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We are told that the imam in NYC who wants to build a Muslim cultural center just feet from Ground Zero wants to “bridge the great divide” between Muslims and the rest of America. He may well be serious about this. However, if we grant his good intentions, it becomes difficult to grant his sincerity in all of this given his reaction and the reaction of his supporters to the opposition that has, understandably arisen.
The automatic “our opposition are racist hatemongers” response was just about the worst possible response they could come up with. How can it be said that this cultural center is supposed to foster understanding between Islam and the rest of the country if it’s first official act is to call those to whom they are reaching out vicious and hateful names? In so doing, are they not undermining the very purpose they claim this center represents?
Now, some of this negative reaction, to be fair, is coming from the Left who is eager to reinforce the self-serving notion that ALL conservatives EVERYWHERE are racist, homophobic, sexist and so on and so on. It is their default mode. A Conservative says “Good morning” to a liberal, black reporter and this is spun into a racist assault on the first amendment rights and, in some cases, the very life of said reporter.
But, as we have seen in the last few years, this is, more or less, the default mode for many in the Muslim world as well. A cartoon of the Muslim Prophet was used as an excuse for mass rioting and violence around the world because such a cartoon is an “insult” to Muslims. Hundreds actually died as a result. Then there was controversy over a food snack logo that allegedly “looked like” the Arabic symbol for Mohamed. This too was deemed a great offense to Islam. Then there was the incident where a school teacher overseas allowed a Muslim school child to name a teddy bear, Mohamed. There not only demands that this teacher be fired but that she be dragged out into the street and killed for this insult.
So now, an imam, here in the US, wants to build an Islamic cultural center/mosque just feet from the site where Islamic extremists, who claimed to be doing so in the name of Islam, killed 3,000 innocent people. And it would seem that this man and his supporters cannot see how a reasonable person would be offended by this. Taking offense to such a project could only spring from racism and hate. And yet, apparently, killing people in response to cartoons and teddy bears is an understandable, reasoned response. So, if this is the mindset of those who wish to build this center to again “bridge the great divide” between Muslims and the rest of America, they are doomed to failure. And even if this Imam condemned the violence over cartoons and teddy bears, calling everyone who opposes you horrible names is not a good way to assure them that you are sincere in your attempt to reach out to them.
To Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his supporters: If you are serious about building that bridge of understanding, try to understand those who are angered about your proposed center. Build the center elsewhere. Now is not the right time for such a place in the location you have chosen. It is far too soon. If you want to be given respect and tolerance in the US, try practicing it yourself.
I don’t know if the Golden Rule is known in Islam so I will offer it here: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” In other words, if you want to be tolerated, tolerate others. If you want understanding, try to understand others. If you are truly interested in “building bridges” try building bridges to others first; otherwise you’re campaign is off to a really, really lousy start.
