Muslims have a public relations issue (to say the least)

It seems fairly obvious that Muslims, as a group, have a rather large public relations problem that goes well beyond building the so-call Ground Zero mosque.

A mosque. . . a mosque . . . build it or not. Or rather, renovate the building or not. Certainly a divisive issue right now if we’re talking in the area of Ground Zero. And a very slippery slope. Personally and emotionally I don’t think there should be a mosque there, but not allowing it to be there I’m afraid isn’t right. We’re lucky in the country to have the religious freedoms we have, and that, for better or worse, means we have to sometimes accept that we don’t like. It really isn’t a political issue, though politicians are having a field day batting this one around.

It’s a rights issue. And, if legally permitted, people have a right to build a mosque (or temple, or church, or synagogue) wherever they wish. I’m also guessing that no matter where a group of Muslims wanted to build a mosque right now there would be all kinds of emotionally charged protests and diatribes.

Now unfortunately we’re talking here about a religious group (widely defined) that seems to contain a fair share of people who want to blow up other people. Of course not all Muslims are the same, and I’ll assume that not all Muslims enjoy blowing up themselves and other people. Just like some Christians see themselves as rather elitist by calling themselves Christians and classifying others as “not a Christian” because while they may hold many of the same values, they aren’t really members of the same caste, if you like. History is filled with religious conflicts and wars. We tend to forget that at convenient times.

So the pr issue becomes clearer . . . not all Muslims are the same, either in their beliefs or actions . . . but they manage to be lumped in the same pot. Not fair, perhaps, but where are the moderates condemning the radicals?

Mistake one was calling the proposed building a mosque. Hey, it’s all perception, folks. Call it a community center. Open to all. A pool . . . continued ed . . . day care center etc. Ok . . . with a mosque and prayer rooms inside. The fact that nobody would have any issues if the Catholics wanted to build a religious center there (despite the church’s ongoing pedophilia issues) . . . or if there were to be a Jewish center there . . . or a Buddhist education center. We’re prejudiced . . . in part because we don’t see the violence in many other religions here.

Mistake two was not saying “You know, you’re right, we really hadn’t fully understood the proximity to Ground Zero issues and we’d be happy to build our center somewhere else nearby.” That made it seem like confrontation with the issue was more important than building the center itself. So now people look at it and say not only “why there,” but “why still there?”

As someone who was in the World Trade Center during the bombing of 1993, I can honestly say I’m just not a big fan of blowing up buildings or people. But as has been pointed out, the area of the proposed mosque isn’t actually at Ground Zero . . . it’s a few blocks away. Farther than the Pussycat Lounge where, I will confess, I enjoyed two rather strong and especially delicious gin and tonics after climbing down 72 flights of smoke-filled stairways in 1993. I guess the place has changed a bit since then, but there were a ton of people hitting the bar before making the trip to mid-town for the train. And not one raised any fuss about the place on religious grounds. Amen.

Muslims, of course, have a right to pray where they wish, but the center near Ground Zero will probably never be built. In part because it was handled badly from the beginning. In part because it’s become a political football. And in part because most of us just don’t understand the need for people to blow other people up.

Until we see an obvious break of some type within the large pot of Islamic beliefs, with moderates casting out and condemning the jihadists, there will be open conflict. And that doesn’t help anyone.