- read the following two stories: one about a man who thinks Muslims might not deserve first amendment rights, and one by a man in charge of putting together the Cordoba Center, a Muslim community center near ground zero in New York City.
- respond to the two articles in a comment to this post discussing the pertinent first amendment issues raised in the article. Where do you stand on the issue of the Cordoba Center being built? Why?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
First Amendment Considerations in the news
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In MJ Rosenberg's article, the most prominent first amendment issue is that of prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Rosenberg speaks of Marty Peretz, the owner of The New Republic, who believes that Muslims should not be protected by the first amendment. He says that they will abuse first amendment privileges, and that their "brotherhood" includes violence. In other words, Peretz is trying to prohibit the free exercise of religion because he is selfish for his own, which is exactly what the first amendment says not to do.
ReplyDeleteFeisal Abdul Rauf, unlike Rosenberg, believes that Muslims should receive every first amendment right without question. The rights he focuses on are the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech, because these are the most important when dealing with the subject of being a Muslim in America at the moment. He uses positive input in speaking of multiple religions that are accepted in our country, and how the Muslim religion should be just as accepted (as says the first amendment).
Regarding the controversy of the Cordoba Center being built, I am definitely for it. If they decide not to build it, it would not only be conforming to the thoughts of people like Marty Peretz, but it wouldn't make anything end. More arguments and religious attacks will always occur, and it's important to take risks because if no one did, nothing would ever get done. I think those reasons are enough incentive to build the center.
I can't even believe some of the things quoted in M.J. Rosenberg's article. The fact of the matter is Peretz is blaming everything that is happening in the Middle East on the Muslims, which is totally ridiculous! He says that they have a brotherhood that doesn't have a problem with bloodshed. This is a country that claims it protects everyone equally (even though that isn't always the case). That means that every individual has the right to speak their mind and the right to believe in whatever they believe in. Taking those rights away is tearing down the very foundation this country was built off of and i find it disgusting that someone would even think that way.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Cordoba Center I like the idea but i can see where it would be controversial for some people. Having a place to educate and promote peace between religions is a fantastic idea and well over due. I can just see how it would sit wrong with those who are uneducated. I say build it!
In MJ Rosenberg's article, he clearly disaproves and disagrees with Marty Peretz's most recent radical statements regarding Muslims 'rights to have rights'. Rosenberg's explaination about how Peretz doesn't believe Muslims should have the protections of the first amendment shows Peretz's lack of understanding for why that amendment was put in place. Any clear minded and sane person would agree upon the interpretation of the first amendment to apply to any HUMAN, no matter their differences, beliefs, or heritage. That amendment was put in place to protect individuals from people like Peretz; which is why it is especially ironic that Peretz is even mentioning the first amendment. It is also ironic that in the past Peretz has written articles speaking for peace and against war and hatred. His recent statements are clearly based on an intense hatred for Muslims. In todays American society, statements of hatred like this should not be tolerated and as a radical journalist, Peretz should be deeply ashamed of proposing the idea of ANY human being denied their first amendment rights; who is he to talk.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the Cordoba Center should be built, and it should be built exactly where they planned to build it too. Although the media has corrupted the American public's perspective on this project; the real intentions of the community center and Feisal Abdul Rauf's ideas are to spread understanding and acceptance of all religions. Even I have been mislead; what I heard before reading Feisal Abdul Rauf's article, lead me to believe that the plans were to build a Muslim place of worship on ground zero. The media needs to correctly inform people about this issue and if the media can't, or won't, i believe it is the governments responsibility as protectors of this country to correctly inform the public. I believe the decision made about this issue is a preview of the direction of decisions to come in the future. The community center planned is what is needed in this country today and would show the world what America stands for and that we can take a tragedy and heal from it. To forever shun Muslims from the entire surrounding area of ground zero is the choice to keep that wound open; it is the choice to respond to an act of hatred with hatred.
