When considering whether or not a mosque should be built at ground zero, consider whether or not there can be too much religious freedom. When a religion uses theology to justify acts of aggression, how do we respond? The answer is not so easy.

While we do have a duty to protect the right to practice religion freely, we also have a duty to protect our own citizens against those who use violence against us. Currently, congress is investigating various mega-churches for using theology for profit, so why would it be any different when a religion creates mass hysteria after murdering thousands?

Obviously, not all Muslims are terrorists, but how many Muslims need to be terrorists before any sort of procedural justice is sought on the part of families who lost someone in the 9/11 attack? Consider how many Jews would react if any group tried to build at the site of the concentration camps.

When the Carmelite nuns wanted to build a convent on the site of one of the concentration camps, many Jews were outraged, regardless that of the fact that these nuns had helped Jews elude the Nazis.

The pope eventually concluded that while the nuns were placing their convent there out of respect for the lives lost, it would not be counter-intuitive if the Jews hated the nuns for building the convent.

The Muslim community in New York, like any other religious organization, must respect ground zero as hallowed ground for all Americans, not any single religious community.

Chris Backes is a philosophy sophomore. He can be reached at [email protected].