About that mosque: we all have the right to practice our religion

When George W. Bush was asked about what might have motivated the terrorists who flew their planes into the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001 he said that "they hate freedom."  Now that same act is being invoked by Americans who oppose the construction of Park51, Americans who appear to hate freedom.  At least these Americans appear to not understand what freedom is and how much it matters.  I am sympathetic to the view that placing a mosque close to the site where Islamic terrorists committed such a heinous act might be offensive to some, and I agree that everything would have been simpler if a different site had been chosen.

But that didn't happen.  Instead, a loud and very public debate has turned this into an argument about religious freedom.  In my opinion, that debate has been framed in such a way that anyone who cares about freedom must take a stand in favor of allowing the Park51 cultural center to be built where Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his organization would like it to be built.  Mayor Bloomberg and President Obama have spoken eloquently on this subject.  It remains unclear what will ultimately happen.  My hope is that this episode will eventually be remembered as a civics lesson for people who profess to know better.