No more victories for Bin Laden

President Obama, after saying that building a mosque at Ground Zero fit our "commitment to religious freedom," backtracked, saying he wasn't commenting on the 'wisdom' of building it so close to 'hallowed ground.'

A Fox News poll showed that while 61 percent of Americans believe that Cordoba House has a constitutional right to build near Ground Zero, 64 percent believe it is not appropriate to do so.

Does Obama's hedging show a lack of ethical convictions? Does Hamas' endorsement change the debate? What is behind public opposition to the site? Can you believe in religious freedom but not believe the mosque is appropriate?

There is an irony in that the very people who claim to defend America's traditional values are the ones who are so very willing to hand over victory after victory to Osama Bin Laden. Our personal freedoms have been diminished, our judicial system has been vandalized, and our economy stretched to its limit fighting a war on terror at home and abroad. We have allowed fear and ignorance to take hold. And isn't that what Bin Laden and his ilk really want?

Yet here we are again giving an ear to those who would love to hand over one of our most cherished values to Bin Laden: the First Amendment.

Personally, I am not in favor of a Mosque being built near Ground Zero, but then I am not in favor of any religious buildings being erected where the legacy of faith takes the form of a gaping pit. They all seem in 'poor taste' to the eyes of a secularist. I weary of the 'Holier-than-Thou' folks' claim of 'knowing' the truth through a collection of thousand year old writings and the ongoing, contorted, convoluted, and conflicting interpretations. I would rather see children learning the about the Constitution than about divine retribution and faith. What should be built at Ground Zero is a community center dedicated to overcoming ignorance, dogma, superstition, and blind faith, replacing it with reason, logic, science, and compassion. This is not a new concept, it is a little over 200 years old and was used as the framework to design a bold experiment in self-government.

However, my personal preferences are inconsequential, no matter how strongly I feel about the inappropriateness of the presence of mosques or churches at that iconically tragic place. Our Constitution makes it very clear that popularity of an idea is no basis for law. It would not matter if 90% of Americans were in favor of banning a church, synagogue, mosque or temple from building on private land, because the only thing that matters is that the First Amendment is upheld. And as long as the rights of religious people are being upheld, then there is still the chance that we are all protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Americans, indeed all people, should pause and reflect on the course of human history and the horrific suffering caused by religious fervor. Even in 'tolerant' societies, minority religions have been kept and remain in check through methods such as isolation, taxation, and lack of full citizenship. Our Founding Fathers were fed on the history of Europe and the bloody wars between Protestants and Catholics - not simply written history - but more powerful still - oral history handed down from grandparents. Our Founding Fathers understood the lessons of a government based on one religion dominating over another, the hatred it instilled, and the violence it inspired. We cannot afford to neglect the lessons that gave rise to this nation.

The lives lost in September 2001 should not now or ever be exploited by a handful of opportunists. We have something here that is far greater than religion, we have law. Laws written by individuals who, thankfully, were far more forward-thinking than today's jingoistic talking heads and politicians incapable of either respecting the Constitution or understanding the fragile nature of governing a nation that values law over dogma.

We must, as a people, as a nation, triumph over the evils of fundamentalism in all its forms. Do not hand yet another victory to Bin Laden.

By R. Elisabeth Cornwell | August 17, 2010; 1:59 PM ET | Category: Religious Freedom Save & Share:
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"I am not in favor of any religious buildings being erected . . . However, my personal preferences are inconsequential . . . as long as the rights of religious people are being upheld, then there is still the chance that we are all protected by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights." This well-written commentary says it all, Elisabeth. Thank you!

R. Elisabeth Cornwell

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No more victories for Bin Laden

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