Muslim Americans’ Rights
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010I’m often left verbally paralyzed at the brash audacity of some people to even think such irrational views much less state them in public forums. A case in point: One fellow said that allowing a mosque new ground zero would be like asking a Jew to fly a German flag on his (the Jew’s) door. Well, once I caught my breath, I replied that his statement did not answer my original question as to how far away the mosque should be to appease the opposition. Besides I told him, there are many Jews living in Germany who proudly display German flags on their doors. In fact, few Jews blame all Germans for the Holocaust.
He then said that anywhere in NYC is too close. The mosque, he suggested should be placed outside the city. Then a woman chimed in, “Put it in New Jersey.” So I asked: What about the Muslim AMERICANS that live in NYC? Are you suggesting that we should deny them a mosque ANYWHERE in their hometown?
Then, he further stymied me by suggesting that there’s no such thing as a Muslim American; saying that these people are here because they chose to be here. Hmmmm. As if one’s choosing to be an American citizen means that we can bully them into submission at will, like what’s being done with the Muslim mosque visionaries. So I asked him if he meant to say that a Muslim can’t be an American citizen by virtue of the simple fact that he’s Muslim. Is there in fact, such a thing as a Jewish American, or an Israeli American, or an African American? If these exist, then why not a Muslim American? He did not respond further. But another learned fellow added that excluding Muslims from American citizenry is akin to what was done to the Jew, Italian, Catholic, et al, American immigrants. These all, he noted, have contributed greatly to the American ways of freedom and eclectic culture so enjoyed today. In fact, it’s their decision to make their homes in America that grants them the right practice their religions where they like. In fact, that’s why many of them come here in the first place.
The woman in this discussion then said that she was concerned about the safety of anyone who would worship at the ground zero mosque, and I replied that people’s safety is a legitimate concern. But if they decide that they’re willing to take the risk, should they not be allowed to do so? Besides, northern New Jersey isn’t that far from NYC. Do you really think a few miles more distance would really make the mosque much safer? She said yes.
Well, I do not share her certainty on that point. I mean, with New Jersey so close, it would be too easy for the anti-Muslim zealots to drive across the bay and wreak havoc.
Further, this mosque is to serve the Muslim community that has resided in lower Manhattan for decades. So she would have those people drive extra miles each time they wanted to use the mosque in NJ, for decades to come, all in the name of SENSITIVITY? Pardon me. But if so, then that seems quite selfish to me.
Perhaps one ride or two or three on the train is not unreasonable. But you’re asking many Muslim Americans to make that trip, at least once or twice per week, or however often they wish to worship, for as long as this mosque will stand (de…cades or perhaps even centuries). In so doing, we’d be making it harder (less convenient) for Muslims to worship at their community mosque; especially since that community mosque would not even be in their community. This is tantamount to picking on Muslims; bullying them in fact. Indeed, this resembles blatant DIS-favoritism of a particular religion; something that’s never supposed to happen in the USA under ANY circumstances. But then, bullies are typically not known for their broad world views of tolerance.
Why must we always have this same fight? First it was the blacks, then it was women, then the Japanese, then homosexuals, and now, it’s Muslims. Will people NEVER get the idea that this emotion-based “gut feel” oppression never wins in the end? I mean, in Jim Crow days, the same sorts of arguments were made against blacks using the same restrooms as whites and attending the same schools. “We find them sharing our restrooms offensive.” Imagine if that sentiment had been allowed to stand.
I guess some folks just have an innate need to repress. But now that laws have been enacted to make illegal the bullying of blacks and women based on their race and sex, these bullies find other groups to pick on, that laws do not yet protect fully. So they’ve moved on to gays and Muslims. Hmmm. I wonder what these bullies will do once they run out of groups to muscle?
Fortunately, the law protects the rights of these Muslim Americans to build the mosque wherever they wish so long as they comply with local laws and customs, and so far, no one has filed suit to stop the progress of this project. So the opposition really has no leg to stand on, unless they can convince the Imam not to build there. If they can’t, then they’ll just have to suck it up and learn to be more tolerant.
It occurs that I’m not a very good debater. It’s just that in this case, I have the easier argument. That is, it’s much easier to argue for liberty and freedom than for oppression and undue restrictions. If we must have churches, mosques, and any other places of worship, then where they’re built should be decided fairly and without any sort of phobia to destroy the fairness of the decision. America is about freedom of religion, and to restrict where Muslims build their mosques violates this basic tenant of our society here in the US.