Upon the testimony of many people and institutions I respect (including our state dept), I believe Imman Rauf is a good man and a man of peace, who is trying very, very hard to defuse a very ugly situation.
He certainly did not cause the ugliness and there was virtually no controversy when the Muslim Community Center was first proposed but this was long before our mid-term political season began. So, It may be better, for the present, at least, that the Muslim community Center not be built two and one half blocks from, and invisible to, “ground zero”.
The orchestrated political/religious uproar seems to have intimidated the peaceful into submission. It is a natural inclination and, indeed, “discretion is the better part of valor”. But I wonder?
So what should Imman Rauf do? I suggest we wait until this silly season is over. It distorts everything. Then, lets discuss the issues as sanely as possible. Are we at war with terrorism or with Muslims?
Are Christians, Jews, and Muslims so far apart that war between them is inevitable? Are we really in “a clash of civilizations”? And/or, is it in our interest to define the issue of terrorism that way?
Is it possible that the violence in the Koran and the Christian/Jewish bible could be used as an argument to slaughter anyone who can be defined as an enemy of God? Is religion a part of the problem or the solution to the divisions between peoples? What would Jesus do? Buddha? Mohammad?
If it is impossible for us to have a sane discussion, what are the prospects for eventual war?
