COLUMN: To build, or not to build
We destroyed two of their countries, destabilized their entire region, and caused the deaths of tens of thousands of their innocent women and children. Throw in trillions of dollars, an inept American government and you have the perfect recipe to recruit young jihadists to blow themselves up in the name of radical Islam. Sadly, however, this has not been the case for the last few weeks. Rather than government typically screwing up and forcing all of us to suffer the consequences, this time we’re the ones screwing ourselves over.
In the last couple of weeks we have been talking about the Ground Zero mosque and whether it should or should not be built. And by talking, I mean watching angry people yell at each other over the television and seeing protesters marching around Ground Zero on 9/11.
Sadly for us, terrorist aren’t stupid. People like Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born turned jihadi-whackjob, have been posting videos for al-Qaida in English. What’s their take on all of this? The spectacularly powerful message that America is at war with Islam.
And you know what, they might be right, at least in the eyes of those living in the Middle East. Awlaki is a smart guy. He’s been using the opposition to the mosque to advance al-Qaida. What better recruitment tool is there than the image of Americans protesting Muslims’ promotion of peaceful religious co-existence and understanding?
The extent of the opposition to the mosque has the state department in full force trying to limit damage control. They’re desperately trying to convince Muslims abroad and here at home that we are not at war with their religion. They understand the consequences if their message fails to get across.
This is why we must build the Ground Zero mosque. This is the single greatest opportunity to build a bridge to the Muslim community. If we are sincere in our beliefs of peaceful religious coexistence with Islam, the time to stand up is now. If we sit down, then we have allowed terrorist such as Awlaki to determine what our image is in the Middle East and recruitment will never be a problem again.
Sadly, the media doesn’t get this and has been relentless in its negative coverage about the mosque. In Florida the religious nut-job Pastor Terry Jones publicly announced his plans to burn Qurans on the ninth anniversary of 9/11.
Instead of ignoring this idiot and moving on to more pressing issues, the president of the bloody United States weighed in his opinion, as did General Petraeus and a lovely call from the FBI. In the end, Jones called off the event. But no worries, the Westboro Baptist Church – you know them, the crazy ones that protest at military funerals – burned Qurans for the hell of it anyways.
The reason why so many Americans –68 percent– oppose the mosque is the intellectually dishonest arguments perpetuated by the media.
Example: “Ground Zero Mosque supporters: doesn’t it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate.” – (hint, the the tweeter begins with Sarah and ends with Alin)
The fact of the matter is that the Ground Zero mosque has been distorted and twisted to bring out the worst emotion in all of us, insecurity.
This mosque is less of a mosque than an Islamic community center with venues such as a swimming pool, theater, culinary school, a Sept. 11 memorial, as well as a prayer space. It is this prayer space that is at the center of the controversy. The only reason why it is included is due to the inadequate number of mosques for Muslims to pray in. Don’t let the media fool you that this is strictly a mosque. This community center including the prayer space is open to all religions.
As for the Ground Zero part of the name? Also a distortion. This community center will not be located on Ground Zero. Hell, it can’t even been seen from ground zero. The proposed center is located two blocks away in an abandoned building.
But what really pisses me off is when some 9/11 families say they will suffer from the unseen Islamic community center two blocks away from ground zero. They say it would be insensitive for it to be so close. I’m sorry, but this fear and insecurity is due to their own bigotry and Islam-o-phobia. These families have sadly made the irrational link that peaceful, freedom-loving American-Muslims are somehow connected with the 19 radical Muslim hijackers on that fateful day. They view that this building will be a shrine glorifying those attackers and their twisted view of Islam. They are flat-out wrong.
What the world will see is not a symbolic win for al-Qaida, but instead a shrine reiterating the American ideal that hate is never justifiable. This is how we will win the trust needed for peaceful co-existence with the Middle East. Not through guns, but through sincere acts of respect.
Imagine if the opponents to the Islamic Center win out. Muslims living next to Ground Zero must continue to walk farther to another overcrowded mosque or prayer space. Imagine being the child that has to walk another four or five blocks due to our Islam-o-phobia. Which argument would be more convincing: that Americans sincerely believe in religious respect and coexistence, or that America is at war with Islam?
Justin Hinh is a sophomore majoring in political science. He can be reached at justintsn10@gmail.com