By Michael Moore, Michael Moore.com
11 September 10
If the 'mosque' isn't built, this is no longer America.
I am opposed to the building of the "mosque" two blocks from Ground Zero.
I want it built on Ground Zero.
Why? Because I believe in an America that protects those who are the victims of hate and prejudice. I believe in an America that says you have the right to worship whatever God you have, wherever you want to worship. And I believe in an America that says to the world that we are a loving and generous people and if a bunch of murderers steal your religion from you and use it as their excuse to kill 3,000 souls, then I want to help you get your religion back. And I want to put it at the spot where it was stolen from you.
There's been so much that's been said about this manufactured controversy, I really don't want to waste any time on this day of remembrance talking about it. But I hate bigotry and I hate liars, and so in case you missed any of the truth that's been lost in this, let me point out a few facts:
1. I love the Burlington Coat Factory. I've gotten some great winter coats there at a very reasonable price. Muslims have been holding their daily prayers there since 2009. No one ever complained about that. This is not going to be a "mosque," it's going to be a community center. It will have the same prayer room in it that's already there. But to even have to assure people that "it's not going to be mosque" is so offensive, I now wish they would just build a 111-story mosque there. That would be better than the lame and disgusting way the developer has left Ground Zero an empty hole until recently. The remains of over 1,100 people still haven't been found. That site is a sacred graveyard, and to be building another monument to commerce on it is a sacrilege. Why wasn't the entire site turned into a memorial peace park? People died there, and many of their remains are still strewn about, all these years later.
2. Guess who has helped the Muslims organize their plans for this community center? The JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER of Manhattan! Their rabbi has been advising them since the beginning. It's been a picture-perfect example of the kind of world we all want to live in. Peter Stuyvessant, New York's "founder," tried to expel the first Jews who arrived in Manhattan. Then the Dutch said, no, that's a bit much. So then Stuyvessant said ok, you can stay, but you cannot build a synagogue anywhere in Manhattan. Do your stupid Friday night thing at home. The first Jewish temple was not allowed to be built until 1730. Then there was a revolution, and the founding fathers said this country has to be secular - no religious nuts or state religions. George Washington (inaugurated around the corner from Ground Zero) wanted to make a statement about this his very first year in office, and wrote this to American Jews:
"The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy - a policy worthy of imitation.... "It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens ...
"May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants - while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid."
3. The Imam in charge of this project is the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. Read about his past here.
4. Around five dozen Muslims died at the World Trade Center on 9/11. Hundreds of members of their families still grieve and suffer. The 19 killers did not care what religion anyone belonged to when they took those lives.
5. I've never read a sadder headline in the New York Times than the one on the front page this past Monday: "American Muslims Ask, Will We Ever Belong?" That should make all of us so ashamed that even a single one of our fellow citizens should ever have to worry about if they "belong" here.
6. There is a McDonald's two blocks from Ground Zero. Trust me, McDonald's has killed far more people than the terrorists.
7. During an economic depression or a time of war, fascists are extremely skilled at whipping up fear and hate and getting the working class to blame "the other" for their troubles. Lincoln's enemies told poor Southern whites that he was "a Catholic." FDR's opponents said he was Jewish and called him "Jewsevelt." One in five Americans now believe Obama is a Muslim and 41% of Republicans don't believe he was born here.
8. Blaming a whole group for the actions of just one of that group is anti-American. Timothy McVeigh was Catholic. Should Oklahoma City prohibit the building of a Catholic Church near the site of the former federal building that McVeigh blew up?
9. Let's face it, all religions have their whackos. Catholics have O'Reilly, Gingrich, Hannity and Clarence Thomas (in fact all five conservatives who dominate the Supreme Court are Catholic). Protestants have Pat Robertson and too many to list here. The Mormons have Glenn Beck. Jews have Crazy Eddie. But we don't judge whole religions on just the actions of their whackos. Unless they're Methodists.
10. If I should ever, God forbid, perish in a terrorist incident, and you or some nutty group uses my death as your justification to attack or discriminate against anyone in my name, I will come back and haunt you worse than Linda Blair marrying Freddy Krueger and moving into your bedroom to spawn Chucky. John Lennon was right when he asked us to imagine a world with "nothing to kill or die for and no religion, too." I heard Deepak Chopra this week say that "God gave humans the truth, and the devil came and he said, 'Let's give it a name and call it religion.' " But John Adams said it best when he wrote a sort of letter to the future (which he called "Posterity"): "Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it." I'm guessing ol' John Adams is up there repenting nonstop right now.
