....building a mosque near ground zero is like building a Buddhist temple near Pearl Harbor to honor Kamikazes....
Quick fact check:
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans made up over 1/3 of the population of Hawaii. Many Japanese Americans lost their lives in the Pearl Harbor attack, while others enlisted in the army as soon as the ban was lifted on Japanese American enlistment. The Buddhist religion has for many years been an integral part of the State...there are over 35 Buddhist temples in Hawaii. Kamikaze attacks did not become part of the war until later in 1944 when it was realized that accidental crashes caused more damage as Japanese planes were outdated and were losing fire fights. It was so easy then to say all "Japs" were really spies and a danger to national security, pretending that their religion was a symbol of the war against us, even though many Japanese Americans worshipped the same way. Reagan issued a Presidential order of apology and in 1988, through the Civil Liberties Act, ordered reparations to Japanese Americans.
This analogy is crap and loaded with factual error. The only ties it has to what we witness today is that both viewpoints are driven by the lack of facts and the quickness to stereotype and punish a peaceful American population by the deeds of radicals and nationalists.
Quick fact check:
The building that would be built would replace the old Burlington Coat Factory and is two city blocks from Ground Zero, it is not being built on the site. The building is a cultural center with one room dedicated to prayer...no minarets, no muezzin calls to prayer on loud intercoms ringing out on Park Place. It will contain a 500-seat auditorium, theater, performing arts center, fitness center, swimming pool, basketball court, childcare area, bookstore, culinary school, art studio, and food court. It would not be even visible from the Ground Zero site. The name “Cordoba” was not picked because it was a city conquered by Muslims. It was chosen because during the 11th and 12th centuries it was an example of freedom of religion, peace, and intellectual growth between all peoples. Muslim Americans fight and die for this country, pay taxes, and are integral parts of our society. Soldiers of all faiths fight and die to uphold the ideals of our country, it is not a slap in their face to allow religious freedom, it is a slap in the face to ask them to risk their lives for freedom and democracy oversees, when we fail to enforce it at home.
