mostly because i find myself asking my very own FAQ:
then what? what gonna happen if i did comment then discussing and maybe debating with bloggers or even specialists on any of these topics?
the answer was always NOTHING!!
i dont wanna sound pessimistic, on the contrary, i even sometimes think i'm over optimistic than i actually should be. but our modern history was always pushing my "be realistic button" and supported my laziness.
however, this time i had a chance to take it out of my chest when a friend of mine participated in launching the two seas forum on islam comment with such an interesting topic
"Should the West welcome new mosques? Should the East welcome other places of worship?"
i read many of the topic's posts, dialogues and comments and it was then when i decided to share my opinion with others about the the Ground Zero project.
i'm personally against it, not for anything but the fact that the majority of both, eastern & western communities are neither mature nor educated enough to get over the recent past and accept each other's cultures and segregate between religions, terrorism and the potential political or economical hidden intentions.
so in my opinion, this project considering the current situation, wouldn't add anything but fire up. whether it’s a typical mosque with a minaret & dome or a community center or even a nightclub, it will still have the same impact on the opposition as long as it’s labeled as islamic entity.
true that 2010 is an election year in USA is 99.9% the main reason behind pushing this debate that high is a highly considered valid point, but on the other side, why the people behind this project, as moderate & highly educated as they’re known to be, choose this specific location which is a case sensitive to a majority that still doesn’t differentiate between a religion & terrorism which gives a chance to “the bad guys” (in many ppl’s opinion) to link islam AGAIN to a horrible memory that the west didnt get over yet? while at no doubt they knew it’ll create such a mess.
this project could have actually been a great initiative to correct the image of islam and help a lot of american muslims suffering the rejection of their society to get some acceptance, only if it was in a different location!
and whether the reasons behind this western hysterical panic of muslims and their hate to islam are right, logical & justified or not and even if the US law protects the freedom of worship, i still believe that such project in this specific location & even name is quite symbolic and conveying a provocative message to these people whom the majority is split between brainwashed and ignorant probably as much as most of the people in eastern dictatorships & authoritarian regimes.
true that 2010 is an election year in USA is 99.9% the main reason behind pushing this debate that high is a highly considered valid point, but on the other side, why the people behind this project, as moderate & highly educated as they’re known to be, choose this specific location which is a case sensitive to a majority that still doesn’t differentiate between a religion & terrorism which gives a chance to “the bad guys” (in many ppl’s opinion) to link islam AGAIN to a horrible memory that the west didnt get over yet? while at no doubt they knew it’ll create such a mess.
this project could have actually been a great initiative to correct the image of islam and help a lot of american muslims suffering the rejection of their society to get some acceptance, only if it was in a different location!
and whether the reasons behind this western hysterical panic of muslims and their hate to islam are right, logical & justified or not and even if the US law protects the freedom of worship, i still believe that such project in this specific location & even name is quite symbolic and conveying a provocative message to these people whom the majority is split between brainwashed and ignorant probably as much as most of the people in eastern dictatorships & authoritarian regimes.
which why it doesn’t surprise me when i see such laws as the veil ban in france or the mosques’ minarets ban in switzerland get proposed and at no surprise as well i observe the amount of anger rising in the entire muslim nation for such, while in most of these angry people’s countries, building a church is not allowed and if it is, the building has to look neutral without carrying any religious symbol or icon!!!
both sides feel rejected, hated and fearing each other’s power and intentions that might sometimes be overestimated, but who can blame any of them after all what happened and still happening?!
solving this endless conflict which its grounds were accumulated over the years and doubled up in the last decade, requires a lot of things that starts with a minimal understanding from both parties to the opposite point of view and perception the which has to be supported by a governmental honest approach that lacks all the prominent manipulations which of course and for a whole list of obvious reasons that can keep going on and on, will never happen!
