[The E]

Question being;

If someone actually wanted to build a Mosque on the Ground Zero landmass, would that be wrong?

Counterquestion: Would it be OK for a christian chapel of whatever denomination to be built there? If the answer is yes, then the answer must be that a mosque is OK as well, unless that constitutional amendment americans are so proud about got changed.

[BlackDove]

The answer seems quite logical and rational.

I do wonder why this is getting so much news and differing opinions

[Scotty]

**** news.  **** politics.  Let them build the damn mosque.

[Turambar]

The answer seems quite logical and rational.

I do wonder why this is getting so much news and differing opinions

Something about Republicans almost unilaterally voting down health benefits for 9/11 first responders or something.

[Bobboau]

whether it's right or wrong, I would think the fact that it's spun out into a huge cluster**** would have made them reconsider their plans. going forward with it even though millions of people are pissed about it (even if for no good reason) sounds like they are trying to make some sort of statement. a statement sort of like "I don't give a **** what you say I'm doing it and there is nothing you can do to stop me". which is their perogitive to make that statement, but I don't think it's a strategically wise position, as it will be used as a platform to launch attacks against Islam. considering how unpopular Islam is in the states what with all the beheadings and cartoon riots and occasional mass murder, one would think that these individuals would take this as an opportunity to show humility and be all like "oh, wow, I didn't realize this would piss you all off so much! I mean, we really don't see why you are so pissed about this. but, we aren't looking for confrontations, so, OK we'll move it somewhere else"

someone else asked about what if a church was built on the site. if that were to happen I would call foul and say it was just some Christians trying to plant a symbolic flag on 9/11 for some political reason. the WTC site is not a place for any one denomination to build anything, it should be a place were America builds a monument of resilience, that is to say we should basically rebuild the towers more or less exactly as they were. unfortunately the only monument we have built thus far is one of incompetence and bureaucracy, showing we can't get anything done.

[iamzack]

one would think that these individuals would take this as an opportunity to show humility and be all like "oh, wow, I didn't realize this would piss you all off so much! I mean, we really don't see why you are so pissed about this. but, we aren't looking for confrontations, so, OK we'll move it somewhere else"

Why on earth would one think that? Religious organizations take every opportunity to show off and be assholes.

[Bobboau]

that is true, historical evidence is against me on this.

oh, I know where I screwed up, I was assuming they would use some form logic and reason in there decision making process. /*smacks head*/ oops, now I'm embarrassed. don't know how I made that mistake, I guess I'm just tired.

[newman]

...one would think that these individuals would take this as an opportunity to show humility and be all like "oh, wow, I didn't realize this would piss you all off so much! I mean, we really don't see why you are so pissed about this. but, we aren't looking for confrontations, so, OK we'll move it somewhere else"

I see where you're coming from but do keep in mind that we're not talking about a fast food stand here - we're talking a millions of dollars worth of a project; those tend to be a bit more complicated to move. So put yourself in their shoes; you'd probably be arguing that a) it's not really a mosque, b) it's not being built on the site the neocons and fox news are screaming it is, and c) you've already invested considerable amounts of time and money into the project, have the legal right to proceed with it, and shouldn't have to go through expensive reorganizing and moving the whole thing just because a bunch of neocons decided to use this to fire people up against the US government. I wonder if this would even become an issue if the whole thing was being built in the exact same spot as it is now, but the republicans were in power and not the democrats..? It's not really about the mosque or Islam or those people building the said mosque; they just had the bad luck of being used for someone else's political agenda.
Of course if it were up to me organized religion would be banned and nobody would be building anything of the sort

[StarSlayer]

whether it's right or wrong, I would think the fact that it's spun out into a huge cluster**** would have made them reconsider their plans. going forward with it even though millions of people are pissed about it (even if for no good reason) sounds like they are trying to make some sort of statement. a statement sort of like "I don't give a **** what you say I'm doing it and there is nothing you can do to stop me". which is their perogitive to make that statement, but I don't think it's a strategically wise position, as it will be used as a platform to launch attacks against Islam. considering how unpopular Islam is in the states what with all the beheadings and cartoon riots and occasional mass murder, one would think that these individuals would take this as an opportunity to show humility and be all like "oh, wow, I didn't realize this would piss you all off so much! I mean, we really don't see why you are so pissed about this. but, we aren't looking for confrontations, so, OK we'll move it somewhere else"

someone else asked about what if a church was built on the site. if that were to happen I would call foul and say it was just some Christians trying to plant a symbolic flag on 9/11 for some political reason. the WTC site is not a place for any one denomination to build anything, it should be a place were America builds a monument of resilience, that is to say we should basically rebuild the towers more or less exactly as they were. unfortunately the only monument we have built thus far is one of incompetence and bureaucracy, showing we can't get anything done.

Because if we were in the habit of doing what the mob wants rather then doing what's right we would still have segregation, gender inequality, etc.  Cowering to foolishness only begets more foolishness.  Already you have stupid wahoos demanding that the cease giving out any permits for mosques, you want to empower them?  

[Bobboau]

well if they keep this up their 'community center' is going to become nothing but a divisive symbol.

[NGTM-1R]

well if they keep this up their 'community center' is going to become nothing but a divisive symbol.

It will be there long after the Republican Party has carciaturized themselves out of existence.

The entire concept that they should change the location over public outcry is flawed because the public outcry itself is flawed. They have a legal right to build it there, they have obtained the necessary permissions and permits from the local government (not cheap, by the way), they have purchased the site (also not cheap in that neighborhood). The rule of law can and must trump emotion.

[Bobboau]

I wish you would be more honest like zack

I think almost all of my support for the mosque-thingy near ground zero is just because I want to be antagonistic to right-wingers.

[mxlm]

I wish you would be more honest like zack

I wish you wouldn't think that trumped up election year kulturkampf is a good reason not to do something. The two minutes hate will soon find another target.

[NGTM-1R]

I wish you would be more honest like zack

I am being honest. If you want me to be brutally honest I'll note that I'm in the business of advocating blowing up any deity that turns out to exist, but that really has no bearing on their followers.

[mxlm]

I would like to pursue that tangent, and ask how one would go about committing deicide.

[Turambar]

I would like to pursue that tangent, and ask how one would go about committing deicide.

the gods live by being worshipped.  Best bet is to kill all the worshippers.

Pretty much any other solution i can think of involves technobabble and requires a deflector dish

[NGTM-1R]

I would like to pursue that tangent, and ask how one would go about committing deicide.

The most impressive acts of God that remain scientifically viable involve destroying ancient cities of relatively small size and poor construction. Even estimating very conservatively most Gods will be hard-pressed to generate more than a one megaton-warhead's worth of raw energy.

Thus I recommend liberal application of the standard 5 MT strategic warhead to any God you encounter. This will in many pantheons be overkill, of course.

[newman]

Thus I recommend liberal application of the standard 5 MT strategic warhead to any God you encounter. This will in many pantheons be overkill, of course.

... and use MIRVs for those nasty polytheistic situations

[Turambar]

If God of War was about the Hindu pantheon, they could have made about a million sequels.

[Sushi]

There should be no debate.

**** news.  **** politics.  Let them build the damn mosque.

 

So sick of hearing about this.