I am amazed at the alacrity with which President Barack Hussein Obama wades into controversies, stirs up debate and quietly retreats as if everything is back to normal. The mosque at Ground Zero, the site where the Twin Towers stood until that fateful day in September, is not one which is covered by the First Ammendment. The context in which freedom of religion was established in the US constitution was one that was esentially set within the limits of Christian sectarian and doctrinal divisions which were rife in the late eighteenth century. The situation now is far different. The Twin Towers were brought down by men who were motivated by Islamic notions of jihad and the 3,334 men, women and children who died on that day were victims of a brutal terrorist rampage. The victims included all major religions of the world and if there is nay religious building on the site or an associated site it must honor all major faiths whose adrents died on September 11. A mosque close to Ground Zero would be a trophy of victory and it was insensitive on the part of President Obama to say that a Mosque at that site would be in conformity with the First Ammendment.

I do not understand why the First Ammendment is invoked in a straight political battle. The City Council of New York cannot treat the site of the Twin Towers as one covered by Municipal zoning regulations and state laws. It has a significance that transcends the historical moment of today and any muslim structure close to or in proximity to the hallowed site will be an insult to the victims who came from all the major faiths of this planet.

I think eventually the first ammendment issue wil die down and better sense will prevail.