The Jerusalem Post
September 3, 2010
In its basic form, the Ground Zero mosque debate boils down to a conflict between two competing values – American freedom of religion versus the sensitivities of the families of the victims of 9/11.
The freedom-of-religion argument suggests that if Jews sought to build a synagogue at Ground Zero (or anywhere else, for that matter), they would be within their rights. That’s the American way. The opposing view suggests that while not every Catholic was guilty in the Holocaust, and not every Muslim perpetrated the crimes of 9/11, sensitivities still matter. Pope John Paul II had the decency to force the Carmelite nuns out of Auschwitz, and Muslim leaders, too, ought to relocate their project.
Similarly, the mutual accusations are parallel: If you are opposed to the mosque, you are an Islamophobic racist. And if you’re in favor of it, you’re simply insensitive to the pain of those who lost loved ones in the attack.
But we Israelis have learned from our experience that matters are more complicated. One need not be racist or Islamophobic to be concerned about the mosque. For life in our region has taught us that the first necessary step to defending yourself is acknowledging that someone else is out to destroy you.
In the suburban, well-educated, politically and Jewishly liberal America in which I grew up, we didn’t use the label “enemy.” “Enemy” was a dirty word, because it implied the immutability of conflict.
Yes, there were people who fought us, but only because we hadn’t yet arrived at a fair resolution of our conflict. We needed to understand them, so we could then resolve the conflicts that divided us.
I still recall being jarred, when we made aliya, by the matter-of-factness with which Israelis use the word “enemy.” But it wasn’t a judgment or an accusation. It was simply a fact: There are people out to destroy our state, who seek to kill us and our children. And as the intifada later amply demonstrated, they did not yearn for our understanding or our friendship. They wanted our demise.
YEARS AGO, we took our then teenage daughter to an evening sponsored by the army, at which religious parents could ask questions about what the army would be like for their daughters. Some of the parents were downright hostile, clearly opposed to the prospect of their daughters joining the IDF. At one point, an obviously angry father stood up, turned to the base commander and asked (or more accurately hissed), “Do you make the girls work on Shabbat?” The room was perfectly silent, for everyone knew the answer. No one moved. Even the base rabbi said nothing. He stood at the podium, leaned into the mike and, lost in thought, played with his beard.
Suddenly, one of the three soldiers who’d been brought to address the parents, a young woman with her uniform shirt buttoned up to her chin, her sleeves extending to her wrists and her armyissued skirt down to her ankles, looked the father right in the eye, and without being called on, said to him, “Of course we work on Shabbat.” And then, after a second’s pause, she added, “Gam ha’oyev oved beshabbat” – the enemy also works on Shabbat.
It was a game changer. “What?” she essentially asked. “You think we do this for fun? There are people out there trying to destroy us. Either we’re as serious about this conflict as they are, or they’re going to win.”
I hadn’t thought of that young woman in years, but ever since the Cordoba Initiative controversy erupted, I’ve remembered her repeatedly. For Israelis do have something to teach Americans, and it’s very similar to what she said to that father.
It goes something like this: It’s fine to say that “America is not at war with Islam,” to point out that most Muslims are not terrorists and that many American Muslims are moderates. That’s true, as far as it goes.
But it only goes so far. Because America is at war and its enemies are Muslims. Politically correct hairsplitting runs the risk of Americans blinding themselves to that simple but critical fact. It makes no difference what percentage of the world’s Muslims wants to destroy America. There are enough of them that US air travel is now abominably unpleasant and, more importantly, enough of them that more strikes on America appear inevitable.
The US got lucky on Christmas Day when the bomber headed to Detroit failed to detonate his explosives, and was lucky again in Times Square in May, but less fortunate at Fort Hood. Yet those may be but the beginning. We could, heaven forbid, come to see 9/11 as child’s play.
