Words from the founding fathers – 8.17.10 Posted: Friday, August 20, 2010 3:26 pm By: Nathan Castleman, Guest Columnist Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense and a series of writings called the American Crisis to encourage the soldiers and the common people to stay committed to the American Revolution. In American Crisis No. 4, Paine wrote, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it. “The event of yesterday was one of those kind of alarms which is just sufficient to rouse us to duty, without being of consequence enough to depress our fortitude. It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.” The reference of “yesterday” is Sept. 11, 1777, which was the Battle of Brandywine where colonist lost the battle with the following losses: killed – 300, wounded – 600 and captured – 400. Yet with these losses he said that it wasn’t just for the acreage that they should continue to fight, but for the “cause” and that it may be only by degrees that they win but the consequence would still be the same – Independence. Two-hundred and twenty-four years to the day of this lost battle, we were hit with another great loss, but with even great loss of life. So what is the reasoning for letting a mosque or “cultural center” be built so close to ground zero of 9/11? It can’t be anything with a religious meaning because what religion today would not be considerate of the feelings of victims of such a deliberate act of violence? Where are the moderate Muslims that would take a stand and have some common decency? Some have, but few. If you don’t want to be associated with this group, denounce them and all their efforts. Of all the places to build this mosque/cultural center, why would they choose and be determined to build it at this site? As Thomas Paine said, this is not just a fight for a few acres of ground, but a cause. The cause against it being built here is human concern for the family of the victims. What’s the cause for having it built here? Who is behind pushing for this construction? Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is the Imam (religious leader) of the New York City mosque Masjid al-Farah. He said in a 60 Minutes interview on Sept. 30, 2001, “but United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened” in reference to the 9/11 attack. He went on to say, “because we [Americans] have been accessory to a lot of innocent lives dying in the world,” it could be said that “in fact, in the most direct sense, Osama bin Laden is made in the USA.” He has been getting money from undisclosed donors for building this $100 million project. Not to mention the Obama administration chose him to represent the U.S. in a State Department trip to Muslim countries in the Middle East. I’m sure he won’t be gathering more funds for his “cultural center.” He also stated that Hamas was not a terrorist group. With backing of such a radical thinking Imam, no wonder most Americans don’t agree with this going ahead with this construction at the current location. It’s not that we care if it is built somewhere else, just not near ground zero. Where is the Mayor of New York, the Councilmen, the State and Federal Representatives and Senators and our President? They are all fine with it being built near ground zero. I must give credit to the governor of New York. He did offer them land to build it elsewhere. Other than the governor of New York, the others remind me of the persons Thomas Paine refers to in American Crisis No. 1 – “There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war.” I do not wish to prevent the building of a mosque or cultural center. If it’s purpose is to bring people together, another site would be more appropriate and keeping with this sentiment. There is no desire on my part to prevent Muslims from practicing their religion. I just think that common sense from all involved should prevail in the concern for those who had such great losses on 9/11. Raheel Raza (Muslim member of Canadian Congress) said it best when she said that the building of this mosque is confrontational, in bad faith, and doesn’t help the cause of tolerance. She went on to say”… Mayor Bloomberg and bleeding heart white liberals like him don’t understand the battle we moderate Muslims are faced with in terms of confronting radical Islam and Islamization, and political Islam in North America, which has only grown since 9-11 because of political correctness, and people, because of their politically vested agendas, not speaking out against issues like this.” We need more common sense Muslims to speak out. Send your comments by email to foundingwords@yahoo.com. WCP 8.17.10 |