# Mosque to be built two blocks from Ground Zero **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 14, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432 "2010-05-14T14:36:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/581 "2010-08-22T18:24:21Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > I agree with what you’re saying. However, it would be pretty god damned symbolic if an attack originated from there, no? > > Okay, now it’s clear – you were just bringing up a small and only tangentially relevant point – the mildly (and arguably) ironic implications of an extremely unlikely event. As if you were dreaming up the plot of some near-future action movie, to star Will Smith. Okay. It’s a small thing, and probably didn’t merit your insistence that we “answer the question”. > > Okay, back to the OP… Man, I’M AGREEING WITH YOU! What’s your problem? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/582 "2010-08-22T18:27:06Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > Man, I’M AGREEING WITH YOU! What’s your problem? Maybe he doesn’t like being poked? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/583 "2010-08-22T18:27:18Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > > [@Magiver](#): > > > > Have we succumb to the manipulation of fear mongers with airport security systems? > > I think we have. Certain precautions - definitely securing the cockpit, possibly the idea of air marshals, were prudent. But we’ve gone way way overboard with populating the TSA with uneducated thugs masquerading as law enforcement, violating civil rights, taking naked pictures of passengers, and creating no fly lists of an arbitrarily large percentage of the population with a high error rate. I agree but that’s because we have to be politically correct about it. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/584 "2010-08-22T18:27:43Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > Man, I’M AGREEING WITH YOU! What’s your problem? I guess it’s my bad. I missed the intended tone of your posts. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/585 "2010-08-22T18:52:14Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > [@cosmosdan](#): > > > > Comon man, think. What the hell makes you think this center is any more likley to harbor the source of a terrorist attack than any other location? > > You didn’t answer the question. because it’s a ridiculous question If an attack originates from a plane what conclusions can I draw about the plane, or planes in general? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/586 "2010-08-22T18:56:36Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I agree but that’s because we have to be politically correct about it. Should we at least try to be thoughtful and reasonable about the precautions we take? Should we consider facts and evidence in making judgment calls or should any distorted information be considered so that we can justify dropping our principles in the name of security? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/587 "2010-08-22T18:59:19Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > Thanks for the answer **JKellyMap**. For the record I have no use for religion, wars sprung from it, and utter nonsense. Yeah, I feel the same way about governments. They’re just bad and history demonstrates it. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/588 "2010-08-22T19:01:30Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > If pigs fly out my ass tomorrow at noon, will Regina still be the capital of Saskatchewan? I’m gonna have to Google that and get back to you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![qpw3141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/6bbea6/32.png) [@qpw3141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qpw3141)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/589 "2010-08-22T19:05:03Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > Thanks for the answer **JKellyMap**. For the record I have no use for religion, wars sprung from it, and utter nonsense. > > Yeah, I feel the same way about governments. They’re just bad and history demonstrates it. I think governments come under the heading of ‘necessary evil’. I’m not sure religions are necessary. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/590 "2010-08-22T19:06:42Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I agree but that’s because we have to be politically correct about it. Actually, being “Politically Correct,” these days, means that one must join Hannity and Limabaugh and Beck and Gingrich and Palin in demonizing people for their religion, even when their victims have a constant record of supporting our values. “PC” gets thrown around, a lot, as an insult, but the actual application of “political correctness” is the sort of _political_ capital in which those extremists and haters on the Right\* are engaged to use a rather mild effort to build community as a wedge to promote their agenda in winning elections by appealing to the worst traits of our country’s history. - Not everyone on the Right is a hater or extremist; those I have mentioned are among those who are. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/591 "2010-08-22T19:16:29Z")
> [@qpw3141](#): > > I think governments come under the heading of ‘necessary evil’. > > I’m not sure religions are necessary. If you look at the purposes served by both you’ll find a lot of similarities. If we as humans were able to live by the guidelines set forth by religion and significant documents of governing about human rights, we wouldn’t need either. