"Martyrs Mosque"

A former U.S. diplomat, who spent much of his career in the Muslim world, including tours in Iraq and Pakistan, raises an interesting point about the proposed "Ground Zero Mosque".

While buildings are given formal names, they are also often referred to informally by another name. For example, the John Hancock Center in Chicago is more popularly known as “Big John.” The World Trade Center was more frequently referred to as the “Twin Towers.”

This raises a question for New Yorkers to ponder. How long will it be before those visiting the Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center both locally as well as those from abroad will come to refer to the center by some simpler and probably more descriptive name?

Keeping in mind the two different views of those who flew into the Twin Towers on 9/11, from our side ‘terrorists’ and from many in the Islamic world who celebrated the event by referring to them as ‘martyrs,’ it is logical that some such name as “Martyrs Mosque,” or “Martyrs Center” could easily become the popular Islamic reference, and a constant source of annoyance to New Yorkers.

Such a substitution would quickly spread in the Muslim world and it is not inconceivable that Muslims visiting New York would make the “Martyrs Center” of “Martyrs Mosque” a must on their travel itinerary. It could easily become a place for them to pray and honor the sacrifice the ‘martyrs’ made on behalf of Islam on that fateful September day. Building the Mosque at its suggested location may only be the beginning of problems it will bring to New York City, and not in a good way.

Will the proposed center, if built, become a permanent source of aggravation to Americans?

Will it become an icon and rallying point to America's radical Islamic enemies world wide?

Is that the real intent of this ill-advised project?