Let's see. An Islamic community center and mosque is planned 2 blocks from the bases of the former World Trade Center buildings, destroyed after 19 Muslim men flew planes into those buildings (as well as the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, PA, though the latter wasn't their intent) on September 11, 2001. While not at the actual site, it's awfully close, certainly within the dust cloud of Ground Zero, and people are understandably concerned that this shows tremendous insensitivity to the feelings of those who lost loved ones in the attack. There has been, to say the least, some controversy.
In addition, Islamic history is rife with instances of building mosques of triumph at sites of conquest, and Americans do not wish to have such a "victory mosque" established at the southern tip of Manhattan. Offers have been made to move the mosque, turned down by the backers and front men, who seem to insist that moving it would be an insult to Islam, an incitement ... as if the original placement wasn't an insult, an incitement against all Americans after 9-11. An offer by Donald Trump to buy the site from the developer at a 25% profit was turned down today. President Obama rightly pointed out that in America individuals are free to do such things; President Obama failed to point out that if these men are interested in building bridges between Islam and the west then this is not the way to do it. Americans who hold the opinion have been demonized as "Islamophobes," as if fear were the motivating factor rather than decency. "Hate" crimes against Muslims have been highlighted, ignoring the fact that many more anti-Semitic hate crimes occur with consistent regularity. We seem to be at an impasse.
However, I may have a solution. If appeals to reason, to decency, to consideration for the opinion of the vast majority of New Yorkers and in fact all Americans do not cause the developers to reconsider; if they really are reaching out to Americans of all faiths; if, as they insist, this really isn't a "victory mosque;" if no Muslim would be so crass as to celebrate the structure as a monument to a great victory, then they should be confident that the following would be a "safe bet": write into the building permit that if Muslims anywhere celebrate the building as a monument to the attack on the "Great Satan," then the developers will be required to either raze the building and move functions elsewhere, or better still, convert it to dual use as a Jewish Community Center part-time.
As a show of tolerance and fellowship, you know. "Building bridges" as it were.
