It's the American thing to do

Image via http://www.groundzerodialogue.org/

It is amazing how much emotion and debate has risen up over the proposed Muslim community center at Park 51 in NYC.  I think there are few things more American than community centers and allowing Muslim Americans to build one is the American thing to do.  

I do not have the eloquence of others, so I will simply direct you to Muslims and non-Muslims who have spoken up to defend one of our most cherished freedoms, the freedom of religion.

Here are a sampling:

1. Ground Zero Dialogue, site that explores the American Muslim perspective on the Ground Zero controversy. Several award-winning documentaries screening for free via the site.

2. Keith Olbermann: a scathing criticism of opponents to the community center.

3. Jon Stewart: several funny sketches that deliver important points about religious freedom and the inconsistencies of conservative news media like Fox.

4. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL). It is nice to see the second-ranking Democrat take a strong position on this issue. President Obama's stance was so wishy washy (they have a right to build the center, but I don't necessarily agree with where they are building it) as to not even be a stance.

5. Qasim Basir, director of the movie, "MOOZ-lum" in his article, "I am a Muslimerican." I enjoy the line, "This is not a plea for sympathy; it is a call to character."

6. Fareed Zakaria, CNN journalist and Newsweek columnist, has come out strongly in favor of the community center. He even returned an award from the ADL, when he learned that they would not be supporting Park 51.