Statement Regarding the Ground Zero Mosque
The United States was founded on the principles of freedom of speech and religion. In recent years it seems that the freedom to practice one's faith has been removed from the state to an extent far greater than intended by our founding fathers. It is our faith, be in Christianity, Judaism or Islam, that provides us the moral fabric which teaches us right from wrong and keeps our country strong. Having said that, I also understand that the acts taken against innocent victims at the world trade center on September 11th were done in the name of Islam. Whether you believe Islam truly stands for this kind of violence or not, the people of New York City and our nation will never be able to separate these heinous crimes from what the stated intentions of these criminals were-to destroy our great nation. That is why I am opposed to building a mosque at the site in question in New York City. While I support a faith organization's right to congregate, I also have to remind the members of the mosque that putting a symbol of the Islamic faith so close to a grave example of its destruction will not only hurt the people who have already suffered because of this attack, it will also damage Americans' ability to view Islam as something other than destructive. Yes, you can apply for a permit to build your mosque, but, if you really care about the local community and want to improve your image, should you?
