My Critique of a NYTimes Columnist

    I read in the "Opinionator," a commentary on the ground zero mosque by Dick Cavett. It is titled, "Real Americans, Please Stand Up." Mr. Cavett expresses how shocked and ashamed he is by how some Americans act in opposition to the ground zero mosque, mainly the people who supported a burning of the Quran. Although these people have the right to burn the Quran, they do not have the right to deny muslims of their freedom of religion, nor deny their right to private property. He Argues using examples of how white, Christian Ku Klux Klan members lynched blacks in the South and yet there were Christian churches near those operations. He also mentions how people ignore the fact that most Muslims were against the actions taken by the Muslim radicals on 9/11. And many people who suffered from the tragedy aren't against the building of the center, they just aren't being heard over the loud protests of the  center. Cavett expresses his confusion of how many Americans claim to be tolerant of other religions and expressions and yet "simultaneously maintain that you have nothing against members of any religion but are willing to penalize members of this one?" I agree with his position on the issue because he believes that it is un-American to oppress the rights of Muslims building a religious community center near ground zero, because many Muslim Americans (who were innocent victims) also died on 9/11. I understand that people have a right to protest, but I also understand that it is wrong to persecute people based on their religion or race, which is what I think Dick Cavett is saying in this column.