The campaign to prevent the construction of a Muslim community center near the site of the World Trade Center attacks is emblematic of an “Islamophobia” that is “a threat to the very fabric of our democratic, pluralistic way of life,” said a prominent scholar of Islam. In an op-ed contribution on CNN.com (July 19), John L. Esposito, the director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, disputed the notion that the construction of the center would be a dishonor to those who died on Sept. 11, 2001. Esposito noted that Cordoba House, as the project is known, would be a community center, not a mosque as has been widely reported, and would be available to all members of the community, not just Muslims. “Mosque construction in the United States has become a catalyst for increased anti-Islam and anti-Muslim sentiment, discrimination and hate crimes in recent years,” he said.
Professor Defends Muslim Center
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
“His presence brings prestige to our nation and to the entire Group of 7. It is the first time that a pope will participate in the work of the G7,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
“Many conflicting, divergent and often contradictory views of the human person have found wide acceptance … they have led to holders of traditional theories being cancelled or even losing their jobs,” the bishops said.
Robots can give you facts. But they can’t give you faith.
“Irena’s Vow” is true story of a Catholic nurse who used her position to shelter a dozen Jews in World War II-era Poland.