[akv]

I was also an advocate for rebuilding the towers even bigger and better, yet many NY'ers said they wouldn't want to work in the new towers, some felt it was now sacred ground and merited a memorial, others frankly felt the new buildings would incur greater risk of repeated attacks, and life wasn't worth it. The bulge bracket banks seemed to concur since several began building new facilities spread out across smaller buildings across the NY/NJ area.

The Ground Zero Mosque is emotional for many of us, IMHO allowing it to be built is a sign of strength not weakness. Americans take pride in the freedoms rights and protections of our constitution. An issue like this mosque tests the extent of our resolve and if we remain true to our laws and beliefs. Are we what we say we are or are we willing to subjectively bend or ignore the constitutional rights we hold sacred when they apply to issues or groups, we might find distasteful or morally reprehensible. Groups like the KKK, NAMBLA, and the American Nazi Party are disgusting to most of us, yet we acknowledge their rights to assemble under the protections of our constitution, and their rights to private property, until they break the law in which case they deserve and warrant vigorous prosecution. What would folks here think of a prominent Pro Life advocate or a anti-drug DA who advocated an abortion or leniency when their teenage daughter came home pregnant or was busted for dealing drugs? This issue however, is greater than the social stigma of hypocrisy, this issue is an acid test on whether or not these protections and freedoms we claim, are mere populist lip service or in fact further demonstrated proof of the legitimacy and impartiality of the laws inherent to our American culture.

Folks mentioned why don't some investment bankers just buy the building, that is a solution, but even if altruistically wealthy buyers could be found, instead it might be better for us all if at $100 million a pop several mosques are built. If we assume those behind the mosque have nefarious motives, at the end of the day the money is buying a building. Instead $100 million could be used to buy a lot of IED's, weapons, technology, and training for AQ cells and insurgents.

This issue is greater than religious tolerance, the stance of our enemies on tolerance and freedom are clear. This was a pass/fail test of the strength of the American Constitution, and I believe we passed.

Finally,while the owners of this mosque have every legal right to build it and worship in accordance with their beliefs, America will be watching their conduct.
If they are cavalier and abrasive towards the community, the legal victory will rapidly atrophy into a Pyhrric one. Middle of the road Americans who differentiate between radical Islam and the religion as a whole, might find these beliefs challenged and the resulting environment considerably less tolerant and hospitable towards Muslims in America.