E.+Persuasive+Research+Essay

__ Persuasive Essay: Ground Zero Mosque __ By Alexander Hirschberger

Recent Polls have shown that 52 % of New Yorkers do not want a Muslim cultural center that includes a mosque to be built near Ground Zero and only 31 % are supporting it (Goldsmith). The idea of building a mosque close to the ‘sacred site’ might not only offend several New Yorkers, but would not improve the relations between the American society and the Islam. However, we should not support a Muslim cultural center close to Ground Zero, but also stand up against all racist accusations. The Ground Zero Mosque should not be built because of exaggerated political correctness, moral building restrictions, and respect to the 9/11 victims.

It seems that a part of the American society cannot say what is on their mind without being a human target these days. That people oppose a mosque close to Ground Zero is for some radical supporters “just a cynical attempt [to] whip up racism” (Social Worker). With a little common sense everybody would say that this accusation is ridiculous, and even two-third of all American citizens are against the cultural center. I thought that it was a bad joke when I first heard that somebody wants to put a mosque just a couple of blocks away from a place where about 3,000 people lost their lives. To me it seems inappropriate to set a worship center of Islam so close to one of America’s biggest wounds which has not yet healed. The relation between Ground Zero and the mosque is comparable to two big paintings in a museum that symbolize Ground Zero and the mosque. If they are hanging right next to each other (being close), so that one picture almost overlaps the another, none of them will be appreciated by the visitors of the museum (the society) because both pictures steal each others appeal (the memorial/cultural functions) and show the bad taste of the ones who put the paintings in that position (the mosque’s supporters). Just like in real life, both pictures need their space and time to unfold and to be acknowledged by the people the right way. However, when the controversy reached its zenith, the government felt the need to add a few words too. President Obama literally poured gas into the flame of controversy by saying that “Muslims have the same __right__ to practice their religion as everyone else in this country” (Lim) including the “__right__ to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances” (Schafer Horton). Oh sure Mr. President, I would not deny that Muslims have the right to build the mosque. ‘Freedom of Religion’; we all know that this is a strong part of the first amendment of the National Constitution and gives the builders and supporters the right to do it. To the opponents of the cultural center this is not such a new discovery as President Obama might think. Having a right does not mean being right. Just because the people can, does not say they should or that it is a good thing to do. A right is fair just as long as it does not harm others and their rights, but this logic might be in danger. The political correctness thatAmerica practices right now might be very painful to the country itself.

As indicated before, the supporters and the supervisor of the cultural center, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, do not need a city approval to build the mosque (Goldsmith). However there are some building restrictions on a moral, but also logical level. If it is really the case that the mosque is built in the same year as the attack’s 10th anniversary, a part of the 70 % of Americans opposing the mosque might resort to other methods than just vocal protest. The same worries has Abdul Rahman Al-Rashid, a genera; manager of a TV station based in Dubai who spoke out against building a worship place at the Ground Zero site because it “will become a shrine for Islam haters whose aim it is to turn the public opinion against Islam”(Schafer Horton). There are people that hate the Islam or other regions all over the world, unfortunately also in theUnited States, but we do not have to make it easy for them to justify their hate with building a mosque. On the other side, it appears to be logical that the American citizens get angry if they do not have any impact on the issue, even though they are a majority. An important value that plays a big role in this controversy is ‘respect’. Respect that should be shown by both parties involved in that issue. Apparently the critics of the mosque are giving their understanding, while the supporters seem to forget that. How would it look like if Americans would go to the Middle-East and build an American cultural center close to the holyMeccasite? Similar arguments had Conservative Newt Gingrich referring that there are no churches and synagogues inSaudi Arabia(Cohen). There might be a small American community in the Middle-East, butAmericadoes not even think about putting up a cultural center there knowing that locals would be outraged. The supporters have to show the same amount of respect for the ones that do not want a mosque there! Unfortunately, the situation is not mutual and shows that there is a lack of values.

Besides all the discussion about granted rights and missing respect, we cannot forget who suffers the most from the mosque issue and its consequences: the victims of 9/11. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were a disaster of momentous scale and left a huge scar on the American society’s soul and the way the people think. Over 3,000 people lost their lives that day, others lost their relatives and friends and some people lost their belief in a peaceful world that day (Schafer Horton). Every person should be aware that it is really insensitive to build a mosque close to Ground Zero regarding the suffering people. Supporters say that it is time to move on. Sure the world will somehow go on, but what do they expect of the people that lost someone in the attacks? They are suffering human beings that are not able to live their lives like 10 years ago. These people that were so incredibly hurt by a human loss cannot move on that easily and we should understand that they will not be best friends with every Muslim out there. There is no reason to tell the victims to get over it if we can just barely understand how they must feel. Think about the dead. Let them rest in peace because it is the least they deserve. The American society still fears terrorist threats and even though there has “been no successful al-Qaeda attack in the last 5 years”, there is no guarantee thatAmericawill not face foreign attacks anymore (Ratnesar). The Nigerian who carried a bomb in his underwear trying to blow up an American airplane is just one of a few examples how present terrorism still is. The decision about the mosque is a mind game and “about the importance of theWorldTradeCentersite to the psyche of the American people” (Schafer Horton). Journalist Romesh Ratnesar says that building a place of worship near Ground Zero “will simply tell the world that this nation, wisely, has decided to move on”. Certainly over a two-third of all Americans do not agree.Americais not yet ready to move on what we all and especially the mosque’s supporters should respect and try to understand.

Do not forget that building a Muslim cultural center near Ground Zero is inappropriate and a sign of insensitivity for the 9/11 victims and might become an object of hate harmingAmerica’s social relations. However, some supporters of the mosque say that our opposition originates in racism calling critics like me “anti-Muslim racists” (Social Worker). One of the main organizers of the Islamic center, Daisy Khan, goes even a step further saying that “this is like a metastasized anti-Semitism” and “hate of Muslims” (Grynbaum). These accusations are heavy, but cannot be taken serious. With more than 100 mosques inNew York Cityand thousands all over theUS, nobody can tell me that “racist”Americadoes not allow people to practice the Islam (“Did you know?”). This shows that it is not about race or religion, it is just not the right place for a mosque. Journalist Renee Schafer Horton found the words that should keep every person quiet who insinuates that opponents of the mosque have a racist attitude: “If the 9/11 attackers had been Hindu, no one would want a Hindu temple built near Ground Zero. If they’d been Jewish, no one would want a synagogue there”. Since the city approved the building and it belongs to the organizers of the cultural center, there is nothing else we can do than continue our peaceful opposition which might clear the mind of Imam Rauf and the other supporters to choose another site for the project. But the next time there is an election, every responsibleUScitizen should vote for the people that listen to what the majority of the Americans want and solve problems for our good. That would include: No mosque at Ground Zero.