on september 11th 2001 the world as we knew it would change forever

8/6/2019 On September 11th 2001 the World as We Knew It Would Change Forever

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Liberty for

some, not all The mosque "at"

ground zero

Stephen D. Cwian



On September 11th 2001 the world as we knew it would change forever. Early that

morning a radical group of terrorists executed an extremely well organized attack on the

citizens of the United States of America. This was no act of war, no declaration of conflict, this

was simply an act of terrorism by radicals connected to the Muslim faith. Over the next nine

years America would be plunged into a global wide conflict of weeding out all forms of

Terrorism, from suicide bombers in Afghanistan to Chemical weapons in Iraq. This conflict has

developed a stereotype that all Muslims are radicals and has inspired fear of the Muslim faith

across the United States. When plans for a Mosque construction two blocks from ground zero

were announced earlier this summer the American public was outraged but as details emerged

the public was split into two sides. One side believes that the Mosque is an insult to everything

America stands for while the other believes that there is no reason under the constitution that

the Mosque should not be built. Refusing to let a Mosque be built anywhere not just ground

zero is a direct violation of the Constitution and therefore is a direct violation of every citizens

civil liberties which have been defended in the past by people of every religious background.

Earlier this summer the New York city council was approached with a plan to construct a

Mosque at 45 Park Place two blocks from the former world trade center. The planned

construction would take an abandoned run down building and remodel it raising both its and

the properties around its values. The plans also outlined that in no way is this actually a mosque

the building is first and foremost a cultural center with a small room reserved for any type of

prayer or worship. The building is planned to both educate and improve the surrounding

neighborhood by offering a community pool and places for students to study. The building also

was influenced by the construction of a similar center at 92nd street Y which was planned and



developed by a Jewish synagogue but in no way is synagogue itself. If the public calls 45 park

place a mosque and tries to stop the construction wouldn't the 92nd street Y building also have

to be closed down.

When the plan was first announced Right wing politicians were quick to get their

opinion out amongst the masses. They believed that the Mosque is an insult to the memories of

those who lost their lives during the September 11th attack and in no way should construction

be allowed. They have cited that the man behind the funding, Sharif El-Gamal, is a radical who

has sympathized with terrorists in the past and are afraid that this man would use this center as

a place of recruitment for terrorists. The conservatives also believe that this is simply Terrorists

using our own constitution against us, they believe that the Imam is simply using this as a way

to "flip America the bird". Conservatives have cited historical evidence that Muslims construct

places of worship at the cites of their greatest victories and that this "Mosque" is just that.

The Left Wing beliefs are directly opposite that of the conservatives. The liberals believe

that the constution holds all the answers to this debate. Under the first amendment of the

constitution all citizens of the United States have the right to freedoms of speech, religion,

press, and peacefully assembly and because of that amendment restricting the construction of

this mosque would be a direct violation of those rights. They believe that the right wing is

stereotyping against the Muslims and stopping its construction would be like saying that all

Muslims are terrorists. The Liberals believe that if we were to deny the construction of this

mosque it would go against every single core value that our fore fathers established.



My opinion on this is simple, when in doubt refer to the constitution. Under Article VI

section I of the constitution the Federal Government is the supreme law of the land meaning

that what the National Government says is what goes, and what the National Government says

is the constitution. To quote the constitution the first amendment states, "Congress shall make

no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or

abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to

assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". This amendment pretty

much sums up the entire argument behind the mosque. While yes it is royally pissing off the

locals the American public has no right to deny the construction of this mosque because it

would be denying these American citizens their first amendment rights. If we were to deny a

church to be built near ground zero would there be any outrage from the American public? The

entire American population is guilty of stereotyping against the Muslim faith, not all of them

are religious fanatics like we all like to believe. Also the property clause of the fifth amendment

states that "no citizen will be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law;

nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." This clause

pretty much sums up that in no way will citizens be denied the right to the purchase and use of

property, meaning if we were to restrict their rights to build here it would be in violation of the

5th amendment.

Refusing to let a Mosque be built anywhere not just ground zero is a direct violation of

the Constitution and therefore is a direct violation of every citizens civil liberties which have

been defended in the past by people of every religious background. On that fateful day it wasn't

just Christians and Jews who lost their lives, on record around fifty Muslims also perished



during the attacks. It wasn't an attack by Muslims on Christians and Jews it was an attack on the

people of America and what we stand for as a nation. If we were to restrict this Mosque would

not just be a violation of the constitution it would be an insult to the lives of every man, woman

and child who have died defending the rights that every American citizen holds. For what would

our fore fathers say if we no longer stood for liberty for all but rather liberty for some.

on september 11th 2001 the world as we knew it would change forever

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