Shelgeyr wrote:
OK, I've now read the entire thread and realize that the topic of discussion has largely moved from whether or not the community center/mosque should be allowed to be built to the idea that it it should be allowed, but that the people behind the project should seriously re-think their plans.
I'm heartened by this, because it means that Gladers in general are in fact capable of changing their positions as a result of debate, despite what some may say. Yay, team!
As for the advisability of the project, it seems to me that a lot of the objections are based on perceptions and/or perceived potential perceptions. In short, the arguments boil down to "they're just going to see this as a victory for themselves" or "this is going to close doors rather than open them".
The first, I'll choose to dismiss out of hand because (as has been pointed out) "they" are going to claim some sort of victory no matter what we do, so we may as well give up trying to second-guess how they might spin things.
The second argument is trickier. I think reality could go either way, and only time will tell whether the proposed building will do more harm or good. It's in the power of the people involved, on both sides, to determine that outcome. I only hope it more closely resembles the "best-case" scenario than the "worst-case".
I think you may be misunderstanding the first argument.
"They'll use it as a victory no matter what" refers to the militants and whether we disallow the mosque or not. If we do, they cry oppression, if not, they claim we're too weak to prevent muslims building a holy site at GZ. Either claim will have credibility among the poor and uneducated of the Arab world due to cultural norms regarding sows of strength. For that reason, it's adviseable to allow the muslims wanting to build it to build it so that we can claim to the rest of the world (i.e. the areas outside the U.S. that are non-muslim) that we're following our principles regarding rights, especially property rights. They're going to get a victory either way, so we should to.
That argument has notihng to do with whether the muslims in question
should build it there. If they choose of their own accord not to, the militants are left with little opportunity for propaganda other than maybe "they were pressured into not building it" which they probably wouldn't want to use since it carries an implicit admission that other muslims are weak.
The muslims building the mosque understand the cultural implications and undercurrents of building it very well; this goes to why they ought not to build it if they are truely moderate and interested in building bridges. If they chose not to, it would be very hard for the militants to claim victory, but if they were prevented from building it, or chose to go ahead, it would be much easier.
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