Post-9/11 hatred rages on near Ground Zero
Guestblogged by Brooklynwala
Yesterday morning I was reading the ubiquitous, free “AM New York” newspaper on the subway on the way to a 
meeting and was disturbed and saddened to learn about a protest of 1,000 people in lower Manhattan against an Islamic Center being built near Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 attacks. Holding signs with slogans like, “No 9/11 Mega Mosque” and “Don’t dishonor my son’s grave,” these protestors represent the growing backlash against the 13-story community center and mosque being built by the Cordoba Initiative.
According to their website, Cordoba “aims to achieve a tipping point in Muslim-West relations within the next decade, bringing back the atmosphere of interfaith tolerance and respect that we have longed for since Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together in harmony and prosperity eight hundred years ago.” The Cordoba Initiative’s proposed Cordoba House located two blocks from Ground Zero “is about promoting integration, tolerance of difference and community cohesion through arts and culture. Cordoba House will provide a place where individuals, regardless of their backgrounds, will find a center of learning, art and culture; and most importantly, a center guided by universal values in their truest form – compassion, generosity, and respect for all.”
A few weeks ago, Tea Party leader Mark Williams, a frequent guest on CNN, stated that “the monument would consist of a Mosque for the worship of the terrorists’ monkey-god.”
Then last week, a radio talk show host in Texas went so far as to urge the bombing of the community center. CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, reported the following in a press release last week:
“In his response to a caller named ‘Tony’ who supported the right to build the planned mosque in New York — an effort that has come under rhetorical attack by anti-Islam extremists — Berry said: ‘No, no, Tony, you can’t build a mosque at the site of 9/11. No, you can’t. No, you can’t. And I’ll tell you this — if you do build a mosque, I hope somebody blows it up… I hope the mosque isn’t built, and if it is, I hope it’s blown up, and I mean that.’”
So, what’s so threatening about a community center and mosque with a mission of promoting interfaith tolerance and “compassion, generosity, and respect for all”? Apparently a lot, if you are full of hatred and vilification of an entire community and religion, which has essentially been a mainstream phenomenon since 9/11 (when it comes to attitudes towards Muslims and Arabs).
The values of the Cordoba House sound very much in line with the values of Sikhi, and I hope to see our community supporting this worthwhile and ambitious endeavor. Almost nine years after the 9/11 attacks, our city and country still have a lot of healing to do. Creating a space like the Cordoba House near Ground Zero seems like a powerful and important step in that process.
124 Responses to “Post-9/11 hatred rages on near Ground Zero”
Yes it is a good idea provided if they also allow bulding of a CHURCH in Mecca and Mediana.
Yes it is a good idea provided if they also allow bulding of a CHURCH in Mecca and Mediana.
Harinder, I don't understand your comment. The financial district in NYC is not a christian place. It is simply, NYC…if anything the bastion of capitalism and economic greed. A centre committed to the principles outlined above would only help NYCers whom have an ignorant and skewed perspective of Islam.
If it is really about peace and harmony, and religious harmony, then build it somewhere else. Why at the site or near Ground Zero?? It is a slap in the face, and in a way, it is like putting a flag up at the site in which a battle was won against innocent civilians who were unarmed. It is just wrong.
REPRESENT!
Harinder, I don't understand your comment. The financial district in NYC is not a christian place. It is simply, NYC…if anything the bastion of capitalism and economic greed. A centre committed to the principles outlined above would only help NYCers whom have an ignorant and skewed perspective of Islam.
All we need to know about Islam we learned on 9/11. Hiding behind their rhetoric about "tolerance and religious harmony" is cult that has neither.
@ Harinder, I wish they would allow churches in Saudi Arabia as well, still that has absolutely no point in this conversation. Don't attempt to hijack the thread.
@Rajinder, your analogy with Darbar Sahib is utterly nonsensical. The Cordoba Initiative is not seeking to 'build a memorial' for the 9/11 hijackers. And about no Muslim leader condemning 9/11, this is a COMPLETE falsity that only serves racists and ideologues. Here is a link with a number of condemnation by some of the most well-respected Imams and Ayatollahs in the world.
I hope after you visit this link, you never repeat this falsity again.
http://www.juancole.com/2005/07/friedman-wrong-ab…
@Wwmgofd – Islam is religion, not a cult. Grow up.
