August 11 President Obama stated, referring to the proposed plan to build a Community Center and Mosque near Ground Zero in NYC:
“As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country,” Obama said at the dinner. “That includes 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.”
Besides personal feelings of morality, not blaming all Muslims for the faction that caused 9/11, and the good a community center could do in NYC, why would he say and support such a thing? I would think one of the biggest reasons would be:
"I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
And in particular:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
And for those that didn't remember, the Pentagon was also hit on 9/11. And guess what's available there for Muslims:
There is a chapel inside the Pentagon where Muslim employees can go to pray, as ABC News recently reported. It’s just not exclusive to followers of Islam. The Pentagon’s non-denominational chapel was built and dedicated in 2002 in honor of Pentagon employees and passengers of American Airlines Flight 77 who died in the terrorist attack on the building on Sept. 11, 2001. The chapel was constructed at the site where the hijacked plane crashed into the Pentagon nearly nine years ago.
Yes, Muslims in the Pentagon hold service and pray in a chapel build in the same section of the Pentagon that was hit on 9/11. Not to brag, desecrate, or "raise a victory flag", but to worship in a place honoring those (including Muslims) that died on that day.
If Evangelicals can still build churches near abortion clinics, Catholics can still have churches next to playgrounds, and Japanese Shrines near Pearl Harbor, I think we can handle a Mosque and Community Center near Ground Zero. Don't punish the whole for the sins of a few. Honor the ones that fell, believe in the freedoms of this nation, and welcome those who are different than yourself.
UPDATE: There's also already a mosque 4 blocks away from the World Trade Center site. It's only a few blocks away from the proposed construction site.
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