GROUND ZERO BEACON

Comment

Comment by Paul Combs on August 19, 2010 at 11:04am

I agree with much of what the Seattle Times editorial is saying, Chief. However, I'll state again "Just because you CAN put a Mosque (or Cultural Center, if you wish) at Ground Zero, doesn't mean you SHOULD put a Mosque at (or even near) Ground Zero. You'd need to be very naive to think this Mosque isn't going to be a political and ideological hot-spot for inevitable protests and possible violence. Instead of a beacon for peaceful Muslims, it has the overwhelming feel of an extremists lightening-rod".

I'm just saying that there's a tremendous possibility for this to be an explosive (hence the bomb in the illustration) magnet for hatred - from Islamic extremists and unfortunately, Americans, as well.

Comment by Nick Morgan on August 19, 2010 at 11:03am

John, other than the author's felt need to demonize the Republican leaders, that was a very interesting editorial piece. Thanks for posting it.

Comment by John K. Murphy on August 19, 2010 at 10:49am

Adding more fuel to this debate, in the 8/19/2010 Seattle Times Editorial page entitled Freedom of Religion, More Than A Phrase: the editor opines;

The grotesque exploitation by mostly Republican leaders of plans for an Islamic community center in lower Manhattan is harmful to the party and insults the fundamental values of this nation. Bigoted ranting about a Ground Zero mosque at the site of the World Trade Center attack is a willful distortion of the proposal and New York City geography. The facts are less important to GOP leaders than the political advantage they hope their calculated assaults will generate.

The center, named Park51 to lower its public profile, is envisioned as a $100 million investment in an area largely on hold since the 2001 attack. The center, which will include worship space, is being developed as a recreational and fitness facility and restaurant and cooking school, with a library, cultural exhibition areas and child care. An estimated 150 permanent jobs and 500 part-time positions are projected.

The building, former retail space, is not within sight of the World Trade Center property, but is in a neighborhood of historic Protestant and Catholic churches, and two small, unnoticed Islamic centers.

Cataloging the benign nature of the plans is a degrading task in a country founded by religious refugees and grounded in the free expression of religious beliefs.

For all of the manufactured opposition outside Manhattan, the center was endorsed by the local borough president, the New York City mayor, the congressional district's representative, and the New York state attorney general and governor.

New York City was not attacked by a 1,400-year-old faith. It was murderously assaulted by terrorists with a fetid stew of grievances about political conditions at home and self-serving images of America abroad. In a free land that respects and treasures its laws and traditions, especially about religious freedom, the Muslim faithful cannot be made to suffer for the maniacal apostasy of those who defame their beliefs.

Comment by Paul Combs on August 19, 2010 at 7:33am

Well said, Nick.

Comment by Nick Morgan on August 19, 2010 at 12:40am

Yousef, thank you for your comments and for being willing to step into this conversation. We need to hear from more Muslims who consider themselves faithful to the Koran who strongly oppose and condemn the activities of the terrorists who brought about "ground zero" to begin with. As you can plainly see, this is a highly charged emotional issue for us in the fire service. This is truly not about typical American politics, but real concerns and emotional responses by all of us who have been deeply afffected by the events of 9-11-01 in very personal ways. Please feel welcome to share your perspective here with the rest of us. Maybe we can all learn from each other.

Comment by Yousef Ghadanfari on August 19, 2010 at 12:24am

I can't believe some of the comments I read. So the Japanese shouldn't have anything reminds them of America since they bombed their two cities with atomic bomb. I'm from Kuwait and yes I am a Muslim, but for God sakes don't politicize the issue when it is actually a matter of knowing the facts and taking off the clothes of ignorance that most people wear. Trust me what happened in 9/11 was an act of terrorism and it has NOTHING what so ever to do with Islam.

Those who are responsible for killing innocent people in the WTC ARE NOT .. again ARE NOT considered as Muslims.

If we are going to use the same token that most people who oppose building the Mosque then for me as Kuwaiti I should oppose re-establishing relations with Iraq since Saddam had invaded our country and later was kicked out by US and Allies, but the fact of the matter is we distinguish between Saddam and his people although he claimed that he is a faithful Muslim, we did not believe a bit that he was a Muslim.

Brad Hoff,

let me ask this question, who decides who is faithful? And under what context have you quoted the Quran. My point is you don't just hear it from others and consider it as a fact or you don't just read it without knowing under what circumstances and conditions the verses has revealed.

If we let everyone explains the Quran according to their own personal agenda then we don't blame who massacred and burned innocent people in the name of Christianity, do we?

I want to make my last point here, Islam has nothing to do with what happened during 9/11.

Comment by Todd McKee on August 18, 2010 at 12:34pm

I agree with Chief Halton 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No matter what is said this is a spot for those people that on 09/01/2001 were murdered and for thier families. PERIOD! God Bless those that serve, Glod Bless those we have lost, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Comment by Paul Combs on August 18, 2010 at 7:33am

Chief France: The illustration or the Mosque "Cultural Center"?

Comment by Mike France on August 18, 2010 at 6:59am

It is wrong to place this here.

Comment by Nick Morgan on August 18, 2010 at 12:16am

Bobby, your statements are accurate and very well spoken. I wish this wasn't such a hot-button issue but it is and we didn't write the Koran! Paul, your cartoon is very appropriate as the key issue here is not the legality or "right" to build an Islamic "cultural center"/Mosque; but the blatant insensitivity to the families and friends of the over 3000+ that died on 9-11-01 and the many more that have died since then as a result of working "the pile" at ground zero for the months that followed. Your basic point was that even though they "CAN put a Mosque at Ground Zero, doesn't mean you SHOULD..." EXACTLY!! That is the MAIN POINT in this whole debate! Paul, thanks for putting this issue out on the forefront. I am truly amazed by those who don't understand why we (the fire service especially) are so upset. Sometimes people just don't know what they don't know, but "when the boat keeps missing the dock, it ain't the dock that's moving".

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