Today is a very solemn day in our nation’s recent history. It was the day that two planes went into the World Trade Center towers of New York, a plane into the Pentagon and a plane crashed into the ground in Pennsylvania. It was the greatest terrorist attack in our nation’s history only 9 years ago done by radical Muslims extremists. Today is September, 11th. A day that shall live in infamy. It is with this occasion in mind that I bring up the topic of the building of the proposed Mosque at Ground Zero in New York City.
I would like to start by saying that in no way is this intended to offend my Muslim friends or any moderate Muslims who practice their religion in peace and reject terrorism. This opinion piece is about my rejection of radical Islam, terrorism and the Ground Zero Mosque. Before any one comment or lashes out at me; I ask you to read my whole argument and piece, note that I have backed up my reasoning’s with cited facts and I ask you to do the same if you do choose to comment. I also want to note that even if the legal right to build the Mosque at such a site exists it doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing to do.
Let me start everyone off with a reminder of what happened that day. The United States was attacked by terrorist in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It was the greatest attack on U.S. soil and it was an attack on civilians. It was bigger than Pearl Harbor, the first Trade Center bombing and the USS Cole. It was carried out not by any one particular country but a group, a religion and an ideologue. It wasn’t carried out by Catholic nuns, Jews, Russians or White Supremacists; but radical Muslims whom took the Quran (Koran) literally and believe that anyone who did not or opposed Allah was an infidel who should be put to death. They didn’t do it because of Israel, US foreign policy or because they don’t like the indecency of Hollywood. Sure those reason may be part of their argument but there other reasons deeper. Their religion commands them to do so! Want proof? Take Surah 2:190 it states:
"Slay them wherever you find them...Idolatry is worse than carnage...Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme."
"Believers, do not make friends with any but your own people...They desire nothing but your ruin....You believe in the entire Book...When they meet you they say: 'We, too, are believers.' But when alone, they bite their finger-tips with rage." (Surah 3:118, 119)
"If you should die or be slain in the cause of God, His forgiveness and His mercy would surely be better than all the riches..." (Surah 3:156-)
"The Jews and Christians say: 'We are the children of God and His loved ones.' Say: 'Why then does He punish you for your sins?" (Surah 5:18)
"Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends." (Surah 5:51)
"Believers, when you encounter the infidels on the march, do not turn your backs to them in flight. If anyone on that day turns his back to them, except it be for tactical reasons...he shall incur the wrath of God and Hell shall be his home..." (Surah 8:12-)
"Seek out your enemies relentlessly." (Surah 4:103-)
Citation:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/koran.html
Now arguably these passages could be interpreted in different ways. But let’s start out with how Al-Qaeda views this after all they are the group that attacked us and are the most radical of Muslims.
“The banner of Islam will necessarily be raised when the land is watered with the blood of martyrs,”
“We destroyed the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and Allah ordered us to... punish everyone who stands alongside (US President George W.) Bush,”
“Congratulations to the Islamic nation, to our sheikh Osama abu Abdullah ( Osama bin Laden ), to our emir Mullah Mohammad Omar, to sheikh Ayman Zawahiri (bin Laden's deputy)... for the destruction of America, which is at the forefront of evil.”
Citation:
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/al-qaeda/
But what about other Muslims, do they share similar views? While it may not be the case that all Muslims are extremist in the case of bin Laden but nevertheless there is a strong sentiment among Muslims that their culture and religion should prevail over others. There is a belief that Islam should reign supreme in America and throughout the world. I invite you all to watch the following video and click on the following links of pictures below:
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/202943.php
http://joe-ks.com/archives_oct2001/TalibanRuleB.jpg
http://media.photobucket.com/image/new%20york%20city%20covered%20in%20mosques/Softail2005/Religion/NewYorkMosqueTwinTowers.jpg
http://www.loonwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/TalibanRuleC.jpg
You will note in the video and the pictures that after 9/11 many Muslims where passing amongst fellow believers pictures depicting New York City in the future covered with Mosques, Minarets and other holly Islamic buildings. We even see the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of American Liberty and freedom across the world, covered in a Burqa. Something that is supposed to be free and liberated covered in a veil of oppression and tyranny. Is this a joke? Even if it is, which I don’t think it is, it shows insensitivity for a group to joke about such events during a time of mourning. While it may only be certain elements of the religion, this says to me that elements of this religion have the intent of conquering. For this let’s turn to history.
