Religious Double Standard

By Andres Arevalo

As the world witnesses the construction of an Islamic Cultural Center three blocks from ground cero, many New York residents are still struggling to form their opinion in the controversial debate, some ranging from complete disapproval to indifference. Bene Thalhammer, a German student not here during September 11 sees “no problem in building a religious center here as it represents freedom of religion, one of the important values this country was built upon”. While Matthew Carr, a gentleman of about sixty proclaims that “the mosque constitutes an insult to our nation and the thousands of victims that died that day”, and while he considers himself “tolerant of Muslims” he sees their decision to continue building the Islamic Center as “a negative point against their religion and their views”. But as New Yorkers and the media focus on the radical wings of Islam, touting their insensibility towards women and homosexuals, and their intolerance towards other religions, it seems that a kind of religious double standard is being practiced. Having recently read an article in the London’s Guardian about an extremist Jewish Community just outside of New York City http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/05/ground-zero-civil-liberties-paul-harris, it appears to me that Americans are ready to accept one kind of radical religious group while alienating another progressive and religiously tolerant group as the Islamic Community building the Center present themselves. While a recent New York Times poll suggests that a majority of New York City residents oppose construction of the center http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/nyregion/03poll.html?_r=1, this majority is even bigger when it comes to Jews and Catholics. And while both of these religious groups have radical factions, none has come to the intense scrutiny Islam has. While it’s true that Muslim terrorists perpetrated 9/11, the American public and the media must be weary of cataloguing all Muslims in the same category as these terrorists, the same way all Jews are not members of the Kyrias Joel community outside of New York City. While many New York residents feel that the memories of those lost in the attacks are not being respected we must also respect the religious freedom we enjoy in this country. Blocking the construction of an Islamic center may bring unprecedented consequences that may affect not only Muslims, but members of every religion.