There was/is a bit more to the KKK than their racists goals... but I understand your point... Be it right or wrong, the extremists have turned many otherwise indifferent people against Islam and tainted all Muslims as hateful jihadists, since the moderate elements don't make a big enough effort to separate themselves or publicly condemn their actions. It's not as if Christianity hasn't had its own "jihads" (ie: the crusades) but in this day and age the Muslims who want to be peaceful can't just be silent objectors and expect the world to acknowledge that. Before 9/11 I wouldn't have thought anything of it if someone told me they were Muslim, but I'll admit, now, my first (muted) thoughts might be questioning what views that person holds, where as before I would have assumed they were no more dangerous than anyone else.. so in that sense the extremists have already succeeded in creating distrust and hatred...
Symbolism Symbolism is important. The World Trade Center was viewed by radicals as a shrine to American capitalism. It represented Western greed and all that is "unholy". That is why it was a target. Building is mosque on the very land where the World Trade Center once stood will represent a victory to radical Islam. Perhaps "The Charles Darwin Center" should be built there, dedicated to the education of people throughout the world.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki were acts of War and yes it is a fact civilians are killed in Wars. 9/11 was murder perpetrated entirely upon innocent civilians by Islamic Terrorists. There is a distinction. I think your original question was "Do you think those Japanese tourists blame all Americans for the bombing of Hiroshima?" No, how could they? The Japanese waged War against the U.S. and there are horrific consequences. The fact is the Japanese refused to surrender and could have surrendered at anytime prior to the Atomic bombing thereby prevent the further loss of life. It was their choice, surrender or be annihilated. The Victims of 9/11 had no choice at all, but to die. Well said, Life. When it comes to appeasing others and showing a degree of sensitivity, why must it come from only Americans and the citizens of NYC and not the Arab world and Muslim community?
For me that's a bit of a dilemma. I learn and gain knowledge from many sources, including: Others opinions, newspapers, TV news, internet, reviews, journals, magazine articles, and then of course first hand personal experience, etc…
Zackman: I listen/watch to a lot of news media, but certainly dont take them seriously, as they all(left, right, middle...) have an agenda... I just cant form my own opinion from what someone else says/writes. (FOX etc. I find entertaining, but hardly newsworthy. Always good for a laugh or two though ) Anyways: This is at least creating a very well needed debate in US and the rest of the world. Lets hope it doesnt get out of hand...
Sensitivity is fine, but not at the expense of the values established in our western democracies and embodied in our institutions- among them, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. We must continue to defend both; for example, by defending and protecting, as necessary, our writers and others who may offend Muslim sensibilities- as in the case of Salmon Rushdie- and, by allowing Muslims to open this mosque, thereby demonstrating that we do not view this in terms of religious categories but in terms of civil liberties.
Zackman, it's sad that you think that civilians deserve do die if the context is a war. While civilian deaths are always a part of war it's not supposed to be. Civilians NEVER have choice. The bottom line is still this: Until people start working together, extremists will be able to recruit new soldiers. If a person doesn't feel a part of the society they live in it's not hard to get them to betray it. There are tons of Muslims that denounce the radicals but when they do that no one believes them. Like Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf who says he wants to help create peace but gets called a radical. So if we're not going to believe anything they say. How can we expect them to be on our side?
Nevertheless, building a mosque at ground zero is provocative to many and unnecessary. If the Imam truly wishes to build bridges and foster healing he should be sensitive to this. Certainly, Muslims expect sensitivity from us.
