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In a democartic and capitalist system, the government can do nothing to stop a project like the Ground Zero Mosque at 9/11 attack site...


The first step for building the mosque is the acquisition of the land, which is absolutely an economic or financial deal. The plain truth is that the business house Burlington Coat Factory has a building near the spot where the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 took place. Furthermore, the building has been partially damaged due to the said terrorist attack. Now, if the owners of the building want to sell that property and another party agrees to buy that by paying the offered price, there is no law in a democracy capable of intervening or holding up the deal. Even though the deal arouses some sentimental or emotional feelings, there is no law to obstruct the transaction.

The reader may recall that, when in 1995, the Korean company L G Electronics took over the Zenith Electronics, the oldest American company in the field of entertainment and consumer electronics, it aroused so strong an emotional sentiment across the country that the matter was discussed even in the American Senate. But the Government could not intervene into the deal and ultimately the transaction was completed smoothly. 

Similarly, in 1998, when L N Mittal acquired the American steel company Inland Steel, the deal aroused sentimental feelings even among common Americans. But the Government could do nothing, as the deal was entirely financial. In a similar manner, when in June, 2006, L N Mittal proceeded to acquire Arcelor Steel, largest steel producer in Europe, entire Europe was swayed by emotional feeling and tried to resist the deal. But when L N Mittal agreed to pay $50.68 or €40.4 per share, the deal was successfully completed and a new company called ArcelorMittal came into existence.

Similar is the case with the mosque at Ground Zero. It is a financial deal between Burlington Coat and the Cordoba Institute. If the Cordoba Institute is ready to pay the price offered by the Burlington Coat, no American law can come in the way of that deal. And if an American organization or an American citizen acquires a plot of land on the American soil and he wants to raise a structure on that land, it is impossible for the American Government to stop him. So, after acquiring the land, if the Cordoba Institute plans to erect a 13-storey mosque on that land, the government would have no power to stop it, whatever might be the public sentiment. Only the municipal body may provide some guidelines to follow.

So, a report, Ground Zero Mosque 9/11 appeared today (August 5, 2010) in The Statesman, a Calcutta based daily, says, The much-debated mosque is set to open near the Ground Zero, the site of WTC towers which were downed by Al Qaida, after it received green signal today from a city panel which voted 9-0 in favour of the "controversial" construction. The debate and controversy about building a mosque on the Ground Zero site has been raging in the USA for several months dividing New Yorkers, families of the victims of 9/11, civil society organisations and politicians. Last week, leading Jewish organisation in the USA, the Anti-Defamation League, came out strongly against the construction of a mosque and Islamic centre near the site where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed on 9/11.”

From the above discussions, it becomes evident that the only way that remains open to halt the project is the refusal of the Burlington Coat to part with their building to the Cordoba Institute. But if that transaction has already been completed then there is no other alternative but to arouse public sentiment and lead them to non-cooperate with the project. Firstly, if all the construction companies of the US refuse to undertake the project, and secondly, if all the American transport companies refuse to carry the building materials to the spot, then and then only the Cordoba Institute would be forced to reject the project.