THE UNITED States’ future is under attack, but Americans resist admitting it. President Barack Obama has sent 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, but he has also said that he intends to pull them out by July. Can we imagine FDR declaring war on Germany, but then adding that the war had to be over in a year, or in two? It would have been laughable. And America would have lost. The US has to decide – is it committed to destroying those who wish it ill, or is it willing to be destroyed by them? Those, sadly, are its only two alternatives.
When my parents were teenagers, they watched as evil took hold of Europe. But then they saw America turn itself into an unprecedented, enormous military machine. For America’s leaders understood that if the Nazis won, the world as we knew it would be over; we could either destroy Nazism, or have no reason to go on.
But when my children were teenagers, a different evil took root across their eastern horizon. This time, though, the world has feigned impotence.
Iran is at the nuclear threshold. Iraq was at best a “non-failure.” The battle against the Taliban and al-Qaida may take years, or decades, and may require many lives sacrificed if we are to win. But America has grown war-weary. Obama is already planning to bring the troops home; the word “terrorist” is increasingly off-limits in the US because it is considered “politically loaded.”
Americans simply want the conflict to be over.
Its tendency to gentility is part of what has made America great. But an unwillingness to call an “enemy” an enemy could lead to America’s demise. For Islam’s radical leaders tell us clearly what they seek: a world united under Islam, with America’s sacred freedoms eradicated as a new “morality” replaces them. What is much less clear is whether Americans are willing to fight – to die and to kill – to protect those freedoms.
Whether or not the Ground Zero mosque ultimately gets built may not matter nearly as much as whether or not Americans are willing to gird themselves for the battles that sadly lie ahead. We Israelis understand the fatigue that comes with war. We, like Americans, would much prefer a world in which we did not have mortal enemies.
We, like Americans, would much prefer that our children went to college at 18, and not to years of military service. But we’ve learned that anything short of absolute clear-sightedness and honesty – coupled with extraordinary sacrifice – could destroy us.
The same is true for America. The truly important question that the “Islamophobia” accusation raises is not what will transpire with a proposed building, but what will happen with a worldview.
It still remains to be seen if America will do what it must if it is to guarantee the survival of the very values it is now debating. America can remain the “land of the free,” but only if it is also the “home of the brave.”
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Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President of the Shalem Center, where he is also a senior fellow. The author of numerous books on Jewish thought and currents in Israel...
The Jewish State must end, say its enemies, from intellectuals like Tony Judt to hate-filled demagogues like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Even average Israelis are wondering if they wouldn't be better off somewhere else. 
Not only do I agree with Paul, but I admire his tenacity–he sticks to the facts, no matter what the people with the rose colored glasses throw at him!
Kol Hakavod!
to M:
Not many know about the United States Supreme Court ruling in 1913. what that ruling did was permit judges to NOT inform Jurors of their entire powers duties and authority when the judges give the jury its instructions before they enter deliberation.
the fact is a law may exist but it may be missapplied or may not be valid law. the jury has the authority to find someone not guilty. even if the person admits he violated the law in question if the jury finds that law defective for any reason. judges no longer explain this part of the juries authority. the judge is a referee and his duty is to guarantee you a fair trial he does not convict you the jury does. the supreme court did not remove this authority is just allowed judges to ignore explaining it.
First Shana Tova all.
Personally I find it interesting that the US has hallowed ground. Second if this area is hallowed ok so be it but the place where their building is actually a few blocks away, how many blocks away becomes suitable? I remember the day when the attacks happened at first the media guessestimated over 50,000 lifes lost before getting to the realistic 3000+ then their was the claim no Jewish lifes were lost it was them that were responsible and they were ordered to keep away. I guess all those Jewish names I saw in the listing of dead were actually something else. Now here’s why I support the mosque -cultural centre being built close to ground zero in ground zero-whatever. First yes there are moderate Muslims and we do wish to encourage them. Second while it probably won’t stop the terrorists perhaps it will make them pause at least a little if they know they’re blowing up their fellow Muslims. Third if it doesn’t stop the terrorists the outrage by moderate Muslims to the terrorists may be worth it for allying themselves with us.