Friends, we all have a responsibility NOW to make sure that Muslim community center gets built. Once again, 70% of the country (the same number that initially supported the Iraq War) is on the wrong side and want the "mosque" moved. Enormous pressure has been put on the Imam to stop his project. We have to turn this thing around. Are we going to let the bullies and thugs win another one? Aren't you fed up by now? When would be a good time to take our country back from the haters?
I say right now. Let's each of us make a statement by donating to the building of this community center! It's a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization and you can donate a dollar or ten dollars (or more) right now through a secure pay pal account by clicking here. I will personally match the first $10,000 raised (forward your PayPal receipt to [email protected] ). If each one of you reading this blog/email donated just a couple of dollars, that would give the center over $6 million, more than what Donald Trump has offered to buy the Imam out. C'mon everyone, let's pitch in and help those who are being debased for simply wanting to do something good. We could all make a huge statement of love on this solemn day.
I lost a co-worker on 9/11. I write this today in his memory.
oh i read this somewhere!!!
It made me so happy that he said this and is exposing the truth about how the Jewish Community Center of Manhattan helped plan this while so many Jews are complaining and saying that when a synagogue is built in Mecca is when a mosque should be built near Ground Zero (What they fail to realize is that New York is a dirty place while Mecca is a Holy City).
I'm just so happy that someone like him is telling others that Islam is not what everyone thinks it makes me as a muslim want to take action and tell others of the injustices we face sometimes because of the lies people tell about Islam.
And also some people who hate Islam and muslims because of 9/11 need to stop listening to the media because a muslim may have also lost a family member that day as well.
I don't always agree with Michael Moore but I sure do on this one. I'm glad someone is willing to stand up and say what needs to be said and face the wrath of the right-wing media. This is very well stated.
I also read somewhere that there was actually an area in the Twin Towers that functioned as a Masjid for prayer. No one ever brings up that little factoid.
Thanks for sharing the article.
“All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”
Why can't we have a mosque at ground zero. Is a synagogue or church any better. No way. We live in a country that says people should be treated the same regardless of sex or religion. However, the media, fox news in particular were against the mosque being built at ground zero. who are the real people who planned the attack we will not really know for years to come. But, I can say this muslims were killed on 9/11 and we have every right to build a mosque wherever we want. And we will build.
Ground Zero isn't holy ground, it was a crime scene and the perpetrators of the attacks will be dealt with accordingly. If not in this life, then in the Hereafter. I do not see the problem with an Islamic COMMUNITY CENTER built two blocks away from the site. The Imam is a good Muslim man who wants to reach out to other faiths and promote harmony between the followers of God. He condemned the terrorists who call themselves Muslims and terrorism in general. Wow that sounds SO extreme. *rolls eyes*
Peace be to any prophets I may have mentioned above. Praised and exalted be my Maker, if I have mentioned Him. (Come to think of it praise Him anyway.)
Ah its not even in Ground Zero, a couple of blocks away... :/
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
IIIIII think that this whole thing is absolutely retarded. The guys who wanted to build the mosque ON GROUND ZERO are definitely begging for fitnah. Like...it would KILL them to have it built a few block away????? I mean, yeah it's completely unconstitutional to deny muslims the right to have a mosque anywhere in america, or deny a jewish peopele the right to have a synagogue or whatever anywhere, or a church anywhere in america, but still. I think anyone would do the same if this were in another country, and you don't have to act liek that after what happened. They act like they don't know how this world is already. In 2001, Idiotic Arabs crashed the buildings for bush, and in 2010, more idiotic arabs asked to build a mosque RIGHT WHERE IT CRASHED, don't you think that's more than coincidental???
If i set your home on fire, making your entire family die, would you be okay with me building another house for myself exactly where your house was??? Why would i want my house exactly on that spot and not on one of the other millions of areas around that spot where i can build it? There's only one, true answer for that: Because i want to bring the past violence back to the future.
Seriously, get the hell over it. I'm muslim, but i still think it's stupid, AND insensitive as they were saying, to try and build a mosque exactly where others blew something up. that area is now a memorial, and you nobody should ever build something on a memorial. Move the mosque a little bit farther away from it, and go pray there. It's not like that spot is like holy to muslims or anything. Their prayers are still gonna get accepted from a mosque a few block away from ground zero...
