Should Muslims be able to build a mosque near the World Trade Center

In this debate, I will be proving that it is definitely appropriate for the Muslim community to build a religious center. I will first offer the following terms: Inappropriate-not suitable or proper in the circumstances. Mosque-a Muslim place of worship.(Muslim Religious Center) Appropriate-suitable or proper in the circumstances. Definitions provided by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Appropriate- I believe that it should not be even a question on whether it is appropriate to build a mosque near the World Trade Center. It has been 15 years since 911 happened. 911 was not caused by the 1.6 billion followers of Islam. One cannot blame 1.6 billion Muslims for an act that was committed by less than 1% of there populations. I will first give examples of what modern day Muslims in America behave like, and whether these Muslims would be seen committing acts of terror. Examples: They're better educated than most Americans U.S. Muslims have the second-highest level of education among major religious groups in the country; Jews have the highest. And a greater proportion of them have college degrees than the general U.S. population. They have more gender equality "While in many parts of the Muslim world, women are confined to second-class status, that's not the case among American Muslims. Virtually all of them, 90%, agree that women should be able to work outside the home. American Muslim women hold more college or postgraduate degrees than Muslim men. And they are more likely to work in professional fields than women from most other U.S. religious groups. They've been here since the birth of the nation ... Scholars estimate about a quarter to a third of the Africans brought to the United States as slaves were Muslims. Most were then forced to convert to Christianity. but they're not as dogmatic as they are portrayed Much has been made about fundamentalist Muslims and their strict interpretation of the Quran. But most American Muslims are different. A Pew religious landscape survey found that 57% of American Muslims say there is more than one way to interpret Islam's teachings. A similar number say many different religions can lead to eternal life. Muslims also spoken out against it After every terrorist attack at home and abroad, the refrain rises, "Where is the Muslim condemnation?" American Muslims have spoken out -- and done much more. A Duke University study found more terrorism suspects and perpetrators were brought to the attention of law enforcement by members of the Muslim-American community than were discovered through U.S. government investigations. And a Pew survey found that roughly half of U.S. Muslims say their religious leaders aren't speaking out enough against Islamic extremism." By Holly Yan, CNN http://www.cnn.com...... Not only does this article confirm that there is a difference between Muslims in America, and Muslims around the world, but if anything it has shown that this population does not commit acts of terror. It shows that half of U.S Muslims say their religious leaders aren't speaking out enough against Islamic extremism. This is a fact, and it comes from the common Muslim. US Muslims also have a higher level education. What is the probability of a Muslim commiting Jihad, if he has gone through College, and now has a stable job? The point is that American Muslims are different. 57% of American Muslims say that there is more than one way to interpret Islam. If mu opponent tries to argue that in Islam, the religion publicly advocates for Jihad, my response would be: Christianity and Judaism have this problem too. 1. "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent." (1 Timothy 2:12) 2."This is what the Lord Almighty says... "Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."" (1 Samuel 15:3) 3."In the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error." (Romans 1:27) Against Gay People 4. "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:22) 5. "Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel." (1 Peter 2:18) All religions have positive verses and negative verses. I do not believe that churches and synagogues preach this to the people that go there. I do not believe that Christians and Jews take literally what has been listed here. All religions have there faults, but they should still be allowed to worship in religious centers freely.