If it is really about peace and harmony, and religious harmony, then build it somewhere else. Why at the site or near Ground Zero?? It is a slap in the face, and in a way, it is like putting a flag up at the site in which a battle was won against innocent civilians who were unarmed. It is just wrong.
REPRESENT!
This organization plans to knock down a beautiful historic building and replace it with a glass behemoth. To call this "progress" is an insult to the city of New York, no matter what religion you are. This Cordoba Initiative is just another billionaire tearing up the history of a great city and perpetrating the worst sins of Capitalism. Don't disrespect New York and then expect New Yorkers to give respect back.
All we need to know about Islam we learned on 9/11. Hiding behind their rhetoric about "tolerance and religious harmony" is cult that has neither.
I agree with the statement made earlier…in order to preserve peace this location would not be ideal for a Mosque. If it were being built anywhere else there would be no problem. This mosque faces continued protests and problems in this location. It's not about demeaning Islam. It's more about preserving peace.
@ Harinder, I wish they would allow churches in Saudi Arabia as well, still that has absolutely no point in this conversation. Don't attempt to hijack the thread.
@Rajinder, your analogy with Darbar Sahib is utterly nonsensical. The Cordoba Initiative is not seeking to 'build a memorial' for the 9/11 hijackers. And about no Muslim leader condemning 9/11, this is a COMPLETE falsity that only serves racists and ideologues. Here is a link with a number of condemnation by some of the most well-respected Imams and Ayatollahs in the world.
I hope after you visit this link, you never repeat this falsity again.
http://www.juancole.com/2005/07/friedman-wrong-ab…
@Wwmgofd – Islam is religion, not a cult. Grow up.
This organization plans to knock down a beautiful historic building and replace it with a glass behemoth. To call this "progress" is an insult to the city of New York, no matter what religion you are. This Cordoba Initiative is just another billionaire tearing up the history of a great city and perpetrating the worst sins of Capitalism. Don't disrespect New York and then expect New Yorkers to give respect back.
I agree with the statement made earlier…in order to preserve peace this location would not be ideal for a Mosque. If it were being built anywhere else there would be no problem. This mosque faces continued protests and problems in this location. It's not about demeaning Islam. It's more about preserving peace.
"The site will contain tremendous amounts of resources that otherwise would not exist in Lower Manhattan; a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores, restaurants – all these services would form a cultural nexus for a region of New York City that, as it continues to grow, requires the sort of hub that Cordoba House will provide."
– http://www.cordobainitiative.org/
Sounds like a commercial mall being disguised as a community center.
Myself and Balmeet Singh just had a nice discussion about this, and I have an interesting question to pose.
Where would everyone's opinions stand if the building thats being proposed was a Gurudwara?
I'm very interested to know if your opinions would still be the same or if you would be on the opposite side. Because I doubt the people protesting can notice a difference between us and the Muslims. Just sayin.
"The site will contain tremendous amounts of resources that otherwise would not exist in Lower Manhattan; a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores, restaurants – all these services would form a cultural nexus for a region of New York City that, as it continues to grow, requires the sort of hub that Cordoba House will provide."
– http://www.cordobainitiative.org/
Sounds like a commercial mall being disguised as a community center.
"BAIGANI SHADI MAI ABDULLA DIWANA"
Chrisitan and Muslims are fighting
Why is a SIKH jumping ?
Myself and Balmeet Singh just had a nice discussion about this, and I have an interesting question to pose.
Where would everyone's opinions stand if the building thats being proposed was a Gurudwara?
I'm very interested to know if your opinions would still be the same or if you would be on the opposite side. Because I doubt the people protesting can notice a difference between us and the Muslims. Just sayin.
"BAIGANI SHADI MAI ABDULLA DIWANA"
Chrisitan and Muslims are fighting
Why is a SIKH jumping ?
WE, AS AMERICANS, HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE CARNIVORUS CANCE THAT IS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. I TELL YOU NOW…..BUILD THE DAMN MOSQUE….I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU. LETS SEE HOW LONG IT STANDS.
REMEMBER REMEMBER THE 11TH OF SEPTEMBER
WHEN THE TOWERS FELL
O THAT DAY OF HELL SHALL FOREVER BE FELT.
REMBER WHO, REMEMBER WHAT
IT WAS ISLAM, THAT SPAT ON US.
At the siege of Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian Europe.THEY WERE DEFETED!!!! The decisive battle took place on 11 and 12 September.We are in a new phase of a very old war.