Stephen G.: if you really believe that you need a keeper. As I have said before this attack happend in new york but it was against the entire united states, the people that died in that attack were not born on that site and it could have been anywhere in the country. new yorkers do not own the issue. that attack happend in new york city but it was aimed at all of america. the book of islam, the quran either version, makes it clear, they do not believe in freedom of religion, therefore they can not use that issue as a ploy to benefit by using our constitution against us. name the muslim that was at our constitutional convention. Our framers never considered the muslim religion when they made the first ammendment. there was no muslim presence in this country. just like when the second ammendment was written we didnt have fully automatic weapons. the mini gun that fires 600 round with each pull of the trigger came along a little later. the framers did not design the first ammendment so that another religion could destroy the ones they sought to protect. You cant solve a problem you have no knowledge of in advance of that problems existance. It makes no difference which version of the quran you read, the ail of islam is to destroy all other religions by peaceful means when possible and by war when necessary. Once islam has destroyed christianity any other religion is next. islam preaches a world of total islam with no room for anything else. they care not how that is achieved. freedom of religion is not allowing one religion to destroy another by any means. since a one religion world is the basic aim of islam all other religions must guard against it. muslims can not be allowed to use our first ammendment against us. we have freedom of religion but not freedom to destroy another religion and that is their aim, to destroy every other religion. maybe those that would like to make pedophilia and other perversions legal should convert now while they have the chance. islam has no place in our country and is incompatable with our constitution. it is not a religion of freedom it is a religion of control complete control. It is a religion of destruction or are the towers and the pentagon still untouched? how many so called peaceful american muslims were out looking for the guilty parties that helped pull this off? not stopping it is supporting it. muslims have no place in this country sharria law is incompatable with our constitution. it can never be made compatable. I care not who I insult when it comes down to the basic choice of the constitution or sharria law. we need no peaceful cajoling to suggest that we change our constitution to be more pleasing to those that would and will destroy us if we allow it to happen. it is not a question of where to build a mosque it is should it be allowed anywhere and I say NO.
You want an authority on religion I can’t offer it on mine (Judaism) or any other. It does amaze me how many biblical scholars there are that tell me what faiths other than there own state. As a Jew I know we have no definite definition of heaven and that Hell was a foreign concept to us -it’s my belief revisionists might argue otherwise-doesn’t matter to me. Most of my friends are goyim. There are some that label themselves as born again and feel the need to try and save my soul by adopting Christ as my saviour-aint going to happen. I understand the attraction of Christianity -believe in Jesus you can possibly go to heaven all you need to do is ask him to forgive your sins and “poof” your in there. God does call us Jews stubborn people. See I won’t claim Jews are good people inherently but I don’t believe we had the equivalent of the Crusades or Pogroms mind you what rabbis are presently doing in Israel forcing some folks to go Cypress to be married as Jews. I don’t understand this. I don’t understand the supreme court of Israel ruling against WOW (Women of the Wall) how religious are these men against them if they’re so religious they shouldn’t be distracted. I haven’t read the Koran nor the “New Testament” nor am I interested.
I buy my falafel from Muslims and have no trouble with them.
Germany was responsible for the Holocaust of World War 11. Do I believe all Germans of that era were Nazi’s? No not then not now. Do Nazi’s still exist? You bet. I agree with you Paul that the attack of the 11th of September was an attack on all America by those that brought that destruction. Do I believe that Muslims have woken up and decided “wait it’s time to kill all who don’t believe as we do” No! that’s Muslim Nazism.
