Thursday, August 19, 2010

The Cordoba Conundrum

Evelyn Beatrice Hall wrote in The Friends of Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." This is exactly my attitude toward the proposed Muslim cultural center near Ground Zero. As our president has said, this may not be the wisest idea, but all people have a right to peacefully practice their religion at all times. For New York or, worse, the federal government to shut down the peaceful practice of Islam would be a rejection of the founders' ideals, including free religion and free speech.

I do not agree with the wisdom of locating the Cordoba House in an area which will offend many who were hurt or lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. But it may be that such a move is exactly the gesture needed to bring closure to the attacks. Furthermore, allowing the cultural center and mosque to operate freely will highlight the difference between authoritarian Islamist regimes and the liberal governments Western civilization has created.

There is no easy answer to this dilemma, but we must always keep one question in mind: what if it were a synagogue? or a church? The same rules one would apply to those places of worship ought to be applied to the Cordoba House. As-Salamu Alaykum.

2 comments:

Daniel said...

"what if it were a synagogue? or a church? The same rules one would apply to those places of worship ought to be applied to the Cordoba House."

If the same rules had applied to both churches and mosques, the church building at Ground Zero that had been destroyed by the terrorist attacks would have gotten permits long ago, and would have already been built. But they haven't gotten the permit to build on their own property, yet Obama et al will see that an Islamic mosque be built where Muslims destroyed a great deal of wealth.

I bet you haven't heard about that, have you?

We should have freedom. But we don't.

Colin said...

Daniel, if you're referring to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, then I have heard of the situation, and it deserves a close look, just like the Cordoba House. According to Fox News, the city is fine with letting the church rebuild on their original location, but the church is demanding a better location and public funding, and the city has refused. If you know more about the situation, though, I'd like to know it.