The debate over a cultural centre in NYC

As often as is the case today in our Western society, North America and Europe, there is much talk in public of inclusiveness where everyone has supposedly a chance to voice an opinion in the great debates on society. For weeks now a fierce debate over the Islamic Cultural Centre in Manhattan has been raging on in newsprint and on the internet.

What is taking place is not a reasoned debate of ideas but mostly opinions, often personal and political over the site of this centre and if it should be built at all. The pundits have used extreme language to attract attention and create a controversy that should not even exist in the first place.

The opinions and articles in the media, editorials or articles in various newspapers, controlled by wealthy individuals reflect their ideology on society. Politicians and prominent activists also spout about this cultural centre and about their own ever changing positions on the topic of Islam and Muslims in American society, prompting many American citizens who are Muslims to wonder if they will ever belong in their own country America. The common man who is the basis of our democracy is left behind to try to understand what is going on and try to form an opinion IF he or she cares to do so. As is the case in most debates today, ordinary people have no time or inclination to get involved because they are just trying to get by economically. So the democratic debate has become a sham.

The media brings it down to simple statements: Islam= terror, Brown people = poverty and crime, authors of the attack on World trade centre = all Muslims are bad people, Mosque = terror centre, Islam = violence, immigration = undesirables. Cultural centres = elitist ideology. All of this = America under siege. Very sad commentary all around when one comes to think of it on what was once a great society.

America is not under siege, any intelligent, educated and informed person knows this. The actions of a few do not equate to the way of thinking of many. But many mediocre people know they can make hay and exploit fear of the unknown for personal gain, like the Sarah Palin of this world and so many others.

Culture does not equate elitism or something foreign to the goals and aspiration of the common person in society. Unfortunately we hear too many extreme voices who advocate for the rejection of anything that is not, in other words, meat and potatoes, white and Christian, at the exclusion of all others. All the others represent a large percentage of American society today, according to recent census about 34% of the total population.

What is being proposed for the Islamic Cultural centre in lower Manhattan is a day care centre for kids, a conference hall for cultural purposes, a health club with swimming pool and a prayer room or mosque. Do not see how this can be in any way shape or form offensive or dangerous to anyone.

With the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the demise of Communism in Europe, the USA had no known enemy, so a new one had to be invented, Islam now seem to be that new enemy, simple really, ignorance breeds intolerance and fear, bingo new enemy. Sounds like an Orwell novel really, tell the masses what they should fear and who the new enemy is today.

While this debate goes on, important matters, like health and education and the betterment of society, go largely ignored, because solutions of those real issues are more difficult to come by and the Christian politicos have no ideas or solutions to present.