August 12, 2010
MINNESOTA COUNCIL OF CHURCHES SPEAKS FOR PLURALISM:
Cordoba Center Does Not Disrespect Ground Zero
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Recently Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty made a statement about an Islamic civic center and mosque that is planned for lower Manhattan. Because the proposed center happens to be two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attack at the World Trade Center, Pawlenty called the construction “inappropriate”, and said a mosque would “degrade or disrespect” the “hallowed ground” of Ground Zero.
We cannot understand how it is disrespectful or degrading to build a house of worship in the same neighborhood as the site of this great tragedy. The attack was an attack on Americans, and Muslims were among the innocent citizens who died there. There is hurt and anger still about that attack, for all of us, but most of us know it is misdirected to lay that horrendous act of violence at the feet of all American Muslims. It is not right to hold all Muslims, or the religion of Islam, responsible for the attack, and it is not right to ask American Muslims to atone for the act of foreign terrorists. That’s like equating all Christians with the vicious acts of Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma.
Since the day of the attack Muslims organizations, scholars and individuals, including local Imams and organizations, have spoken out against terrorism. Most Muslims take offense at the way their religion has been twisted by Muslim extremists into a justification for violent action. In contrast to the extremists Cordoba House is being founded as a place to increase understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims and is just the kind of place that should be encouraged. It is through increased interfaith understanding that we will be able to create a more peaceful world.
It is even more troubling that the Governor’s remarks come at a time of increased protests of mosque construction around the country, and protests by Christians at Muslim weekly Friday prayer in several locations. Americans enjoy a constitutional right to practice religion, and the fact that the religion is Islam does not take away that right. Freedom to practice religion, even a minority religion, is one of the freedoms that Americans, and we assume Governor Pawlenty, hold very dear. Since the Governor has no authority to approve or deny the building of the New York mosque his remarks just serve to inflame the situation further.
We were pleased to work with Governor Pawlenty’s office to organize two interfaith prayer services after the collapse of the 35W bridge. And we worked with Governor Ventura before him in that fateful September to bring that same diversity to the capitol for the state’s gathering of remembrance. There was an Imam there that day and he spoke with grief and pain and denounced the violence in the name of Allah. The diversity in faith expression was essential to how meaningful these services were. Events such as these remind me of the greatness of our nation and our respective faiths.
For more information contact:
Gail Anderson, Director of Unity and Relationships at (612) 230-3210
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