Just because you have a constitutional right to do something, does not mean that it is the right thing to do.
NEW YORK: Being a Muslim of Pakistani origin, I think American Muslims are bringing this misfortune upon themselves. Just because you have a constitutional right to do something, does not mean that it is the right thing to do. The pastor in Florida has the constitutional right to burn any holy book he wants but we all agree it is not the right thing to do. So when 70 per cent of Americans and more than 70 per cent of New Yorkers feel bad about the mosque being located so close to Ground Zero, why do Muslims have to insist on constructing a mosque there?
Muslims can be peaceful as advocated by Islam or they can just keep on doing what they want, disregarding how others feel and think. Highlighting their rigidity and inflexibility will only bring more negative attention on Muslims and cause more backlashes. Muslims should gracefully back off from this particular project. Why not deliver what Islam stands for — peace?
Rashid Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2010.