WE, AS AMERICANS, HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE CARNIVORUS CANCE THAT IS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. I TELL YOU NOW…..BUILD THE DAMN MOSQUE….I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU. LETS SEE HOW LONG IT STANDS.
REMEMBER REMEMBER THE 11TH OF SEPTEMBER
WHEN THE TOWERS FELL
O THAT DAY OF HELL SHALL FOREVER BE FELT.
REMBER WHO, REMEMBER WHAT
IT WAS ISLAM, THAT SPAT ON US.
At the siege of Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian Europe.THEY WERE DEFETED!!!! The decisive battle took place on 11 and 12 September.We are in a new phase of a very old war.
Enough with propping up the Mark Williams strawman; this is not about his vitriol or bigotry. The freedom-of-faith issue here is what Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf advocates and what he would further. Read and hear Rauf's own words and you'll discover his "religion" is political Islam, the imposition here of sharia above the "free exercise thereof" protections of the 1st Amendment. It is Rauf who advocates discrimination and for him to do so where brave America heroes fell and sharia-compliant terrorists slaughtered 2,752 people would dishonor our dead on sacred ground.
Enough with propping up the Mark Williams strawman; this is not about his vitriol or bigotry. The freedom-of-faith issue here is what Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf advocates and what he would further. Read and hear Rauf’s own words and you’ll discover his “religion” is political Islam, the imposition here of sharia above the “free exercise thereof” protections of the 1st Amendment. It is Rauf who advocates discrimination and for him to do so where brave America heroes fell and sharia-compliant terrorists slaughtered 2,752 people would dishonor our dead on sacred ground.
Harinder:
Do you know how many Sikhs were involved in Operation Blue Star? All of the attacks on Sikhs and Sikh places of worship you cited were political strategies in order to weaken the Sikhs as a community and methods of exacting personal revenge. None were truly religious in nature.
The Taliban/Al Qaida/[insert your own Islamo-fundamentalist group here] are to Islam what the KKK are to Christianity. They are irrationally violent and sociopathic extremists who don't practice the principals of their own faith. Their acts should not be linked with those who are trying to practice their faith peacefully and create understanding between people of all faiths.
Harinder:
Do you know how many Sikhs were involved in Operation Blue Star? All of the attacks on Sikhs and Sikh places of worship you cited were political strategies in order to weaken the Sikhs as a community and methods of exacting personal revenge. None were truly religious in nature.
The Taliban/Al Qaida/[insert your own Islamo-fundamentalist group here] are to Islam what the KKK are to Christianity. They are irrationally violent and sociopathic extremists who don't practice the principals of their own faith. Their acts should not be linked with those who are trying to practice their faith peacefully and create understanding between people of all faiths.
Great…now NYC, the most beautiful city in the world is being corrupted by these parasites…
Great…now NYC, the most beautiful city in the world is being corrupted by these parasites…
"We all know what Pisslam is. The religion of murder.. "
"BUILD THE DAMN MOSQUE….I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU. LETS SEE HOW LONG IT STANDS."
"If Islam couldn't hide behind the word "religion" it would be hounded out of all civilized nations for the hate spewing Evil that it is."
"now NYC, the most beautiful city in the world is being corrupted by these parasites…"
seriously folks, what is going on in this thread?! this sounds like a discussion that should be on a KKK website. frightening.
"We all know what Pisslam is. The religion of murder.. "
"BUILD THE DAMN MOSQUE….I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU. LETS SEE HOW LONG IT STANDS."
"If Islam couldn't hide behind the word "religion" it would be hounded out of all civilized nations for the hate spewing Evil that it is."
"now NYC, the most beautiful city in the world is being corrupted by these parasites…"
seriously folks, what is going on in this thread?! this sounds like a discussion that should be on a KKK website. frightening.
Broooklynwala
You are what is called a Dhimmi, look up that word and you will see what I mean. The fact that you are a friend of a terrorist like Fahad does not surprise me given your Islamophilia. You may think that Islam is the best thing since sliced bread but many more educated than you know the truth. Islam is an evil cult disguised as a religion which given that it managed to once wipe out all the Sikhs but 11,000 of them your Islamophilia should be a wake up call to all Sikhs in that we have failed to show the truth about Islam. You are like a Jew who after the holocaust praises Nazism with the idiotic excuse 'well not all the Nazis were bad men, it was just a few who misunderstood Mein Kampf and weren't practising TRUE Nazism'. I doubt you have read anything about Islam because your posts show a naivette truly astounding. I hope that you will grow out of your suicidal love for Islam because you are serving as a useful idiot for Islam. Read about the Imam who wants to set up the mosque, there is enough information without you having to relying on dhimmi MSM so there is no excuse for your ignorance.
