If the Islamic Community Center Isn't Built, This Is No
Longer America 

By Michael Moore, 

MichaelMoore.com Posted on September 11, 2010,
Printed on September 13, 2010
http://www.alternet.org/story/148147/

I am opposed to the building of the "mosque" two blocks
from Ground Zero.

I want it built on Ground Zero.

Why? Because I believe in an America that protects
those who are the victims of hate and prejudice. I
believe in an America that says you have the right to
worship whatever God you have, wherever you want to
worship. And I believe in an America that says to the
world that we are a loving and generous people and if a
bunch of murderers steal your religion from you and use
it as their excuse to kill 3,000 souls, then I want to
help you get your religion back. And I want to put it
at the spot where it was stolen from you.

There's been so much that's been said about this
manufactured controversy, I really don't want to waste
any time on this day of remembrance talking about it.
But I hate bigotry and I hate liars, and so in case you
missed any of the truth that's been lost in this, let
me point out a few facts:

1. I love the Burlington Coat Factory. I've gotten some
great winter coats there at a very reasonable price.
Muslims have been holding their daily prayers there
since 2009. No one ever complained about that. This is
not going to be a "mosque," it's going to be a
community center. It will have the same prayer room in
it that's already there. But to even have to assure
people that "it's not going to be mosque" is so
offensive, I now wish they would just build a 111-story
mosque there. That would be better than the lame and
disgusting way the developer has left Ground Zero an
empty hole until recently. The remains of over 1,100
people still haven't been found. That site is a sacred
graveyard, and to be building another monument to
commerce on it is a sacrilege. Why wasn't the entire
site turned into a memorial peace park? People died
there, and many of their remains are still strewn
about, all these years later.

2. Guess who has helped the Muslims organize their
plans for this community center? The JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER of Manhattan! Their rabbi has been advising them
since the beginning. It's been a picture-perfect
example of the kind of world we all want to live in.
Peter Stuyvessant, New York's "founder," tried to expel
the first Jews who arrived in Manhattan. Then the Dutch
said, no, that's a bit much. So then Stuyvessant said
ok, you can stay, but you cannot build a synagogue
anywhere in Manhattan. Do your stupid Friday night
thing at home. The first Jewish temple was not allowed
to be built until 1730. Then there was a revolution,
and the founding fathers said this country has to be
secular -- no religious nuts or state religions. George
Washington (inaugurated around the corner from Ground
Zero) wanted to make a statement about this his very
first year in office, and wrote this to American Jews:

"The citizens of the United States of America have a
right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind
examples of an enlarged and liberal policy -- a policy
worthy of imitation. ...

"It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if
it were the indulgence of one class of people that
another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural
rights, for, happily, the Government of the United
States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to
persecution no assistance, requires only that they who
live under its protection should demean themselves as
good citizens ...

"May the children of the stock of Abraham who dwell in
this land continue to merit and enjoy the good will of
the other inhabitants -- while every one shall sit in
safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall
be none to make him afraid."

3. The Imam in charge of this project is the nicest guy
you'd ever want to meet. Read about his past here.

4. Around five dozen Muslims died at the World Trade
Center on 9/11. Hundreds of members of their families
still grieve and suffer. The 19 killers did not care
what religion anyone belonged to when they took those
lives.

5. I've never read a sadder headline in the New York
Times than the one on the front page this past Monday:
"American Muslims Ask, Will We Ever Belong?" That
should make all of us so ashamed that even a single one
of our fellow citizens should ever have to worry about
if they "belong" here.

6. There is a McDonald's two blocks from Ground Zero.
Trust me, McDonald's has killed far more people than
the terrorists.

7. During an economic depression or a time of war,
fascists are extremely skilled at whipping up fear and
hate and getting the working class to blame "the other"
for their troubles. Lincoln's enemies told poor
Southern whites that he was "a Catholic." FDR's
opponents said he was Jewish and called him
"Jewsevelt." One in five Americans now believe Obama is
a Muslim and 41% of Republicans don't believe he was
born here.

8. Blaming a whole group for the actions of just one of
that group is anti-American. Timothy McVeigh was
Catholic. Should Oklahoma City prohibit the building of
a Catholic Church near the site of the former federal
building that McVeigh blew up?

9. Let's face it, all religions have their whackos.
Catholics have O'Reilly, Gingrich, Hannity and Clarence
Thomas (in fact all five conservatives who dominate the
Supreme Court are Catholic). Protestants have Pat
Robertson and too many to list here. The Mormons have
Glenn Beck. Jews have Crazy Eddie. But we don't judge
whole religions on just the actions of their whackos.
Unless they're Methodists.

10. If I should ever, God forbid, perish in a terrorist
incident, and you or some nutty group uses my death as
your justification to attack or discriminate against
anyone in my name, I will come back and haunt you worse
than Linda Blair marrying Freddy Krueger and moving
into your bedroom to spawn Chucky. John Lennon was
right when he asked us to imagine a world with "nothing
to kill or die for and no religion, too." I heard
Deepak Chopra this week say that "God gave humans the
truth, and the devil came and he said, 'Let's give it a
name and call it religion.' " But John Adams said it
best when he wrote a sort of letter to the future
(which he called "Posterity"): "Posterity! You will
never know how much it cost the present Generation to
preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make a good use
of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I
ever took half the Pains to preserve it." I'm guessing
ol' John Adams is up there repenting nonstop right now.

Friends, we all have a responsibility NOW to make sure
that Muslim community center gets built. Once again,
70% of the country (the same number that initially
supported the Iraq War) is on the wrong side and want
the "mosque" moved. Enormous pressure has been put on
the Imam to stop his project. We have to turn this
thing around. Are we going to let the bullies and thugs
win another one? Aren't you fed up by now? When would
be a good time to take our country back from the
haters?

I say right now. Let's each of us make a statement by
donating to the building of this community center! It's
a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization and you can donate
a dollar or ten dollars (or more) right now through a
secure pay pal account by clicking here. I will
personally match the first $10,000 raised (forward your
PayPal receipt to [log in to unmask]). If each one
of you reading this blog/email donated just a couple of
dollars, that would give the center over $6 million,
more than what Donald Trump has offered to buy the Imam
out. C'mon everyone, let's pitch in and help those who
are being debased for simply wanting to do something
good. We could all make a huge statement of love on
this solemn day.

I lost a co-worker on 9/11. I write this today in his
memory.

Michael Moore is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and
author. He directed and produced Roger & Me, Bowling
for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11, and Sicko. He has also
written seven books, most recently, Mike's Election
Guide 2008 (c) 2010 MichaelMoore.com All rights reserved.

View this story online at:
http://www.alternet.org/story/148147/

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