The idea of America as a "melting pot" is something that's been drummed into our ears since kindergarten. It's the idea that there is no such race as American; that people of any color, background, opinion, or religion, can successfully integrate into this society. There can be no doubt that the First Amendment, one of the most important texts of our nation and society, holds true for ANY US citizen.
ReplyDeleteMartin Peretz, owner of the 'New Republic', has suggested otherwise. He wonders whether Muslims deserve the privileges that the First Amendment offers. It is absolutely appalling for me to read such bigoted words from Mr. Peretz, a fellow American and supposed proponent of international cooperation. Rights are NOT privileges. They are, by definition, the things that every person deserves right off the bat; things that don't have to be earned. There is absolutely no way to deny that the first amendment rights apply to Muslims. I think it's clear to any educated person that prohibiting the construction of the Cordoba Center on the basis of religion would be against everything our country stands for.
However, I think the real issue in this case is not "Should it be allowed?", but "Is it the considerate thing to do?". While a center that tries to foster "unification and healing" between Muslims and those of other religions sounds like a good idea, the fact is that there are a lot of people who would take it the wrong way. We can question their views as much as we want, but we can't deny that for a lot, the building of this center is seen as downright disrespectful. Why push the envelope? Does this center really HAVE to be that close to ground zero? It comes off to me like a lot of people support building the Cordoba Center just to prove that they can. It's ironic that supporters who supposedly have the objective of encouraging understanding and respect, can blatantly ignore the feelings of those who disapprove of the center. Although I personally would love to see people bonding together and initially after hearing about the plans was excited for moving forward, it's ultimately unwise to build something that has gotten so much passionate opposition. Whatever the motives behind the project may be, I fear that it could unnecessarily cause even more hatred and division. Evidently, the wounds from 9/11 are still too deep.
In MJ Rosenbergs article, marty peretz speaks out on how the muslim people are responsible for what has occured conflict wise between the U.S. and central muslim nations over seas. i feel that it is wrong to blame the innocent ones that are living there normal daily lives but its not a war on on islam but a war against al-Qaeda. thats one view which is predominent to the people in Washington but the rest of Amereica a still slow to see that.
ReplyDeletethe cordoba house on ground zero is a very contreversial act that the people in Lower Manhattan are faced with. Now the 9th anniversory of 9/11 just passed over this past weekend and emotions are running high because it was the first act of terrorism on U.S. soil and it was devastating. i feel that it is not american to put such a thing on a land mark which was brought down by the people who belive in that mannor or send they're prayers to the muslim god.
The MJ Rosenberg article concerning Muslims rights was very interesting. I think that outrageous for Mr. Pertez to say that Muslim-Americans shouldn't have the same rights that every other American has. I also think that its rude for him to say that no Muslims should have any rights based on the actions of radical Musilms. Not all Musilms are radical and we should not treat them as if they all are. Everybody deserves to have the same rights no matter what they believe.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the Cordoba center is a great idea however, I do not think that it should be built there. Also I don't think that Christians and Jewish people would feel comfortable workshiping at the center. Because,as of right now there are no other religious figures speaking out saying that they will be there to hold religious servies.I also dont believe the center should be built because I think it would be disrespectful to the families of the victims of 9/11. I think that area should be reserved as a place of memorial for the victims of 9/11.
In the MJ Rosenberg article, Marty Perez says that all Muslims, not just the extremists overseas, are responsible for all of our disputes in the middle east. But Perez's opinion seem rather ignorant and short-sighted, as he talks about them as an inferior race. I feel that these accusations, of Muslims lives being "cheap", are badly misplaces on the average Muslims living average lives on our own soil, who have every right to practice their religion as they may.
ReplyDeleteThe 9th anniversary of 9/11 brings us much controversy on the new Cordoba Center, that is planned to be built near the sacred rubble of ground zero. I myself am impartial to the idea, but I can see how many people may be upset with the idea of putting a Muslim community center so close to such a sensitive area.
