There has been much hype recently regarding the proposal of building a mosque near Ground Zero. Some claimed it to be offensive in the recent years following 9/11. However, the Muslim Community Center is much more than just a mosque. The center, called Park51, will include a theater, restaurant, day care center, gym and pool. In fact, the Muslim Center does not meet traditional requirements to be referred to as a mosque. Therefore, the muslim prayer hall will technically be referred to as a musalla. And the Muslim center will include a 9/11 memorial and a place for prayer, contemplation and meditation for those “of all faiths and of no faith”, said Sharif El-Gamal, the project’s developer. 
The Muslim Center was designed to imitate the designs of Islamic and Middle Eastern tiles and patterns. It has intricate latticework designed across the entire 15 stories of the building, made of modern materials and glass panels. These “hints of tradition,” while combining with the modern look and feel of the center, create an appearance of translucence and “moving towards the future.”
Will NYC accept the center and put the past behind them, while looking towards a brighter future, as Mr. Gamal hopes, or will the Islamic center fail to win the public over?
I think this represents an opportunity for the United States to join with peaceful Muslims AGAINST those who would fight us. The battle against the Center fuels the fire of anti-American sentiment. If we antagonize those who are against us, why should we be surprised when they rise up and attack?