Broooklynwala
You are what is called a Dhimmi, look up that word and you will see what I mean. The fact that you are a friend of a terrorist like Fahad does not surprise me given your Islamophilia. You may think that Islam is the best thing since sliced bread but many more educated than you know the truth. Islam is an evil cult disguised as a religion which given that it managed to once wipe out all the Sikhs but 11,000 of them your Islamophilia should be a wake up call to all Sikhs in that we have failed to show the truth about Islam. You are like a Jew who after the holocaust praises Nazism with the idiotic excuse 'well not all the Nazis were bad men, it was just a few who misunderstood Mein Kampf and weren't practising TRUE Nazism'. I doubt you have read anything about Islam because your posts show a naivette truly astounding. I hope that you will grow out of your suicidal love for Islam because you are serving as a useful idiot for Islam. Read about the Imam who wants to set up the mosque, there is enough information without you having to relying on dhimmi MSM so there is no excuse for your ignorance.
I wanna know how all these Anti-Islam commenters on this thread would be reacting to the situation if they were building a Sikh community center there instead of a Muslim community center.
I honestly don't mind any of these Non-Sikhs making Anti-Islam and Islamphobic comments but if theres any Sikhs out there that share the same mindset, I feel very sorry for your lack of knowledge. Wait till the day the same people start protesting outside of your Gurudwara, then try and take sides with them.
And are you telling me that there were absolutely NO muslims, jews, sikhs, atheists, or people of any other faiths that died on 9/11 ?? how the hell did ground zero become a Holy Christian shrine?
I suggest the right place to build a Mosque beside the 9/11 point should also be at
1) Sis Ganj Gurudwara
2) site of Martyrdom of Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji
3) baba Deep Singh site of decapitation
I wanna know how all these Anti-Islam commenters on this thread would be reacting to the situation if they were building a Sikh community center there instead of a Muslim community center.
I honestly don't mind any of these Non-Sikhs making Anti-Islam and Islamphobic comments but if theres any Sikhs out there that share the same mindset, I feel very sorry for your lack of knowledge. Wait till the day the same people start protesting outside of your Gurudwara, then try and take sides with them.
And are you telling me that there were absolutely NO muslims, jews, sikhs, atheists, or people of any other faiths that died on 9/11 ?? how the hell did ground zero become a Holy Christian shrine?
I suggest the right place to build a Mosque beside the 9/11 point should also be at
1) Sis Ganj Gurudwara
2) site of Martyrdom of Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji
3) baba Deep Singh site of decapitation
Ok so what else will we have to surrender.
The liberal dhimmi 'Sikhs' will be the end of Sikhi if they ever have any influence on the general Sikh population. I shudder to think what our condition would be today or even if we would exist today had we had pajamay like these within Sikhi during the 18th century or in 1947. Most Sikhs apart from these dhimmis here know what the Muslim mentality is and rightly so since we suffered so much from the islamic Jihad. I wonder if these dhimmis will go to the Sikh museum in Amritsar and ask them to take down all those gory painting of Muslim oppression because it might 'hurt' a Muslim's feelings!
Harinder,
Quite a few of the historic Gurdwaras were made into Mosques by Muslims such as the Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj in Lahore and as KDS wrote Gurdwara Sis Ganj. The dhimmi Sikhs on this forum don't realise what the Muslim mentality is, it is one of supremacism. They want a Mosque where they committed their greatest massacre in the land of the Kafirs. Idiot Sikhs want to turn this into a 'racist' American and 'victim' Muslim issue when the issue is really about a people wanting to say enough is enough and we will not allow a headquaters of your death cult to be built close to the place where our citizens were murdered.
SaintSoulja
If the liberal fools on here weren't so quick to take the side of the Muslims then perhaps the general populaion of Americans would be able to distinguish between a Sikh and a member of the religion of pieces!