Yeah building a Mosque a few blocks awa is fine, but to suggest it should be built on Ground Zero is just a daft idea. Does he honestly believe that would cause better relationships with Muslims? There's just no need to do it at all.
i agree..a masjid is a place to worship Allah. Thats posible even if its a few blocks away. What is any1 trying to prove building it on ground zero? People died there..why would anybdy want to build any place of worship right on top of ruins and remains?
The guys who wanted to build the mosque ON GROUND ZERO are definitely begging for fitnah.
None of us are truly capable of questioning the intention of others.
Like...it would KILL them to have it built a few block away?????
No, it wouldn't.
I mean, yeah it's completely unconstitutional to deny muslims the right to have a mosque anywhere in america, or deny a jewish peopele the right to have a synagogue or whatever anywhere, or a church anywhere in america, but still.
It shows that some Americans do not truly believe in ''freedom of religion.'' Freedoms look nice on a piece of paper but it's not the case in reality...in this case.
I think anyone would do the same if this were in another country, and you don't have to act liek that after what happened. They act like they don't know how this world is already. In 2001, Idiotic Arabs crashed the buildings for bush, and in 2010, more idiotic arabs asked to build a mosque RIGHT WHERE IT CRASHED, don't you think that's more than coincidental???
Source? :/
If i set your home on fire, making your entire family die, would you be okay with me building another house for myself exactly where your house was???
You would be in prison.
Seriously, get the hell over it.
I have...a long time ago.
I'm muslim, but i still think it's stupid, AND insensitive as they were saying, to try and build a mosque exactly where others blew something up.
How is it insensitive? Did someone threw mosque at the towers? Or did the 19 hijackers dropped a mosque on the towers?
that area is now a memorial, and you nobody should ever build something on a memorial.
...I'm certain there are buildings in Ground Zero, didn't they build up the place following 9/11? I find it funny people are complaining about an Islamic centre but don't complain about the strip club and the bars...not something you would have now near a memorial.
Move the mosque a little bit farther away from it, and go pray there. It's not like that spot is like holy to muslims or anything. Their prayers are still gonna get accepted from a mosque a few block away from ground zero...
That's fine as well...
*Winces while waiting for posts attacking me* XD
Try this, it works.
format_quote Originally Posted by LauraS
Yeah building a Mosque a few blocks awa is fine, but to suggest it should be built on Ground Zero is just a daft idea. Does he honestly believe that would cause better relationships with Muslims? There's just no need to do it at all.
Its not a mosque, its an Islamic centre.
Anyway, I think some Americans do not truly believe in the Constitution when it really matters. Yeah move the Islamic centre, wherever the majority of the Americans want it.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
i agree..a masjid is a place to worship Allah. Thats posible even if its a few blocks away. What is any1 trying to prove building it on ground zero? People died there..why would anybdy want to build any place of worship right on top of ruins and remains?
there was a graveyard in our town center,
it is now a tesco's
sure you could build a garden, so the office workers could go eat sammiches there.
a memorial seems fitting but what would that accomplish? those that remember are those that forever will.
the only thing it should not become is what it is, an excuse to go ahead and treat people like they they are subhuman.. but like always that is a good thing, to know the people who hate you openly.
...I'm certain there are buildings in Ground Zero, didn't they build up the place following 9/11? I find it funny people are complaining about an Islamic centre but don't complain about the strip club and the bars...not something you would have now near a memorial.
Strip clubs and bars built on Ground Zero? Haven't seen or heard of anything of that sort going on there. Nice way to insult us non-Muslim New Yorkers, claiming that Ground Zero is being turned into a red light district.
[/QUOTE]Anyway, I think some Americans do not truly believe in the Constitution when it really matters. Yeah move the Islamic centre, wherever the majority of the Americans want it.[/QUOTE]
There is no reason to not build the Islamic Center at the original intended location. The whole episode has been a disgraceful display of all that's wrong in American politics these days.
I think it has been pointed out many times before that there is no ground zero mosque. The centre is 2 blocks away. I don't even think it's possible to even properly see something 2 blocks away. There is also an actual mosque 3 blocks from ground zero and it's been there for a long time.
Salam
Strip clubs and bars built on Ground Zero?
