re: #34 Irenicum

Reading up on the Gus link regarding the Staten Island mosque issue. Since I grew up there I know more about that environment than most. I find myself somewhat conflicted over the issue. I lived all over the Island during my time there, so I know the dynamics of most of the neighborhoods. Midland Beach is a deeply Italian Catholic neighborhood and my own experience was, when I lived there, deeply racist. But that’s also true of many neighborhoods across the island. Again, too many stories to tell. And yet there are legitimate reasons for the folks in the neighborhood to be pissed off, both at the Catholic church who is selling the property, and local officials who, to a person, are being cowards. My conflict in this is based in part on the fact that SI’ers were disproportionately effected by 9/11. Every funeral home was packed for months after the attacks (I know, I asked them when I was there just afterward). The emotion there still runs high. I don’t have a problem with a mosque on SI. I used to live in a Muslim neighborhood there. This is an issue that strikes close to home as you can imagine.

1st Amendment and the Establishment Clause plus there are already mosques in Staten Island.

If we keep moving “ground zero” further out it will never end because I’m sure many would find a reason to justify their objection to building a mosque — which of course they already do.

I’m glad I moved out West.