I also agree with you re: sharria law -it has no place in a democracy even if in 2010 that democracy has still failed to pass The Equal Rights Amendment, first proposed in 1923 to affirm that women and men have equal rights under the law, is still not part of the U.S. Constitution. However the good news (?) The ERA was passed out of Congress in 1972 and has been ratified by 35 of the necessary 38 states. When three more states vote yes, it is possible that the ERA could become the 28th Amendment. My basic problem is my excrement stinks even if polite people don’t bring it to my attention so while my nose isn’t pleased with other’s excrement I feel a need to be polite with others about theirs.
Ok let us count the moderate muslims that have stood up, use one hand. should we hide behind our cotton bails, in our own country, because of raufs most recent threat? Isnt rauf proclaimed to be one of those moderates? moderates may expolode if the quran is burned? let them explode. I love fire works. As an EOD things that go bang excite me. some things that go bang can only be defused by shooting them.
Paul
lol if you like things that blow-up why don’t you start with yourself? Ok, seriously you think you’re less extreme than the terrorists?
There is a guesstimate of 2.4 million Muslims living in the States,
Now the first wave of immigation by them (apx 500 yrs ago) wasn’t voluntary-they came as slaves and were not allowed to practise their faith.
Which of those are not the Moderates-busy living their lifes and minding their own business?
In Canada we just caught a couple homegrown terrorists-turned in by their Uncle(a Muslim) what they are finding is people like you are pushing people like them to feel isolated and look for adventure and fight Hate with Hate so if you think my glasses are “rose” coloured-sorry I see clearly and while I don’t think these terrorists are justified by you or the priest who wishes to burn the Koran I think when you bring your prejudice out it makes some people feel they need to live up to your expectations.
On a personal basis I hear all Jews are rich and I strive to make that prejudice seem justified for others-not succeeding but trying.
When you claim to be a jew or a christian or a muslim and your only claim is that of birth to decendants of those I do not consider you any of the above, understanding and practicing your religion of choice is what makes you of that religion. I was in high school with a friend that claimed to be catholic, he had never been in the church he claimed to belong to by his own admission. his knowledge of the church was gained from family members. to claim to be a muslim with ancestor being here 500 years ago as you say, by the way it is not possible, only makes that person a decendant of slaves not islam. what you fail to know is that many whites were actually slaves by endentured servitude, out numbering black and others for a long time, even if they were christian. If I remember correctly canadians are not americans, note the difference in spelling. so it remains an american heritage issue not a canadian heritage issue. you may learn with a little reading that we are actually two different countries we have different laws and different customs creating different values. since you admit that you are not really a practicing jew and you are not an american and that you have very little understading of these issues what credentials qualifies you to make comments that anyone should pay attention to. everybody has an opinion so support it with some intelligent observations that reflect on the seriousness of the issue. unsupported opinions are nothing like facts and you dont seem to have any facts. what do you know for sure that you have not learned from others that are as misinformed as you?
sorry stephen, I came close enough to being blown up durring the tiet offensive of 1968 when I was defending my country for all of those draft dodging college students to get their education. I earnd my stripes and my rights. the central highlands were a little noisy.
Interesting note. This issue is being discussed on other sites and on one of them a person stated that the pen is mightier than the sword if you also own a sword. recently I purchased a sword the day the sword was delivered the pen quit working. I have no plans to buy a new pen and the sword works fine. that site made the point to judge people by their works not their words. a mouse can call its self a horse until it is exposed as a mouse. Moderate muslims will be moderate until they want to be radical and they will not ask your permission.
To Phil
Israel was not carved out of Arab land.
Israel has been the land of the Jews since 1,800 BCE.
Jerusalem was the Capital of Israel since 3,000 BCE.
There were no Arabs in Israel and Jerusalem during those times.
The Arabs conquered Israel in 638 CE. They destroyed the country and kept it a desolated land till the Jews returned in 1886.
If Israel was carved out of Arab land then USA was carved out of Indian land, as Australia was carved out of Aboriginal land and N.Z. out of Maurie land ect. ect.
My Bible says Joshua fought hard for the Holy Land of Israel. It was given to them by God forever. HE requires the jews and all christians to protect it.