28 May 2010

A Mosque Too Close?

I'll weigh in here on the issue of building a Muslim center and mosque near the World Trade Center site. (There is an article and an editorial in the Forward.) I understand the sensitivity to those who lost loved ones, but I see this as a gesture of solidarity. Truly, it is more than a gesture. If rebuilding the site is a way for New York and the United States to say, "Your hatred will not stop us"; then building a mosque in a building that was damaged on 9/11 is putting Muslim lives on the line and saying, "Your last attack struck at all religions, including Muslims. Any other attempts will also strike not just at American holy space, but American Muslim holy space as well."