Emotion Trumps Logic in Religious Protests

NEW YORK—Throngs of people gathered outside the proposed mosque site located near ground zero on Sunday, with both supporters and people opposed to the construction of the mosque showing up in equal measure.

One banner, which was held by a protester in front of the proposed site, read, “Don't let Islam mark a victory with a mosque.”

Another sign read, “A mosque at ground zero spits on the graves of 9/11 victims.”

Protests were mostly peaceful as crowds endured rain in Lower Manhattan. Some who opposed building the mosque at Park 51 carried signs that said “Sharia,” in reference to Islam's Shariah Law, covered in blood.

Supporters of the project, on the other hand, said that blocking the mosque's construction at the proposed site would be a step back for preserving the American They held signs that said, “Support religious freedom,” “Down with religious bigotry,” “Groundless hatred is the real enemy,” and “Repudiate Islamophobia!”

Cordoba Institute wants to construct a $100-million, 13-story project that would include a community center, a swimming pool, and an art display in addition to hosting a place of worship.

Political figures such as President Barack Obama, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have spoken on the issue.
Demonstrators attend a rally with the Coalition to Honor Ground Zero August 22, 2010 in New York. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)


Gingrich and Palin have expressed their opposition to the mosque, while Mayor Michael Bloomberg has expressed support for the project. President Obama addressed the issue last week, stating that there is a need for freedom of religion.

Cordoba expressed that they are not going to back down from the opposition. The institute has stated that they are building the mosque to foster peace and better understanding between the Islamic world and the West.

Daisy Khan and her husband Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf are leading the project. On ABC News' “This Week,” Khan said she fears that more Americans are coming into opposition toward Islam, riding on a wave of negative sentiment against the construction of the mosque.

“That's what we feel right now. It's not even Islamophobia. It's beyond Islamophobia. It's hate of Muslims,” Khan said.