re: #445 Escaped Hillbilly

Ok, so you have a reasonable reason to think that and can discuss it. I would agree except it completely ignores the feelings of a huge population of people who are going to act on those feelings. Most religions would choose to avoid that kind of conflict. Not saying they have to. Of course they can build there if they like. But it is not really in their best interest and stirs up hateful and painful feelings. Since that is not their stated intention, they should consider building elsewhere, esp. since this is not a local mosque intended to be used only by the congregation but a large cultural center a lot of Muslims should be expected to have free access to. Seems silly to insist it be there. Now of course, people are going to want to dig in their heels and say they should build there to prove a point to the bigots. And the extremists win again. Compromise would serve both sides well but it won’t happen because the crazies have made this a cause.

If the initial proposal was to build it across the street from Ground Zero, it would have been “too close”. The initial proposal was to build it two blocks from Ground Zero, so it is “too close”. If the initial proposal was to build it 10 blocks from Ground Zero, it would have been “too close”. If the initial proposal was to build it 25 blocks from Ground Zero, it would have been “too close”. If the initial proposal was to build it three miles from Ground Zero, it would have been “too close”. And so on.

It can never be far enough away for some if not all of these people. However, you will never convince them of that. They;ll just say it’s this PARTICULAR proximity.

Like the mosque Mr. Olajuwon built in Houston, it has been proposed where it is because the real estate was there, vacant, and available at a reasonable price for the area.