by the city.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyororin (Post 824400)

Erm, I am of the opinion that this topic itself is seriously skirting the rules. As MMM joined in the discussion, I`ll step back and let him make the call - but we do NOT have religious related discussions on JF.

I would say this is a political discussion more than a religious discussion.

Nobody is talking specifically about their hokey superstitions just yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire (Post 824401)

Maybe I've misunderstood then, because the articles I've read about this seem to point out that opinion polls show that more than 70% of Americans asked are furiously against this. That is not to mention the debates at the bottom of these articles; There are clearly huge negative sentiments towards Muslims, and they use this issue as ammunition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noodle (Post 824403)

Oh really?

Well Im thinking that we might have a chicken and egg dilemma as to which came first. The public outcry or the Republican propaganda.

Based on MMMs point about the city council though. Im inclined to believe the latter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMM (Post 824395)

Why?

Please explain that.

It is blocks from G0, and that means there are dozens of shops and buildings between the actual G0 and the location that is being proposed for this Islamic Cultural Center, which has been approved unanimously by the City Council committee in charge of these kinds of things.

I mean if there would be any problem about built it near G0, just build it farther away that's all. Why would you got to risk having some ignorant Americans bring chaos to the mosque. Anyway I don't have any hatred to the Muslim myself. Sorry for some confusion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qayin (Post 824408)

You might be right. Assuming there are other suitable locations, it would be easier for them to move somewhere else perhaps.

But for me at least, there is a principle at stake here.

A Quote from Barack Obama's Ground Zero mosque plea will cost him and the Democrats votes - Telegraph

According to a CNN-Opinion Research poll released this week, nearly 70 per cent of Americans oppose the mosque plan.

Here is another article outlining what I meant. Ground Zero mosque plans 'fuelling anti-Muslim protests across US' | World news | The Guardian

This video has a good point from an American from Muslim descent on his view of this controversy.

YouTube - MSNBC: Cenk On Muslims & Mosque Near Ground Zero

Even with a CNN poll sponsored (assuming it was not funded by another group) I have to wonder who decided to reply. I know that there are conservative groups that absolutely are mobilized to respond to polls of this nature. Many of the people mobilized are so radically uniformed and misinformed in such a way as to play on their biases and racism. It's hard to get 70% agreement on any issue in the US. So I have to remain skeptical about the results. Perhaps we are seeing a gut reaction response via poll that would not bear out in a logical discourse on the issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire (Post 824397)

You do realise that the attempts to have it NOT built are due to the ignorant misconceptions that you claim to discourage right?

That's a very good point, but, once again, I'm not suggesting for it NOT to be built -- just to be built somewhere else. I don't share those specific beliefs, but we do share a somewhat common conclusion: "maybe not there."

The way I see it, a lot has been done to supress certain actions in order to avoid offending certain people. We can't say or do certain things because it can be misinterpreted, even if it was not within our intention. Ironically, one could argue that this also is a form of tolerance of ignorance. From this standpoint, in this case, the party making the decision is a party that has been protected by political correctness, and yet will not simply improvise a more peaceful solution for others when given the option. Whether or not they are ignorant has limited relevance unless, frankly, people are being physically hurt. In which case, I say build-baby-build.

I'm not supporting forcing anyone to do anything -- or not doing anything...
I just dislike the way things are being handled.