Muslims are planning this not as some kind of "peace gesture" but more like making a statement of their presence and dominance. . Most of the money " from various" sources will ultimately come from Middle East. We have to ask this question why Muslims can continue to build thousands of Mosques in USA, CANADA <UK and rest of the Europe but would not allow other faiths the same privilege in their own countries?? Why no Muslim address this and tells us about it?? These guys are going around converting others – specially women of other faiths b all kinds of lies/drugs/alcoholic and other despicable tactics. I think the west should tell Muslims -NO MORE MOSQUES any where unless they open up all their countries including Saudi Arabia to other faiths.
Ok so what else will we have to surrender.
The liberal dhimmi 'Sikhs' will be the end of Sikhi if they ever have any influence on the general Sikh population. I shudder to think what our condition would be today or even if we would exist today had we had pajamay like these within Sikhi during the 18th century or in 1947. Most Sikhs apart from these dhimmis here know what the Muslim mentality is and rightly so since we suffered so much from the islamic Jihad. I wonder if these dhimmis will go to the Sikh museum in Amritsar and ask them to take down all those gory painting of Muslim oppression because it might 'hurt' a Muslim's feelings!
Harinder,
Quite a few of the historic Gurdwaras were made into Mosques by Muslims such as the Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj in Lahore and as KDS wrote Gurdwara Sis Ganj. The dhimmi Sikhs on this forum don't realise what the Muslim mentality is, it is one of supremacism. They want a Mosque where they committed their greatest massacre in the land of the Kafirs. Idiot Sikhs want to turn this into a 'racist' American and 'victim' Muslim issue when the issue is really about a people wanting to say enough is enough and we will not allow a headquaters of your death cult to be built close to the place where our citizens were murdered.
SaintSoulja
If the liberal fools on here weren't so quick to take the side of the Muslims then perhaps the general populaion of Americans would be able to distinguish between a Sikh and a member of the religion of pieces!
Muslims are planning this not as some kind of "peace gesture" but more like making a statement of their presence and dominance. . Most of the money " from various" sources will ultimately come from Middle East. We have to ask this question why Muslims can continue to build thousands of Mosques in USA, CANADA <UK and rest of the Europe but would not allow other faiths the same privilege in their own countries?? Why no Muslim address this and tells us about it?? These guys are going around converting others – specially women of other faiths b all kinds of lies/drugs/alcoholic and other despicable tactics. I think the west should tell Muslims -NO MORE MOSQUES any where unless they open up all their countries including Saudi Arabia to other faiths.
There are two types of people from the Muslim community who can plan building a place of worship at this location of a religion which is still not well understood and is highly portrayed in media as a anti-American religion. Either this was a idea of a complete idiot liberal in the Muslim community probably educated at one of the "prestigious universities" in the US. Or someone who is a complete radical at heat and wanted to slap Americans in the face by building a Mosque at Ground Zero. Either way this is a completely idiotic idea, it is going to create nothing but trouble.
-Saint Solja
"Where would everyone's opinions stand if the building thats being proposed was a Gurudwara".
1. If we were to do such as slam planes into buildings killing thousands of people who could not even point to Afghanistan on a map, for dealing with the mistakes of some self proclaimed leaders in our community and a runaway corrupt Bush/Cheney family administration. It still would be an idiotic idea to build a Gurudwara there. By the way the Gurudwara, is even worse, because the Nishan Sahib proclaims that piece of land as a sovereign nation. I think any Sikh with there head on right would not even think of the idea because all this would do is create up rest in the city and not piece which it is looking for.
I would like to pose other questions "How would we feel as Sikhs if a Hindu Temple was build in 1984 in the place of Harimander Sahib? After the destruction" How does it feel to see Sikh Soldiers of the Indian Army with turbans on sweeping the blood of other Sikhs after the attack on Harimander Sahib!? Most of you have seen these videos on youtube and other media outlets! So don't tell Christians how they should be feeling, because they are no different then you and I, each community has what we called pride and dignity respect theirs! I am not a Christian myself I was born into a Sikh family, and made it through 1984, I just have not forgotten what it is like to have your pride and dignity stepped on or challenged!
There are two types of people from the Muslim community who can plan building a place of worship at this location of a religion which is still not well understood and is highly portrayed in media as a anti-American religion. Either this was a idea of a complete idiot liberal in the Muslim community probably educated at one of the "prestigious universities" in the US. Or someone who is a complete radical at heat and wanted to slap Americans in the face by building a Mosque at Ground Zero. Either way this is a completely idiotic idea, it is going to create nothing but trouble.
