Let's be clear: I'm for the building of the Cordoba House. After reading opinions from both sides, watching interviews with different constituents, and listening to countless politicians' sound bytes, I've come to my own personal conclusion that building a center for intercultural understanding would be a fitting complement to the 9/11 memorial when it is finished (whenever that is). Mayor Michael Bloomberg's defense particularly hit a chord on the Constitutional side of the issue while an opinion column by William Dalrymple convinced me that this center would not be the "shining trophy of victory" that opponents claim it to be. The project's leaders compare it to the Y.M.C.A. and the Jewish Community Center (JCC), which both provide the city with multicultural facilities. (I myself frequent the JCC in Manhattan and have never once been pushed into participating in any religious activities.) So I can't disagree with having another similar center that will not only provide a swimming pool and auditorium for a neighborhood that could use more public pools and theaters, but also events that will broaden my understanding of different cultures.
