A Second Look at the Mosque

After many discussions about my posting last Friday I have had time to reflect and re access some of my thoughts.

The first rational response to my dislike of building a mosque that close to Ground Zero was given to me in the simplest of terms. There is no mosque downtown. There is a Muslim workforce, primarily in the back offices of the big downtown institutions who have to pray 6 time a day. The location of this new mosque would provide a religious center for these workers which they currently do not have.

I have to agree with the logic although I am not sure that this is the only location downtown available.

I stand by my statement that Freedom of Religion is one of our most treasured Constitutional Rights and so I repeat my support of the mosque. There are a number of churches downtown so why not a mosque?

I mention the location only because in Northern Ireland where the battle lines between Catholics and Protestants have be drawn in blood one of the biggest problems every year is whether or not to allow the Orangemen to parade through Catholic neighbourhoods to celebrate the Protestant victory over the Catholics at the Battle of the Boyne-in 1690.

The Catholics look upon it as provocation. The Protestants as their Right. The result is often bloody with both sides more than willing to riot with the police left holding both ends of the string.

So although I support the mosque, I would like to know if there were any other downtown locations which would be less provocative, but I have to assume there were not.

Another comment I made was that the discussion seemed to be quickly breaking down into Republicans on one side and Democrats on the other. I have to retract that statement. Perhaps in the media this is the case. But in the discussions I have had,at dinner, at the beach or on the golf course, I have been completely surprised at the views I have heard.

If for no other reason then this is breaking down party lines then maybe it is really a good thing.

I have heard right-wing Republicans bordering on the Tea Party standing up for the mosque. Freedom of Religion is a much more powerful theme than I would have imagined.

I have also heard liberal Democrats who in their criticism of the mosque find themselves falling into the "they tried to kill us" camp.

In fact I backed out of the discussion and watched as a staunch liberal and a rock hard conservative took what one would have thought were each other's sides.

I think that might be what makes America.