Haven't seen or heard of anything of that sort going on there. Nice way to insult us non-Muslim New Yorkers, claiming that Ground Zero is being turned into a red light district.
There are Muslims that were killed on 9/11 too. I never said Ground Zero turned into a red light district. I find it odd people complain about one Islamic centre but not the strip club...
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
There are Muslims that were killed on 9/11 too. I never said Ground Zero turned into a red light district. I find it odd people complain about one Islamic centre but not the strip club...
Oh I did not insult non-Muslims. :/
Excellent, apparently I misread you and will take you on your word and not feel insulted. In case you might have misread me, I said the Islamic Center should be built, and I never said Muslims weren't killed on 9/11...that would certainly be an absurd claim.
I agree it is odd that people complain about the Islamic Center, but as I said, this issue was a tool used to further certain political goals.
Since my home is a 7 minute walk from Ground Zero (since 1997), I am quite aware of what is in my neighborhood and what is not. The area is in no way focused on strip clubs and bars. Those establishments do exist, but that neither negates nor validates the case for or against the Islamic Center, which (I will repeat) I am in favor of. Like all of New York, this area allows the broadest spectrum of humanity to make itself at home, and as such the Islamic Center would be a positive addition.
Excellent, apparently I misread you and will take you on your word and not feel insulted. In case you might have misread me, I said the Islamic Center should be built, and I never said Muslims weren't killed on 9/11...that would certainly be an absurd claim.
Oh okay.
In case you might have misread me, I said the Islamic Center should be built, and I never said Muslims weren't killed on 9/11...that would certainly be an absurd claim.
It's fine.
I agree it is odd that people complain about the Islamic Center, but as I said, this issue was a tool used to further certain political goals.
I really don't have an issue about where the Islamic Centre should be built. If some Americans were upset, then it should have been moved, for the sake of not causing any trouble.
Since my home is a 7 minute walk from Ground Zero (since 1997), I am quite aware of what is in my neighborhood and what is not. The area is in no way focused on strip clubs and bars. Those establishments do exist, but that neither negates nor validates the case for or against the Islamic Center, which (I will repeat) I am in favor of. Like all of New York, this area allows the broadest spectrum of humanity to make itself at home, and as such the Islamic Center would be a positive addition.
Its nice to hear you support it.
I was looking at myself talking to myself and I realized this conversation...I was having with myself looking at myself was a conversation with myself that I needed to have with myself.
IIIIII think that this whole thing is absolutely retarded. The guys who wanted to build the mosque ON GROUND ZERO are definitely begging for fitnah. Like...it would KILL them to have it built a few block away????? I mean, yeah it's completely unconstitutional to deny muslims the right to have a mosque anywhere in america, or deny a jewish peopele the right to have a synagogue or whatever anywhere, or a church anywhere in america, but still. I think anyone would do the same if this were in another country, and you don't have to act liek that after what happened. They act like they don't know how this world is already. In 2001, Idiotic Arabs crashed the buildings for bush, and in 2010, more idiotic arabs asked to build a mosque RIGHT WHERE IT CRASHED, don't you think that's more than coincidental???
If i set your home on fire, making your entire family die, would you be okay with me building another house for myself exactly where your house was??? Why would i want my house exactly on that spot and not on one of the other millions of areas around that spot where i can build it? There's only one, true answer for that: Because i want to bring the past violence back to the future.
Seriously, get the hell over it. I'm muslim, but i still think it's stupid, AND insensitive as they were saying, to try and build a mosque exactly where others blew something up. that area is now a memorial, and you nobody should ever build something on a memorial. Move the mosque a little bit farther away from it, and go pray there. It's not like that spot is like holy to muslims or anything. Their prayers are still gonna get accepted from a mosque a few block away from ground zero...
*Winces while waiting for posts attacking me* XD
I'm not sure if you actually believe some of the things you have said - but lets get one thing clear the arabs the blew the the towers are not the same arabs that are building the Islamic community center - you cant blame all the arabs for it just like you cant blame all americans for Iraq - lets not forget that the people (arabs) are american citizens as well.
second if the US is all about freedom of religion like no other country on earth then this islamic community center is a great way of seeing how much freedom there is.
Last but not least only moore here wanted an Islamic center on ground zero the imam wants in a few blocks away - how much is a few blocks away anyway??
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
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