The first thing in MJ Rosenberg's article that jumps out at me is the fact that the Republican leader followed the part of the First Amendment that reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," and even though he was just doing his job, it's still a shame that he doesn't see the moral wrongness in burning the Qurans, especially if it's a potential endangerment to the troops still in Iraq, Iran, etc. I, personally, have no patience for prejudice mindsets, so beliefs like Peretz's that Muslims ought to be stripped of First Amendment rights make no sense to me. You can't just target an entire group of people for the actions of a small part of it.
ReplyDeleteRauf's article is much more balanced; he took the time to explain what the deal was. The Cordoba House is going to have prayer spaces for all faiths, and a September 11th memorial. It's not like it's being built as a reminder that a group of Muslims flew into the Twin Towers; the way I see it, it's meant as a reminder that it not only affected us, but it also greatly affected the Muslim countries, and that it's there to bring us together further.
It's unfortunate that following the First Amendment allows something like burning Qurans to happen, it is a "free" country; but I think that if they want to build the center, they should build it and not let some crazy pastor in Florida get in their way.
I think that Pertez is grouping together all people who are muslim and projecting his distorted views onto them. He doesn't see them as people, individuals with families, lives, and experiences. Instead he sees them as a bad group, which is why he believes they should not share the same rights as everyone else. If he looked at the world for a moment, with a more open mind, he would see that they are people too and deserve to express themselves as they would like too.
ReplyDeleteThat is a good transition to the Cordoba center, because i think Rauf's 'mission' is to widen people like Pertez's perspectives. I agree that it is a wonderful idea. I think people who are so strongly opposed to it are only looking for somewhere to point their fingers, out of anger for what happened. That small group of people who committed the horrible atrocities on 9/11 do not represent the entire population of INDIVIDUALS who are muslim. Judging people based on something you don't know about/ understand is a widespread problem that is relevent not only here, but everyday. If the center could help promote seeing people for who they are and not the labels we put on them, it could make a huge difference in people's lives.
It’s apparent that Marty Peretz, the owner of the new republic, is attempting to infringe the rights that every Muslim American holds. As Americans we have rights such as the first amendment, which Peretz is clearly trying to violate. Peretz is trying advocate that the first amendment should not apply to Muslim American because he feels that Muslim Americans will take advantage of the first amendment and abuse it. Peretz is an extremely racist and selfish man. His ignorant opinions are not fair. Stereotyping Muslims for what radical Muslims are doing, and have done in the past, is like stereotyping all Caucasians because of what the Ku Klux Klan has done to African Americans and Homosexuals in the past. As a country we’ve come so far, far as trying to overcome a racist society. Marty Peretz is backtracking our society by trying to install his hate for Muslims into America. Not speaking against this, is just as negative as standing for this racial attack.
ReplyDeleteI Believe that Cordoba Center should be built. Their initiative is intended to cultivate understanding among all religions and cultures. I see no problem with this at all. I think personally the media is making this into more of a uproar then it needs to be. I think that if their was more places like the Cordoba Center, it’d lessen the stereotypical judgment and racist thoughts and more people would have a better understanding of one another. The Cordoba center is a place meant to bring people together and to hold a better understanding. Not allowing the Cordoba center to be built is like America saying it’s ok to discriminate upon stereotypical ideas of a culture. America is suppose to be a place where people come together to be free. Not a place where people come to be stereotyped and discriminated because of their race and culture. So with that said i say build it!
The first amendment specifically states that the government can't interfere with the peoples right of speech, press, and the free exercise of religion. Marty Peretz is attempting to receive as much support as possible on his racist idea that the Muslims in America should not be subjected to the first amendment. Not only is this idea extremely racist, it also violates American's rights. The first Amendment says that no matter what religion an American is, they are still entitled to the same rights. Marty Peretz can not re-right the constitution so that Muslims can't say what they feel.
ReplyDeleteI am heavily in favor for the idea of building the Cordoba center at ground zero. This would be a huge step for America in excepting and learning from the past. The middle east has terrorism every where and I feel that a huge reason for the September eleventh attacks was the fact that America does not experience those tragedies and felt that it doesn't happen in America. A great way to help ease relations with other countries and religions is to show how we excepted that terrorism is not below America and we are empathizing for all the other countries and religions that have to deal with terrorism far more than we do.
