Mosque in New York

Statement

Almost nine years ago a terrible wound was opened wide for the American people. That wound has yet to heal. Our hearts were torn out. We watched in horror as thousands of our fellow Americans died in New York City and elsewhere. No doubt, every one of us can remember exactly where we were and exactly what we were doing on September, 11, 2001. It was the worst ever physical attack within our shores but it was much more than that. It was an attack on the very essence of our Nation's being and all the things that make America what it is. We would mourn and the whole world would mourn with us.

In that moment in time, we were almost helpless but that would change fast. All Americans became "New Yorkers" even if we had never been there ever in our lives. We all flew American flags and wore "I Love New York" or "NYFD and NYPD" hats and shirts. Americans became one united force to be reckoned with. We once again became America.

In the days that followed, we looked to our President and Commander- in-Chief, George W. Bush, for leadership. He showed strength. The world came to our aid as we have done for others in the past. Soon we began to identify the enemy as a radical sect of the Islam religion.

Now, fast forward eight years and eleven months to this day.

The World Trade Center Twin Towers are only a memory. There is nothing to show for them but a gaping hole in the ground where they once stood. We call it "Ground Zero".

Very close to Ground Zero is another building which was damaged by the debris from an airplane used to attack one of the towers. Some worshippers of Islam wish to build a facility at that location to promote their religion.

The individuals who insist that their use of this location is a "right" are correct. Nevertheless, just because someone has the right to do something does not mean that it is right to do or is justifiable. The American people have rights as well. We have the right to be very upset with the provocative nature of this endeavor and call on those who are doing it to stop. These builders are harming their cause much more than they are promoting it.

The current President and Commander- in-Chief, Barack Obama, went out of his way to state publicly that the builders of the mosque have a right to build. He also went out of his way not to side with the majority of the American people in regards to the decency of building the mosque. He should state that he feels this is quite acceptable or that he feels like the majority of us feel, that this is a despicable and deliberately confrontational action.

Personally, I think he should choose the latter as it is in line with my position and the position of the vast majority of Americans who have not forgotten about 9/11.

I also think that there is a much greater issue at hand than the building of the mosque.

President John F. Kennedy announced on May 21, 1961, that we should be the first to set foot on the Earth's moon. In less than nine years, an American named Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the lunar surface. We did it then to show all the world that America had great strength and conviction.

As I've mentioned, nine years have passed and Ground Zero remains a big hole thus represents an unhealed wound in the memory of our great nation. Through the years, America has traditionally helped restore other nations after they were ravaged by war. We have done this even when it was our own military might that rightfully caused the destruction.

It is long past time for a concerted federal effort to restore the World Trade Center Twin Towers to a better state than they were before the attack of 9/11. Maybe if those majestic icons had been restored before the issue with the mosque came to light, it would have been less of a hard pill to swallow for all of us.

We can rebuild the Towers and stand taller and stronger than those who hate us. We can do this because We are America.

--Donn Janes

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