Remembering 9/11

    Pastor Jones in Florida plans to burn the Quran in his church if the plan of building a mosque at the ground zero site is carried through. Those who support this view believe that by building a mosque at the site where Islams destroyed our many of our countries important buildings is hypocritical. We are advertising and helping a religion that caused unnecessary destruction to our country. Those who are against burning the Quran believe that is rude to the Islamic culture to burn their most important document. Just because members of the Islamic community hurt our country doesn't mean that all are necessarily bad and hurtful. It would be the repetition of the Holocaust on a smaller scale. We would be overgeneralizing that a group of people are all harmful just because one member did something hurtful. This raises the issues of freedom of religion and the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

     In the first Ammendment in the Bill of Rights it states that we have the right to religion and the exercise thereof. So, although I disagree with building a mosque or even anything at such an historical sight, technically the freedom to build and practice that religion at the ground zero sight is constitutional. While many may not agree why we would build a mosque at the sight where people who practice that religion hurt our country they have no constitutional argument against it. Another argument it raises is the freedom to petition the government. Inside of taking such a drastic measure against the Islamic people, those who are against the mosque should focus on petition the government and not burn the books. Even though the government isn't listening the people are doing just as much harm by burning the Quran. Members of the Islamic community destroyed something that is important to America so would we be any better by destroying something important to the Islamic people? No, we wouldn't. We would be dipping down to their level and we would end up right where we started. Medhat Singab, a 47-year-old Egyptian-born Briton, said the news media were making a circus of "a church with 30 followers and an idiot." And that, "they can go on burning the Quran, its not going to destroy Islam." While that may be true it will destroy the spirit of the Islamic people. By destroying the Pentagon it didn't destroy America but rather the spirit of the American people. If anything though, it made us stronger and helped our pride grow. This might give fuel to the anger the Islamic people have and could backfire and create more harm.

     My personal view is that the Quran shouldn't be burned and having a mosque is fine. The area is going to hold office buildings, fast food places, other religious centers, a memorial. Why not put a mosque? Its just another religious view. Although its the view that some terriorists held and hurt our country not all the people that hold that view are terrorists. I look down on the people wanting to burn the Quran. It's stupid and childish and basically saying "an eye for an eye." It won't accomplish anything. When someone punches you and you punch back they get even angrier and punch back, harder. If we insult the Islamic people they may build rage against the US and attack. I hope that we can resolve this issue and come to an agreement on how the mosque and burning should be handled. For now though I have all the victims of 9/11 in my prayers and say Rest in Peace.