Atheists/Christians: What do you think of the Near-Ground-Zero Mosque/Community Centre?

...and build up some goodwill" Same question back at you, then. Why shouldn't that group not "build up some goodwill" by not pushing though a plan that nearly 68% of Americans disagree with according to the latest poll I saw and giving themselves and their brethren all this bad PR? Wouldn't it build goodwill to bow gracefully and say "we understand why this is upsetting to you and while we will still build, we will go elsewhere to do so."

Who's to say which side "should" give ground here? You? They have every legal right to build there.

I'll grant that readily. But the "right" to build there doesn't necessarily mean that building there is in anyone's best interest. EDIT: I agree.

And I'm not promoting mob rule. The rights of the minorities should be protected FROM the majority. That's why I said they do have the legal right there and why I would not support an election to decide the issue.

But I think this is a particularly interesting situation. Muslims already suffer from a really bad PR streak in this country. That cannot be denied.

Building better relations would seem paramount for most Muslim groups. This issue in particular has been HIGHLY polarizing, And while relatively low-visibility at first, it has snowballed into an international news story splashed across the front page of every paper in the free world. If the group said "we already own this land and we cannot afford anything else," then maybe I'd feel more for them.

But the fact is everyone from the mayor to the governor has tried to meet with them and help them find other locations so it isn't for lack of options that they hold firm to this ground. So, why then do they hold on to it so vehemently when they know that doing so is building antagonism in this country? Not just for themselves, but for their entire religion?

And worse, why have so many of their recent PR moves been so negative, like the whole insulting Twitter feed incident? Could be a lot of things. Saving face in foreign countries providing funding, a firm belief in the First Amendment, a sinister plan to get a footprint next to the Freedom Tower as some have suggested...who knows.

Not my place to guess at their motivation. All I know is, for a religion of "peace," they've stated their case poorly and acted in a way that seems contrary to their own best interests. Were it me, I'd have signed a deal for a better building with the mayor--closer to where my actual attendees live--and then "donated" the building in question to the city with some caveat about a 9/11 museum and some token space for an Islamic prayer center for people in that part of town, but taking up only half of a floor instead of 15 stories.

I'm sure some position could have been worked out that did not infringe on their 1st Amendment rights, saved face, and generated positive PR for all involved.

OK. Let's say that this is about good will and building bridges. Why is it that the community center/mosque is going up over and above the objections of people who perceive it in a negative light?

Isn't part of building bridges and good will an acknowledgement that this is give and take? Constitutionally and legally, there is nothing wrong with the community center/mosque. The social implications of it are what make it a bad idea.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.