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/592 "2010-08-22T20:11:11Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I agree but that’s because we have to be politically correct about it. This is humorous coming from the side of the discussion which has already conceded that there’s no _constitutional_ way to stop the construction of the muslim center, and so must rely on ‘community standards’ ‘politeness’ and thus ‘political correctness’ in order to prevent the scary religious people from exercising their rights. If you all feel so strongly about the issue, why not offer to buy the group a nice muslim community center 3 or more blocks away from the trade center site? The group has the _right_ to build where they please, and in a free market economy it’s traditional to _pay_ people when you want them to agree to not exercising their rights. What incentives you willing to offer to achieve a muslim community center free ground zero? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/593 "2010-08-22T20:20:48Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > You didn’t answer the question. > > because it’s a ridiculous question > > If an attack originates from a plane what conclusions can I draw about the plane, or planes in general? No, the original question was if it was PLANNED from the community center, would your opinion change?. The deployment of said weapon is irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/594 "2010-08-22T20:37:11Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > [@cosmosdan](#): > > > > because it’s a ridiculous question > > > > If an attack originates from a plane what conclusions can I draw about the plane, or planes in general? > > No, the original question was if it was PLANNED from the community center, would your opinion change?. The deployment of said weapon is irrelevant. What would it matter where it were planned? Why would a community rec center be a more realistic place to plan than a Starbucks? Or how about your basement? Or anywhere on Earth? You do understand that planning a terrorist act requires: 1. A place quiet enough to talk. 2. _There is no number two!_ :eek: The whole argument against this is predicated on the idea that all Muslims are suspect. Which is beyond silly. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/595 "2010-08-22T20:38:58Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > No, the original question was if it was PLANNED from the community center, would your opinion change?. The deployment of said weapon is irrelevant. > > What would it matter where it were planned? Why would a community rec center be a more realistic place to plan than a Starbucks? Or how about your basement? Or anywhere on Earth? You do understand that planning a terrorist act requires: 1. A place quiet enough to talk. 2. _There is no number two!_ :eek: > > The whole argument against this is predicated on the idea that all Muslims are suspect. Which is beyond silly. Answer the question. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/596 "2010-08-22T20:42:05Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > [@Lobohan](#): > > > > What would it matter where it were planned? Why would a community rec center be a more realistic place to plan than a Starbucks? Or how about your basement? Or anywhere on Earth? You do understand that planning a terrorist act requires: 1. A place quiet enough to talk. 2. _There is no number two!_ :eek: > > > > The whole argument against this is predicated on the idea that all Muslims are suspect. Which is beyond silly. > > Answer the question. It’s a stupid question. If they concocted their evil plan in your basement, what would that prove? Did you help them knowingly? That’s the real question. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/597 "2010-08-22T20:42:51Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > Answer the question. > > It’s a stupid question. If they concocted their evil plan in your basement, what would that prove? Did you help them knowingly? That’s the real question. Answer the question. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/598 "2010-08-22T20:46:03Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > [@Lobohan](#): > > > > It’s a stupid question. If they concocted their evil plan in your basement, what would that prove? Did you help them knowingly? That’s the real question. > > Answer the question. I don’t answer silly questions. It’s a code of honor. 😃 Now you could stop asking silly questions and actually talk about the issue, instead of clouding it with ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4bbf92/32.png) [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Hamsandwich)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/599 "2010-08-22T20:47:43Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > > [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > > Answer the question. > > I don’t answer silly questions. It’s a code of honor. 😃 > > Now you could stop asking silly questions and actually talk about the issue, instead of clouding it with ignorance. Wow, could PLEASE answer it? **JKellymap** did. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432/600 "2010-08-22T20:57:00Z")
> [@Darth\_Hamsandwich](#): > > > [@Lobohan](#): > > > > I don’t answer silly questions. It’s a code of honor. 😃 > > > > Now you could stop asking silly questions and actually talk about the issue, instead of clouding it with ignorance. > > Wow, could PLEASE answer it? **JKellymap** did. Here’s a suggestion, friend. Start a poll in “In My Humble Opinion”. It’s fun! SDMB will make a neato colored graph of the results, at no extra charge! That way, you’ll get a good statistical sample (which is what you seem to be after), and not risk pissing off the Dopers who are enganged in this thread here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mosque-to-be-built-two-blocks-from-ground-zero/539432.md?page=31)