From the first years of Islam during the time of Mohammad, the earlier followers went into the city of Mecca to force the people of the city to convert or die by the sword. Kaaba a standing holy building for local pagan worship was taken over and converted by Mohammad as the most sacred site in Islam. In other words they came and conquered and took it for their own. But that’s not the only place they have done so. On the site of the destroyed Temple Mount where the Wailing Wall now stands, what did Islam choose to build on the new conquered land? A Mosque and one of the oldest and biggest Mosques, Al Aqsa Mosque with the Dome of the Rock. In Damascus, a city that use to have a thriving Christian population, when the city was conquered for Islam the Church of St. John the Baptist was demolished and rebuilt as a Mosque. The St. John’s Basilica in Damascus was one of the holiest sites for early Christians and holds the tomb of John of the Baptist inside. As of 715 A.D. the Umayyad Mosque has stood there. Let’s not forget the once great city of Constantinople, the center of the Eastern Roman Empire and Eastern Orthodox Christianity until it was taken by the Ottoman Empire declared for Islam and renamed Istanbul. Once again an important place of worship for Christians, the Hagia Sophia, a Christian Eastern Orthodox Church and the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople until it was converted into a Mosque in 1453. And that is only the beginning of places where Islam has conquered and left their mark, torn down or converted buildings into Mosques. My friends, history repeats itself. The type of Mosque being built at Ground Zero is a Cordoba Mosque which means to conquer as it was the Mosque built upon the ruins of a Christian church in the Spanish city of Cordoba after the Muslim conquest of Christian Spain in the 8th century. (
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2462)
The United States does not have one single holly center of worship for all. It does have places of historical importance, hallowed grounds of great battles like Gettysburg and center of political and economic power. New York City was one of those centers of economic power and American greatness. Our largest city and the economic capital of the world with Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. The World Trade Center Towers were symbols of America’s economic power and were the tallest building in New York. The site of where they once stood, Ground Zero, where the terrorist attacked happened in which lives were lost and the building destroyed is now hallowed grounds. It is our sacred site as is Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor. How is that showing sensitivity and understanding by building a Mosque on our sacred grounds, a graveyard if you will, a once symbol of power destroyed by men of your religion. You don’t build a shrine to the enemy on the site of destruction, on this sacred site of national importance. It goes against common sense. It goes against reason. And it goes against the survival of a nation!
So let’s now look at the specifics of the site, where they want to build it and why. Let’s also look at the particular group and Imam that wants to build it there, look at his background. During a 60 Minutes special the Imam of the New York Area Mosques (and the proposed Mosque at Ground Zero) stated that; the 9/11 attacks where a “reaction against the U.S. government politically, where we [the U.S.] espouse principles of democracy and human rights, and [yet] where we ally ourselves with oppressive regimes in many of these countries” he also went on to state that; the “United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."
Citation:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2462
Rauf has also praised Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, a Muslim scholar whom has spoken favorable about Palestinian suicide bombings; calling him "a very, very well known Islamic jurist, highly regarded all over the Muslim world." This is not the only extremist he has expressed praise for, the late Egyptian cleric Muhammad Tantawi another supporter of Palestinian bombers. He also has sung praise for Egypt's Chief Mufti, Sheikh Ali Gomaa who has endorsed Hezbollah and defended Islam's use of the death penalty for apostasy. Rauf also believes that Sharia Law is compatible with American Law and can co-exist as a separate legal jurisdiction for Muslims living in America. Rauf has also endorsed the 1979 Iranian revolution which established a theocratic Islamic state.
Citation:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2462
I invite you to go to this website
http://www.terrorfinance.org/the_terror_finance_blog/2010/08/feisal-abdul-rauf.html to see for yourself how this Imam has connections to the Muslim Brotherhood a radical organization with connections to terrorism. How his father was a contemporary of the Muslim Brotherhood founder.
Seems like the people behind the building of the Mosque have connections to radicals. So do you really think the reason they want to build the Mosque is for peace, healing and understanding? I think not. I think it’s because the most radical and ancient beliefs of Islam at place here, CONQUER! Why do they need to build a Mosque just two blocks from the Ground Zero site of the Trade Center, when they already have a Mosque in Lower Manhattan just 12 blocks away? As a matter of fact there are two Mosques already in Lower Manhattan. (
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/nyregion/14mosque.html)
So now some will argue that under the Constitution and the religious freedom and tolerance traditions of this country the Muslim’s have the right to build a Mosque wherever they want. If that is the case why has the building of St. Nicholas Church been blocked for nine years? On September 11th, 2001 the only house of worship that was destroyed that day by those attacks was St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. This Church was a small Orthodox Christian Church of worship and pray since 1922 until 2001. Despite efforts to rebuild the church from the Greek Orthodox community and an outspoken New York Congressman for the past nine years the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has used bureaucratic loopholes to hinder the rebuilding of the church.
