Yes some people who actually did find out without prejudice about Islam and muslims agree that Islam was not responsible for these terrorist acts and that collectively victimising the entire Muslim community for the acts commited by someone is wrong. These people include Christians and Jews and people of all faiths. More power to them
Ofcourse you have the other set of people who claimg to have "learnt about Islam" from hatewebsites making good money by duping the gullible. They make "knowledgable" statements like Islam is a cult, Muslims worship a Monkey God and Muslims are just Nazis of the Middle East out to take over America starting with building their symbol of victory. I say God help them.
I am just surprised by similar "analogies" because it reveals more about the thought process of the person than anything else. Similar examples of Japanese and Nazis are given.
Your example here would be accurate if Al Qaeda was building the community centre in lower manhattan, and I would be the first to oppose it andmost likely every muslim living in NYC or American would. It might have some semblance if some sort of ideologue that supports Al Qaeda like Anwar Al-awlaki e.t.c. would have done it. Not a person who was in frontline post9/11 relief operations and worked with the FBI on anti-terror cases as any patriotic American and devout muslim would.
Muslims are the biggest victims of Al Qaeda's attacks. Not non-muslims. 90% of those killed by Al Qaeda's attacks are muslims and these are confirmed by none other than US agencies. It will be the muslim community that has suffered more than the American non-muslim community till date that will consider it abhorent for a centre to built by Al Qaeda. The community in religous terms that has suffered the most from Al Qaeda are the muslims themselves if you look at the statistics rather than the media brouhaha.
How can muslims in general particularly American muslims share collective responsibility for the 9/11 Attacks? There was a specific group that was part of it. It was not like 1.8Billion people around the world just decided one day that lets attack NYC. Muslims are no monoliths just like Chrisitans or Jews are not. Muslims are just like any average Christian or Jew at the end of the day. You have thousands of Christians who make 9/11 documentaries who deny the muslims were behind the attack and it was inside job. Doesn't mean that they are right.
But the muslims that matter, those running the Saudi govt for example have accepted it and that is where you should base your judgement on. Itis thanks to them that the OBL ideology has been defeated in the muslim world. BEing that as it may it never had a theological base to ever stand up with.
And have you forgotted the admissions made by Robert Gates and Hillary Clinton, that US should share responsibility for nuturing these "terror groups" in the first place in the Cold War against Communism. The time when Ronald Reagon dedicated the launch of Apollo to the mujahideen in Afghanistan?
Muslims around the world had no input in Al Qaeda's thinking and decision making body. No one in Alqaeda came to say India or Indonesia or Turkey explaining their foreign policy on how to attack US to gain acceptance. They could not even proove their assertion of legitimising killing of civilians (Which William Casey of the CIA agreed to in Afghanistan against the Russian advisers btw) in the light of Islamic theology. OBL and Zawahiri were a bussinesman and a medical doctor. They had NO credibility in discussing Islamic theology.
Muslims around the world and any sensible non-muslim would rightly feel offended in saying that Al-Qaeda's action ( agroup that at its peak had about 2000 dedicated members allegedly) is supported by Muslims even ideologically when 90% of its victims are muslims themselves worldwide.
Like I have said before this project has far lost its value of being a death blow to Alqaeda which it would have been if it was built in a welcoming manner. American and the American muslim communitey has missed a big oppurtunity here. There was some sensible debate about sentiments of the people and renaming of community centre to Park51 e.t.c. Open house to the centre and open debates would have helped in tackling the concerns of these people. Just like various local Jewish and Christian groups supported the project. But thanks to the right wing nut jobs who reduced it to a debate of Nazis and Cult who worships Monkey Gods. There is no way anyone can engage honestly in such a debate now. Particularly now that some politicans have found it easier to talk about this than the economy, jobs or climate change.
Being from India, I am fully aware of the disastrous consequences of politicsing religious issues. Many of my Indian forum members would agree how emotional and divisive issues pertaining to religion can be. That is why I am saddened that the US which was always a model in terms of faith based societies can act openly unlike say France or Turkey where religious expression is supressed.
I personally think now that there should be a moratorium on the project. It was going to cost 100 million because the people wanted to add facilities that would server the lower manhattan region irrespective of faith but that can wait. I base this on the part experience of the media scare about the "Mega Mosque" in london. Even though the muslims there had all the laws on thier side, because of the communities outburst they stopped the project and later canned it. No reason was given, similarly here let the Americans for themselves decide why a project that was to host a memorial to the victims of 9/11 to honor their loved ones; by a community that suffers 90% of the victims in Al Qaeda attacks todate; that has been dubbed Alqaeda's worst nightmare was stopped. Ofcourse I would still thank those who supported the centre and the intiative despite all the hostility it generated.
How can muslims refused such beauty's opinion...???
