Question For NYC Mosque Supporters- what is your religion or non-religious outlo

[Aimeey7]

well, I never asked about the legal right to build, I consider that a given. But, that aside, how YOU feel about the issue may not have anything to do with your faith or lack of, but that may not be true for everybody.

I never understand why people keep bringing up the legal right issue, again, I've heard of no credible suggestion or call to prohibit the mosque by law. It passed all the zoning hurdles, so legally, they are good to go-- I don;t know any rational person that disputes that.
I never subscribe to slippery slope arguments, we draw lines and adjust lines all the time. Why is ok for an adult male to have sex with a girl on her 16th birthday but not the day before?

Pressure, lobbied, etc, becomes persecution when they want to build at a more innocuous  site-- that being debatable case by case. Personally, I can't think of any place else I would oppose a mosque, again, given it fits in with customary zoning.

BTW, there is often opposition to Christain and other faith's facilties, by such as NIMBY's they usually oppose on zoning grounds, complain about increased traffic, etc--- such a case occurred not to far from my former home when a balck church sought to build a school "too close" to a neighborhood---- the neighborhood opposed on what they said were reasonable grounds, some church members raised the possibility of racism-- which, imho, was the motive of at least a few.

I wonder, would the mosque supporters also support say a gun shop's opening across the street from Columbine?

[Wiener]

good post Oldster.

I agree they have every legal right to build where ever they want.

But as Obama put it the wisdom, where is the wisdom of their decision?

[oldster]

There is no wisdom in their decision.  It is thoughtless at best and mean-spirited at worst.

As to the gun-shop queston, Aimeey - you like to ask questions that are worded in such a way as to offer the responder no alternative than to be branded.  You say "mosque supporters".  Supporting the legal right to build the mosque does not make one a mosque supporter.  It is sort of like asking "When did you stop beating your wife?"  I would view a "mosque supporter" to be one who actually thinks that building it there is a good idea.  I haven't seen that said here by anybody.  I think that those who support the legal right to build it are supporters of the Constitution, not the mosque.

[RobinQuillonsHair]

It's a zoning issue. 

[oldster]

very simple; very true

[Aimeey7]

OLdster, you know I love you dearly, but you have me banging my head against the wall here-- I thought i clarified that a few times----

onece more--- THE LEGAL RIGHT TO BUILD IS NOT IN QUESTION. PERIOD.
Please clue me in on any serious movement that thinks they can prohibit it by law, now that it has passed every zoning hurdle. I have not heard of any.  I don't hear of any pundits nor politicians calling for that either.

I earlier said that by Mosque supporters, I DO NOT MEAN THOSE THAT MERELY SUPPORT THEIR LEGAL RIGHT TO BUILD IT.
I include myself in the above group.

When I am asking question os "mosque supporters" I mean those that think  that the opposition has no right to proetest and use legal methods of persuasion to have them locate it elsewhere.

[Aimeey7]

and, by persuasion, I do not mean illegal or violent methods, and primarily I mean appeals to hopefully the better senses of those that would build it, although I would support boycotts and withholding of labor and services if moral persuasion does not work.

[yoyo]

who is banging their head against a wall.

Oldster if she were to accept that it was a constitutional issue then she could no longer blame Obama for the stance he took, and that is something she can't bring herself to do.

[redcap]

I think anyone who expresses opposition to the mosque are banging their against the wall. No matter how they word their opposition you interpret as they oppose the building on a legal basis.

I strongly support the right to build the mosque there. I oppose the building of it their because I believe it is morally wrong, a distinct slap in the face for all of those who lost loved ones there (I am told that includes many muslims)

This stand neither makes me a foe of the constitution nor a bigot opposing the muslim faith.

But, let me say this. Those of you who support the building of this mosque, but oppose my freedom to pursue my religion because I am somehow establishing a state religion by wearing a cross at my work are indeed a hypocrite.

[WDVE]

I have to agree, seems if you aren't in favor of the mosque build near Ground Zero you are against the religion.  Twenty four posts later perhaps we are overly dissecting this debate.  My hope would be for mosque supporters to realize and rational this is not the place to build. The word tolerance is often heard in this debate...I can help wonder where the tolerance is for the victims and victims families?

The main issue here is not freedom of religion, the question is...what is the right thing to do. No one is saying they can not build a mosque, but the issue is the location they have chosen. It is literally a slap in the face to every American, to say the least to what it is doing to the families of the victims and the survivors of that fateful day.

[Aimeey7]

who is banging their head against a wall.

Oldster if she were to accept that it was a constitutional issue then she could no longer blame Obama for the stance he took, and that is something she can't bring herself to do.

Its not a constitutional issue because it is not the government that is trying to prevent it.

[oldster]

When I am asking question os "mosque supporters" I mean those that think  that the opposition has no right to proetest and use legal methods of persuasion to have them locate it elsewhere.

I think that you have missed my point then, Aimeey.  Nobody here has indicated that they are a mosque supporter as defined by you, so to whom are you addressing your question?

[Wiener]

I don't support where they want to build their mosque but I do support their right to build it.

If an American understands the constitution then they can come to no other conclusion.  They have every right to build, that doesn't mean it is the best decision on their part.

Like I said before they are claiming it to be a learning center to help us tolerate one another.

I think we could tolerate each other just fine if we quit throwing our ball into their court and vise versa.

It is like any other immigrant that comes here you must assembly yourself to fit America, America does not have to change to fit you.
It is a beautiful thought too bad so many of us humans think our way is the better way and can't learn to live and let live more often.

[RobinQuillonsHair]

What does the Constitution have to do with zoning?

The city of New York simply needs to pass an ordinance that forbids the construction of any non-Christian or Jewish place of worship within 3500 feet from the site of any past terrorist attacks carried out by Moslems.

[Wiener]

What is next after that Robin?

If you give most people an inch they push for that mile, where would it all end?

Maybe they should pass something in the way of if one religion is represented then every religion has to represented on the same block.  That would be much more interesting and American, I would think.