[Flerdourdyged]

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: August 7, 2010

While a high-profile battle rages over a mosque near ground zero in Manhattan, heated confrontations have also broken out in communities across the country where mosques are proposed for far less hallowed locations.

In Murfreesboro, Tenn., Republican candidates have denounced plans for a large Muslim center proposed near a subdivision, and hundreds of protesters have turned out for a march and a county meeting.

In late June, in Temecula, Calif., members of a local Tea Party group took dogs and picket signs to Friday prayers at a mosque that is seeking to build a new worship center on a vacant lot nearby.

In Sheboygan, Wis., a few Christian ministers led a noisy fight against a Muslim group that sought permission to open a mosque in a former health food store bought by a Muslim doctor.

At one time, neighbors who did not want mosques in their backyards said their concerns were over traffic, parking and noise — the same reasons they might object to a church or a synagogue. But now the gloves are off.

In all of the recent conflicts, opponents have said their problem is Islam itself. They quote passages from the Koran and argue that even the most Americanized Muslim secretly wants to replace the Constitution with Islamic Shariah law.

Read the rest of the story on nytimes.com

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What do you think about this issue?

[CaseyFronczek]

from the ny daily news website


Mosque hysteria reached fevered pitch Sunday as angry protesters opposed to building an Islamic center near Ground Zero squared off with supporters of the project.

In mostly peaceful counter-demonstrations, hundreds braved the rain in Lower Manhattan to voice their position on the contentious project that has spiralled into a national political issue.

"It's very insensitive to the families," said retired firefighter Tim Brown who escaped the collapse of the Twin Towers. "This is not about religious freedom."

"All we are saying is don't build this mosque here at Ground Zero on our cemetery."

Supporters of the proposed mosque two blocks from the Trade Center site said blocking it would be a victory for terrorism.

"These people against it need to open their eyes and see how much hate this is bringing," said 28-year-old tour guide Victor Hernandez. "The terrorists win when we don't allow people their freedoms."

The day began with hundreds of anti-mosque protesters roaring into Lower Manhattan on motorcycles. Within hours both sides had gathered en masse.


The two groups were kept apart in penned-in protest sites two blocks way from each other - about 200 gathered in support of the project and 1,000 against.

A heavy police presence stood in between.

The Park Place block where the proposed center would be built in a former Burlington Coat Factory store was closed off with police barricades.

Opponents chanted "No mosque, no way!" and carried signs reading, "9-11-01: Never Forget," as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared over loudspeakers.

Supporters carried signs reading, "America! When did it become OK to be a bigot!" and screamed "Hallowed ground, that's a lie!"

One group brought a life-sized mock missile with a dummy terrorist draped over top holding a sign that read: "Obama, your middle-name is Hussain [sic], we understand. Bloomberg, what's your excuse."

Mayor Bloomberg has stood in support of the mosque project.

Despite the distance between the sides, occasional sparring matches erupted as two crossed paths in between.

"The mosque shouldn't be here!" shouted Barry Bledsoe, 46, who drove from West Virginia with his 9-year-old son to attend the protest.

"We've got troops in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for this!" a supporter shouted back.

Cops quickly separated the two.

"There is an un-Godly, unholy thing gonna go up two blocks away from this site. Absolutely not!" Bledsoe screamed as he walked away.

Later a scuffle broke out at the site of the pro-mosque protest a when a mosque opponent held up a sign that read, "I can draw Mohammed if you can build a mosque."

Rhetoric around the project has grown increasingly charged.

Opponents have accused the mosque's planners of anything from insensitivity to being terrorist sympathizers. Supporters say blocking the project would violate constitutional rights.

Gov. Paterson has attempted to broker a compromise offering the developers to swap the proposed site with state-owned land elsewhere.

Developers of the Park51 project said they were consulting with their stakeholders on how to proceed.

"We don't want to create conflict," Daisy Khan said on ABC's "This Week." "We will meet and we do what is right for everyone."

Her husband, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, the main proponent of the project, was traveling in the Middle East on a state department tour.

Rauf told a newspaper in Bahrain that constitutionally-protected freedoms in the U.S. reflect true Islamic values better in some Muslim countries.

[Kissntell]

Islamics historically build mosques on sites they consider were Islamic victories.
That is EXACTLY what they are trying to do here and it sucks!!!!!

[surefireinvest]

Sadly, that is the problem. Its easy to have the perception of what you are stating but I disagree.

[Vznvtthq]

Eh, just give me another reason not to go to NY. But when is the Christian Church that was destroyed by the attacks 9 years ago going to be rebuilt?

[9V4i8xw1]

I am not as optimistic as Inguard is regarding the Muslims in America...just because a few crocodiles have bitten us already doesn't mean that the rest of them won't try.....

[proslaviy]

I get the whole first admendment argument and dont argue that point. What bothers me is when words like tolerance, respect, and bigotry are thrown around in regards to accepting the mosque being built, yet its forgotten that tolerance and respect go both ways. Knowing that radicals in your religion killed over 3000 people and still wanting to build a mosque, and then crying intolerance and bigotry at the drop of a hat, to me, shows a lack of respect and tolerance to the past and to the victims.

[salomal-qask]

I get the whole first admendment argument and dont argue that point. What bothers me is when words like tolerance, respect, and bigotry are thrown around in regards to accepting the mosque being built, yet its forgotten that tolerance and respect go both ways. Knowing that radicals in your religion killed over 3000 people and still wanting to build a mosque, and then crying intolerance and bigotry at the drop of a hat, to me, shows a lack of respect and tolerance to the past and to the victims.

Like White people having the 1st admendment right to say the N-word, but out of tolerance and respect, MOST choose not to.

[Tusethede]

Like White people having the 1st admendment right to say the N-word, but out of tolerance and respect, MOST choose not to.

Unfortunately, we don't seem to have that right. Seriously.

[GoveMoony]

Unfortunately, we don't seem to have that right. Seriously.

We do, can't be prosecuted, just be emailed bomb and loose sponsor and depending on who and where you live, fear for your life.

[Aizutox]

While I do not personally like the idea of a Mosque being built at ground zero, I still believe that the foundations that this country were based upon, allow for such buildings. If we start to limit where places of worship can be built, what is the next freedom that will be limited?

[CathBraun]

While I do not personally like the idea of a Mosque being built at ground zero, I still believe that the foundations that this country were based upon, allow for such buildings. If we start to limit where places of worship can be built, what is the next freedom that will be limited?

So you say maybe the Christian church destroyed by the attacks should be built first then? Because it has only been 9 years and they still dont have the permit to build.

[Slintreeoost]

Hey if they build that mosque by Ground Zero, I'm opening a Pork BBQ stand right outside its front doors.