The American Misconception of Islam
The American Misconception of Islam
Recently, it has been approved by a community board that a mosque will be constructed by the American Society for Muslim Advancement two blocks from the site of the once prominent World Trade Towers in New York. All over the country, there has been exceptional protest against the building of the mosque. Andrea Peyser writes, “There are many questions about the mosque. But just one answer: move it away,” (Peyser). Ever since the tragedy of 9/11, nearly all Americans have gained the understanding that Muslims are harmful to the United States; however, Americans have failed to draw the distinction between Islamic extremists that caused this terrorist attack and simple followers of Islam. Despite being approved to build this Muslim gathering center by a community board, the organizers of this project have been hassled, threatened, and simply put-down over their plan to unite a city beyond the barriers of religion. Followers of Islam in America have been wrongly persecuted by their fellow citizens because of Muslim extremists that brought terror upon the country. Many protestors of the mosque construction consider the project a stab in the heart while the project director, Daisy Khan says, “It’s a platform to the silent majority of Muslims who suffer at the hands of extremists...A center will show that Muslims will be part of rebuilding lower Manhattan (Peyser).” The Muslim center would be a place for anyone, not only Muslims, to unite and forget about race, gender, and religion. There should be no question that the denial of any person to build a place of worship on private property is a violation of one’s constitutional rights. There is no evident relationship between Muslims whom practice peaceful worship and extremists seeking to lash out upon the United States of America. The common American idea that Muslims are at war with the United States is a broad, generalized theory which is easily proven to be discrimatory and
Recently, it has been approved by a community board that a mosque will be constructed by the American Society for Muslim Advancement two blocks from the site of the once prominent World Trade Towers in New York. All over the country, there has been exceptional protest against the building of the mosque. Andrea Peyser writes, “There are many questions about the mosque. But just one answer: move it away,” (Peyser). Ever since the tragedy of 9/11, nearly all Americans have gained the understanding that Muslims are harmful to the United States; however, Americans have failed to draw the distinction between Islamic extremists that caused this terrorist attack and simple followers of Islam. Despite being approved to build this Muslim gathering center by a community board, the organizers of this project have been hassled, threatened, and simply put-down over their plan to unite a city beyond the barriers of religion. Followers of Islam in America have been wrongly persecuted by their fellow citizens because of Muslim extremists that brought terror upon the country. Many protestors of the mosque construction consider the project a stab in the heart while the project director, Daisy Khan says, “It’s a platform to the silent majority of Muslims who suffer at the hands of extremists...A center will show that Muslims will be part of rebuilding lower Manhattan (Peyser).” The Muslim center would be a place for anyone, not only Muslims, to unite and forget about race, gender, and religion. There should be no question that the denial of any person to build a place of worship on private property is a violation of one’s constitutional rights. There is no evident relationship between Muslims whom practice peaceful worship and extremists seeking to lash out upon the United States of America. The common American idea that Muslims are at war with the United States is a broad, generalized theory which is easily proven to be discrimatory and
Cited: Cook, David. "Islamism and Jihadism." Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions. Helin Library Catalog. Johnson and Wales University, June 2010. Web. 16 Jan. 2011. Ghosh, Bobby. "Islam in America." TIME. Helin Library Catalog. Johnson and Wales University, 30 Aug. 2010. Web. 15 Jan. 2011. Peyser, Andrea. "Mosque Madness at Ground Zero - NYPOST.com." New York News-New York Post. 13 May 2010. Web. 13 Jan. 2011.