August 18, 2010
THE LACK OF CONSCIENCE OF THE CONSERVATIVE:
Islam in New York (Financial Times, August 17 2010)
On an ideological level, freedom of conscience is central to America’s founding principles. And in the struggle against intolerance, tolerance is an important weapon.The case for supporting Park 51, as the centre will be known, does not stop there. The aftermath of 9/11 has pitted moderate Muslims against al-Qaeda and its off-shoots in a struggle over the direction of Islam. Any chance to strengthen moderates, such as Abdul Faisal Rauf, the imam behind Park 51, is worth seizing.
The opposite is achieved by hysterical claims that an Islamic centre near Ground Zero would be a victory for terrorists. Conflating moderate Islam and al-Qaeda’s extremism demonises peaceful Muslims and plays into the hands of those who claim that the west is the implacable enemy of Islam.
Simply going ahead with the centre will underscore that the practice of Islam is compatible with citizenship of a non-Muslim country. The centre threatens not the security of the US, but the radicalisation efforts of al-Qaeda and its followers.
On the one hand, it would have been best to build the facility as close to the WTC as possible, just for the symbolism, but by moving a few blocks the organization is going to get a sweetheart deal.