Citation:
http://www.theblogmocracy.com/2010/08/13/rebuild-st-nicholas-church-at-ground-zero-not-a-mosque/
The Port Authority and the Government won’t let them rebuild an existing peaceful Greek Orthodox Church that was destroyed that day but, will let the enemies build a Mosque not far from that site. What about freedom of religion for Christians? What is wrong with this country! We are building a shrine to the enemy on the site of where they caused destruction! We are building a shrine to the very people that want to kill us! But yet a once standing Church of the Christian faith, still the majority religion of this country, can’t be built for no good reason! I am outraged! What kind of mental disorder do these officials suffer from? What type of self-loathing is going on in this country particularly among liberals? There is honestly no logical explanation for this type of reasoning except that we have a death wish in this country and that we are doing things detrimental to our own and national survival.
I want to remind everyone that the majority of New Yorkers and Americans are against the building of the Mosque near Ground Zero. Even when broken down by party among those polled, Democrats opposed it 56 percent. Family members of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have come out against it. A former New York City Fire Deputy Chief has come out against it as well as numerous of politicians including John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman and even the Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Oh and how could I forget one of the most liberal politicians and the once favorite contender for President of the progressive liberals, the Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has spoken out against it calling it "a real affront to people who lost their lives". Even some Muslim groups have come and said it is a bad idea to build near Ground Zero. Even a progressive civil rights organization the Anti-Defamation League which has denounced prejudice against Muslims has asked the builders to consider relocating the Mosque.
I ask again why they want to build a Mosque there. If they truly wanted to build bridges of connections and understanding, if they wanted peace and unity and had any sensitivity they would understand the importance of this site to Americans. They would understand that most Americans don’t want this Mosque built on Ground Zero. If they really wanted to outreach to us they would understand that to build there would open up wounds that have yet to fully heal. If they wanted to outreach to us they would build it somewhere else. I don’t have a problem with them building a Mosque but not one at or near Ground Zero. If they wanted to build it in Lower Manhattan many blocks away from Ground Zero, fine. Wouldn’t it make sense for them giving the contention of this issue and their stated goal of outreach and understanding to move it to a different part of New York City? Wouldn’t it make more sense for them to build it in another part of the city with more Muslims and perhaps with more land opportunities to build an even bigger Mosque and cultural center? I think so.
The American people should be asking questions. Why do they want to build the Mosque there? Who is this Imam and what connections does he have? Where is the money going to come from? What individuals, groups, organizations, governments and entities are going to fund it? The Government Federal, State and City should be investigating and asking these questions. They should be asking where the money is going to come from. If the Government fails to ask these questions on behalf of the American people then the people themselves must stand up and ask these questions.
Please I ask you members of the Muslims community that if you truly care about compassion and understanding to move the Mosque. This Mosque should not be built near the Ground Zero site. It is hallowed grounds. I understand that not all Muslims are associated with terrorism. However the people that did attack us where from the Religion of Islam and therefore it is an affront of the memories of the victims and against the survival instincts of this nation to build a shrine to the religion that attacked us. I still remember September 11th, 2001 to this very day. Even nine years late. I remember exactly where I was when it happen and first heard about it. I remember the class I was in just a freshman in High School. I remember watching news coverage in history class and then coming home to watch coverage all day. I remember lighting candles and saying prayers, displaying ribbons and American Flags. It defined my generation; we were and still are Generation 911.
I still remember September 11th. I will never forget what happened that day. I will never move on. And I will never forgive. God bless the victims of 9/11 and our troops and their families! God bless and SAVE New York City and the United States of America!
Mike Mazzeo lives in Watertown, MA a suburb of Boston and Cambridge. As a native of the area he familiar with the disease and mental disorder that is liberalism. A graduate of Suffolk University with a degree in Marketing he currently work in Real Estate. He is a Libertarian Conservative that believe in the Constitution as the founders intended it, limited government and individual rights. Mike can be found on Facebook.