ReplyDeleteIn MJ Rosenbergs article I think it is very wrong of him to put all Muslims into a group. He is saying that the same rights everyone else in America shouldn’t apply to them because they are of a different ethnicity. He is definitely wrong about his opinion because the families that live here in America, with jobs, and friends, don’t have anything to do with the extremists overseas. The families in America are not causing a dispute in the Middle East. The first amendment also states that the government cannot interfere with the religion the people practice.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion I think the Cordoba Center should be built. It show the other people of the world that America has acknowledged what has happened in past years, but we are still willing to go forward. It also will help people, like Marty Pertez and people like him to widen his view on the world and not be so closed minded.
I honestly cannot believe some of the things that Marty Peretz says in MJ Rosenbergs article. The fact that he is filled with so much hatred for ALL muslims that he thinks they don't deserve the first amendment right of freedom of religion is astounding. I think it's quite obvious that he is very uneducated on the disputes on the middle east and on the Muslim faith as a whole. Just because there are some violent extremists who cause problems in the world doesn't mean that everyone associated with them, whether by religion or geographical location, should be treated the same as them. Peretz's idea is extremely racist and will continue to create more conflict with Muslim extremists instead of lessen it.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the Cordoba Center, I strongly support its construction. I am a firm believer in the importance of interfaith relations. We as people need to learn to accept and coexist together and this center will help with that. I think that the Cordoba Center is especially important since it is a place created by Muslims near ground zero, since the events of 9/11 have caused so much hatred to be directed at Muslims. Its important that we as Americans are accepting of all religions, protect people of all religions from persecution, and learn to all work together. The Cordoba Center is a step in that direction.

ReplyDeleteThe 'Building on Faith' was very interesting, how he wants us to live in peace together like it was in biblical times. About how distant we have grown from each other and our view on a god still is enough to make someone actually kill another person. He wants us to rise to the challenge and be able to live in peace with out worrying about how religion changes us. That's pretty much exactly how i feel, that your religion should have nothing to do with you feel toward other people. I believe it be a huge step if we can build a muslim mousque near Ground Zero to show that we don’t hate the religion and everyone in it. To show that we are past the worst and how we have nothing against them at all. Only against radicals and terrorists.
In the 'New Republic Owner: First Amendment Should Not Protect Muslim Americans' i find it very interesting how the author writes about the man who tries to get rid of muslims right to the 1st amendment. His comparisons really show how insane he is. That nazis, mass murders, rapists, KKK, and radical religious fanatics have the right of the 1st. But American Muslims as a WHOLE should not be entitled to it because they will "abuse it". People like that are the reason we have these jihads and car bombings. There is too much hate for absolutely no logical reason, clouding people's minds and causing them to risk other peoples lives by their words.
ReplyDeleteIn MJ Rosenbergs article, New Republic Owner: First Amendment Should Not Protect Muslim Americans, the quotes from this Peretz guy is totally and completely disgusting. That is not acceptable at all. The first amendment states that everyone, no matter your race, your size, your gender, etc has a right to free speech and to practice their choice of religion. To think that that right can be taken from an entire group of people is absurd and unreasonable. Peretz talks about how Mulims dont deserve the right of the first amendment because their "brotherhood" practices violence and they dont mind boodshed, as in they dont deserve it because in his eyes, instead of a right, its a privelage they are insensative about. "He believes Muslims are unworthy of the rights which even protected Nazis marching in Jewish neighborhoods and those Kansas lunatics who loudly picket the funerals and publicly cheer the deaths of US soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan." THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE! This is implying that is was okay for Nazis to march around jewish neighborhoods, to cheer for US soldiers dying, and everything else along those lines but yet the Muslims as a whole can't have these crucial rights. that blows my mind, this article made me nothing but furious. Peretz is a racist, immature, unreasonable, selfish idiot.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Cordoba Center, I sure as hell believe is should go up, and asap. I think this because it then is showing Peretz that he can think what he wants and say what he wants but that wont tear them down. Someone needs to show him off. Not only for that reason, but, also, because this would be a big step for Americans.. acceptance, moving forward from the past. This will only make America stronger and better. We cannot let Peretz speak for all of us, because we are sure as hell not all like him.
