Nearly ten years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the impending construction of a mosque threatens to ignite discrimination and religious intolerance in America.
The planned location of the mosque—only a few blocks from ground zero, the former site of the World Trade Center — has some up in arms, claiming that a Muslim site of worship has no place near one of the most hallowed sites in America.
Former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, was quick to contribute to the discussion, stating via Twitter that the planned mosque “stabs hearts” and is “UNNECESSARY provocation.”
Palin’s comments illustrate the Islamophobia some Americans endorse, influenced by—but not limited to—the 9/11 attacks. Many detractors insist that their concerns are not over the construction of the mosque itself, but rather its proximity to ground zero.
However, those who want the area around ground zero to become in essence a “Muslim-free zone,” fail to recognize that the 9/11 attackers were terrorists who happened to be Muslims, not Muslims whohappened to be terrorists. This cognitive leap clearly escaped Ms. Palin, who directed her Twitter post to “Peace-seeking Muslims” only.
The controversy becomes even more embarrassing on Palin’s side when one acknowledges that those associated with the “Park51” project are welcoming their opponents with open arms. The project’s developer said she would like to see Palin visit the mosque during prayers, so that she might have a chance to appreciate that the mosque’s visitors are “just as American as she is.” The head of the project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, is committed to inclusivity, having founded a non-profit organization that pushes to assert women’s rights in Islam, and encourages interfaith dialogue—some time before the terrorist attacks in 2001.
Those opposing the project insist that they are fighting an affront to the victims of the 9/11 attacks. In reality, they are perpetuating this affront upon another group of victims; the silent majority of Muslims and individuals perceived to be “Middle Eastern,” who have faced discrimination and hate crimes in the period following the 9/11 attacks. Palin and her ilk must recognize that while few Muslims are terrorists, many Muslims are Americans.
If Palin and her followers are proud of the freedom of religion that America offers, they must also learn to uphold it.
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