It’s irrational to oppose mosque near ground zero

Do you think there would be much opposition if the Roman Catholic order, the Benedictines, announced they intended to build a monastery a few blocks from ground zero in New York? I doubt it.

According to historian William Shirer, for 2 years Adolf Hitler – no introduction needed – attended classes at the Benedictine Monastery in Lambach, Austria, where he sang in the choir, took singing lessons, and, according to his own account in “Mein Kampf,” intoxicated himself with the solemn splendor of church festivals and dreamed of one day taking holy orders.

Opposing the Benedictines building a monastery because of Hitler would be just as irrational as opposing Muslims building a mosque because of bin Laden.

In our city of 16,000, hometown of Ronald Reagan, we have many Muslims in the medical profession. They provide thoughtful, caring, skillful medical services to our families on a daily basis and raise their own families to be good U.S. citizens. It’s pitiful that many are, indirectly and directly, suggesting mosques and Muslims are synonymous with Middle East terrorists.

The struggle between irrational and rational thoughts has been going on since man started walking upright on planet Earth. Thomas Jefferson preached rational thought would eventually triumph in the course of human events. However, it does seem to be a “two steps forward, one step backward” process, and the mosque outcry isn’t one of the forward steps.

Intolerance of peoples’ beliefs, race, color, religion and other aspects of humanity is one of the most negative emotions in mankind and the driving force behind human beings killing more than 100 million fellow humans since 1900. A mandatory course on tolerance should be developed and taught in every school in the world.

Meanwhile, perhaps we can practice the Native American advice of not judging others until we have walked in their moccasins for 2 weeks.

Note to readers – James G. Burke is the mayor of the city of Dixon.