Many of the issues raise in the article, is of racism with in the muslim religion, and of americans who practice it and there first amendment rights. Peretz discusses that how many americans muslims should not have the same protections of the first amendment than those who don't practice it. he quotes that "muslim life is cheap", and basically it means that he believes that they would abuse this right, and cause more violence with in the muslim religion and nations. But does not make since because the first amendment states that every american states that every american citizen has the right to free speech and practice what ever religion. so what ever Peretz is stating is racism
ReplyDeleteThere are so many reasons on why i think the cordoba should not be build because. Its being disrespectful, to the people who lost their lives during 9/11, but why couldn't it be build some were else like why does it have to be build by ground force zero. its should be a place for remember-ence.
Marty Peretz's ideas and opinions are brought to the forefront in his article, many of which in my opinion are insane, first where does he get off saying that Muslim Americans should not be granted first amendment rights? Frankly its not the religion or the group of people he is targeting that bombed the trade centers, so why would we get the right to attack a group of people that so happen to be Islamic and Muslim? They didn’t do anything wrong. merely if you think about it this only us, Americans Marty Peretz included making immature generalizations of groups of people, which leads into conflict, and situations like 9/11, no one should have the right especially a common citizen to take it upon themselves to withhold another citizens rights, yet only the most important right.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the building on faith article brings welcoming ideas and really shows us what its all about. People like Marty Peretz waste their time trying to tare apart relations among Muslim Americans when really we should be trying to build them stronger so we can deal better with situations like 9/11, because no way in hell could we eliminate ( in respects to not calling upon them for help) a whole religion of people and still expect to recover the way we did in the past. No matter how we think of it everyone from Muslims to illegal immigrates are important to this economy and country, no matter how much we would like to disarm and deny it.
My take on building the community center as planned, is a great idea. Anything that we would build there would be under conflict, because everyone was effected by that attack, granted some more than others. Why wouldn’t we want to build something in remembrance of what happened and at the same time better groups of people. Perhaps why this is under such great scrutiny by the American public is because it’s a muslim community center, but if you think about it they are the population that had the worst backlash for something that they didn’t even do. Also it could really show people that they have morals and values and they aren’t at all like the people that blew up the trade centers.
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ReplyDeleteArgo-
ReplyDeleteYou need to come up with a way to post under your official (class registry) name. I'm reasonably sure most people in the room know who you are, but still, I don't want others posting under pseudonyms. Let's be consistent in applying the standard here.
I think the 1st amendment is available to everyone in the United States. To me Peretz thoughts are really twisted. Why would Peretz have such a passionate hatred for a whole race of people? He makes it seem like all Muslims have mistreated him. It’s hard to believe that even now there are still people who think this way. And what we probably don’t know is that maybe some Arabians have harmed him personally in the past. Therefore it doesn’t mean that you should go around hating people for decades. Also to argue that Muslims shouldn’t have 1st Amendment Rights as everyone else is absurd, they are human like everyone else and you can’t take that right from them or anyone. Being a journalist, you would expect Peretz to know and argue that everyone is entitled to freedom of speech and of the press. Peretz really contradicts himself to what he stands for as a journalist in this article.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile I think the Cordoba Center should be built where it is. It actually will benefit Americans if they built the Center around ground-zero. It would help unite people of all different views and religions, and it would bring peace around that area. Most people think building this Center around ground-zero is selfish and disrespectful, but it’s really not as it seems. This Cordoba Center represents the healing of the 9/11 scar, and most people don’t know about the real facts about this issue that’s the main reason why they quickly assume that it’s too disrespectful or stupid. America is free so we shouldn’t look down on Muslims because they believe differently, but people should look into it deeper and they would see that it’s better for America and the world if we unite.
This better as far as names go?
ReplyDelete-Baine