-Saint Solja
"Where would everyone's opinions stand if the building thats being proposed was a Gurudwara".
1. If we were to do such as slam planes into buildings killing thousands of people who could not even point to Afghanistan on a map, for dealing with the mistakes of some self proclaimed leaders in our community and a runaway corrupt Bush/Cheney family administration. It still would be an idiotic idea to build a Gurudwara there. By the way the Gurudwara, is even worse, because the Nishan Sahib proclaims that piece of land as a sovereign nation. I think any Sikh with there head on right would not even think of the idea because all this would do is create up rest in the city and not piece which it is looking for.
I would like to pose other questions "How would we feel as Sikhs if a Hindu Temple was build in 1984 in the place of Harimander Sahib? After the destruction" How does it feel to see Sikh Soldiers of the Indian Army with turbans on sweeping the blood of other Sikhs after the attack on Harimander Sahib!? Most of you have seen these videos on youtube and other media outlets! So don't tell Christians how they should be feeling, because they are no different then you and I, each community has what we called pride and dignity respect theirs! I am not a Christian myself I was born into a Sikh family, and made it through 1984, I just have not forgotten what it is like to have your pride and dignity stepped on or challenged!
I guess we need to ask some SIKHS out in the world if they would like to live as a DHIMMI under SHARIA Law.
I guess we need to ask some SIKHS out in the world if they would like to live as a DHIMMI under SHARIA Law.
– Bik
"If the liberal fools on here weren't so quick to take the side of the Muslims then perhaps the general populaion of Americans would be able to distinguish between a Sikh and a member of the religion of pieces!"
That's exactly the problem with our community, we have the mentality of "don't kill me, im not a muslim. kill him, he's a muslim" The Guru's have taught us to protect each other, and not be so selfish. Then again, Gurbani is often left up to interpretation, so maybe my view is not the same as everyone else's.
– Tajinder
There are always going to be Sikhs in the world that have been radicals and extremists, for example Sikhs that have committed murders, rapes, hijacked planes, etc. all in the name of religion. Do you consider them to be representative of ALL Sikhs? Obviously not, each community has its radicals and extremists that commit crimes in the name of religion. 9/11 is not an act of ISLAM, its an act of a terrorist group. So you can't consider that group to be representative of all Muslim people.
And your point about seeing Sikh men in the Indian Army during Operation Blue Star is a perfect example of what I mean when I say, our fight is with a system/government and not a faith. So if they would have built a Mandir in the place of Sri Harimandir Sahib after 1984, our fight would be against the government that put that mandir there, not the principles of the Hindu Faith. Our fight is against the constitution of India not against the Hindu people.
– ss
-SaintSoulja,
"9/11 is not an act of ISLAM, its an act of a terrorist group. So you can't consider that group to be representative of all Muslim people." I 100% agree with you, and I agree our Sikh fight if any was and should be against the corrupt government not any specific community. The problem is though not everyone in a crowd full of emotions is going to think in this direction or this clearly and producing ignorant actions but the Muslim community individuals who are pushing this agenda to build a building of this nature by doing so themselves are working off of a very ignorant thought process or a very hateful one. Should things be as they are from both sides no, but are they yes and the yes environment is what people who are more clear minded need to work with in order to resolve this type of issue, from becoming a situation which can produce angry crowds of people who really are not understanding each other.
– Bik
"If the liberal fools on here weren't so quick to take the side of the Muslims then perhaps the general populaion of Americans would be able to distinguish between a Sikh and a member of the religion of pieces!"
That's exactly the problem with our community, we have the mentality of "don't kill me, im not a muslim. kill him, he's a muslim" The Guru's have taught us to protect each other, and not be so selfish. Then again, Gurbani is often left up to interpretation, so maybe my view is not the same as everyone else's.
– Tajinder
There are always going to be Sikhs in the world that have been radicals and extremists, for example Sikhs that have committed murders, rapes, hijacked planes, etc. all in the name of religion. Do you consider them to be representative of ALL Sikhs? Obviously not, each community has its radicals and extremists that commit crimes in the name of religion. 9/11 is not an act of ISLAM, its an act of a terrorist group. So you can't consider that group to be representative of all Muslim people.
