Days after the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the decision to build a mosque near Ground Zero continues to hold national attention. Over the weekend, thousands of people gathered near Ground Zero to debate the issue.
The controversy over the planned mosque involves a delicate balance between constitutional rights and 9/11 sentiments that New Yorkers and Americans still feel.
"All religions, including Islam, are protected by the First Amendment," said Stephanie L. Phillips, a UB law professor. "This also means they are protected from being distinguished from other religions."
Phillips points out that there are Jewish community centers and Catholic churches all over New York City and that an Islamic center should be treated no differently.
The issue has caused uproar across the country. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has argued that putting the mosque in its proposed location would be offensive to the families of 9/11 victims. President Barack Obama has skirted the issue, saying that all religions should be treated equally, yet declined to comment about the wisdom in building the mosque so close to Ground Zero.
"This is another instance of politicians having to speak like politicians," Phillips said.
Many mosque supporters point out that there is already a mosque near the area proposed.
"I think they have the right to build it anywhere they want," said Keelan Chu, a senior mechanical engineering major. "There's a mosque already [in the area] just a few blocks away, so I think it's hardly an issue…if they stop building it, it would be worse because I think [it would show that the] radicals would have won."
Mosque supporters feel that the opposition arises from religious intolerance and racial stereotyping.
"I don't think [building the mosque] would be a problem… if people think that it's a problem, it's kind of ignorant," said Shannon Gordon, a freshman undecided major. "It's not like every Muslim is a terrorist, so it'd be ignorant to generalize [and think] that if they built a mosque there it would be disrespectful."
A much forgotten fact is that there was an Islamic prayer center in the World Trade Center South Tower. There is currently an Islamic prayer center right in the Pentagon, where another 9/11 attack took place. The proposed mosque plans depict a 12-story multi-cultural center complete with culinary and recreation facilities.
There would be no legal precedent for the mosque not to be built, but questions about safety could play a role in whether or not it is constructed.
"If there is a safety concern – possibly criminals or vandals that may threaten the building or its supporters – additional consideration may need to be taken," Phillips said.
On Tuesday, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the cleric overseeing the Muslim center, stated that advisors have been weighing other options regarding the location of the mosque.
This religious issue isn't isolated to just the United States. According to CNN.com, the French senate approved a law on Tuesday banning any accessories covering the face, including the burqas worn by Muslim women. France became the first European country to instill a measure like this.
Senate members passed the law by a vote of 246 to one. A poll by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found that French people support the ban by a ratio of four to one. Citizens of Britain, Germany and Spain also supported the ban by a wide margin, while two out of three Americans opposed it.
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Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