And your point about seeing Sikh men in the Indian Army during Operation Blue Star is a perfect example of what I mean when I say, our fight is with a system/government and not a faith. So if they would have built a Mandir in the place of Sri Harimandir Sahib after 1984, our fight would be against the government that put that mandir there, not the principles of the Hindu Faith. Our fight is against the constitution of India not against the Hindu people.
– ss
<That's exactly the problem with our community, we have the mentality of "don't kill me, im not a muslim. kill him, he's a muslim>
If some crazy mob of white's will surround a sikh what will you expect him to do? Preach like a saint that Don't attack anyone or tell them that a sikh is not muslim? There is still a chance that a sikh could be saved if crazy mob know that he/she is not muslim.
<The Guru's have taught us to protect each other, and not be so selfish>
Yes sure but for this Guru's told us to be powerful .Honestly tell me even in one on one with other how much chance a sikh has to beat the other? Majority of sikhs in world are busy in making careers and earning money.Only a oerson who is powerful can protect others.At present sikhs themself are one of the weakest community and everywhere we are most vulnerable to attacks and we can't protect ourself and yet some people talk about protecting others
-SaintSoulja,
"9/11 is not an act of ISLAM, its an act of a terrorist group. So you can't consider that group to be representative of all Muslim people." I 100% agree with you, and I agree our Sikh fight if any was and should be against the corrupt government not any specific community. The problem is though not everyone in a crowd full of emotions is going to think in this direction or this clearly and producing ignorant actions but the Muslim community individuals who are pushing this agenda to build a building of this nature by doing so themselves are working off of a very ignorant thought process or a very hateful one. Should things be as they are from both sides no, but are they yes and the yes environment is what people who are more clear minded need to work with in order to resolve this type of issue, from becoming a situation which can produce angry crowds of people who really are not understanding each other.
<That's exactly the problem with our community, we have the mentality of "don't kill me, im not a muslim. kill him, he's a muslim>
If some crazy mob of white's will surround a sikh what will you expect him to do? Preach like a saint that Don't attack anyone or tell them that a sikh is not muslim? There is still a chance that a sikh could be saved if crazy mob know that he/she is not muslim.
<The Guru's have taught us to protect each other, and not be so selfish>
Yes sure but for this Guru's told us to be powerful .Honestly tell me even in one on one with other how much chance a sikh has to beat the other? Majority of sikhs in world are busy in making careers and earning money.Only a oerson who is powerful can protect others.At present sikhs themself are one of the weakest community and everywhere we are most vulnerable to attacks and we can't protect ourself and yet some people talk about protecting others
-KDS
Please elaborate on which points Sikhs are weak and your definition of powerful protector? If lets say we are weak, that is no reason not to protect another humans beliefs, or stand up for justice.
-KDS
Please elaborate on which points Sikhs are weak and your definition of powerful protector? If lets say we are weak, that is no reason not to protect another humans beliefs, or stand up for justice.
What’s more deserving of attention is that none of you can employ language from the Guru Granth Sahib to support your racist, xenophobic and hate filled arguments. Why is that? Because you would never find anything of such there. For shame.
But I’m compelled to clear up some of the pathetic arguments being made by even more pathetic individuals lofting their heads with inane pride and intellect.
First of all let’s clear up this nonsensical use of the term ‘liberal’, the correct term for those individuals expressing their support for Muslims to build infrastructure in a secularized, unholy, non-religious and openly capitalist and individualistic space, is a Sikh. Let’s not put qualifiers in front of Sikh, doing so shows an apathy to our Gurus teachings. Please refrain from calling a Sikh a ‘Dhimmi’ or a ‘Liberal’, you sound intellectually retarded in the sense that your recourse to serious discussion is childish posturing.
Another thing I picked up in the comments are the ignorant remarks asking if Sikhs or Muslims or any other religious group would feel as compelled to allow a Mosque or a Mandar to be built in the in their own religious grounds. First of all, this Mosque is NOT being built on exclusively religious ground and to even reason that no allowance be made for another religious group to stand near or within our own religious grounds is intolerant, granted the many Muslim Bhagats that find themselves immortalized in the Guru Granth Sahib with their teachings. Did you all forget this? Did we forget who accompanied Guru Nanak throughout so many of his arduous journeys? Or does this all not matter because some of us are more intent on meditating instead on the propagandist conflation of the Islamic worlds plight and misery with terrorism and extremism? I think the last statement holds true for many of you.