Bigotry and the Islamic Center in New York

As others have pointed out, the question is not "why build an Islamic center (it is not a mosque) a few blocks from Ground Zero?" The question is "why so much opposition to this project?" The only and simple answer is pure bigotry. There is no rational reason for opposition, though opponents raise the spectre of offending the survivoring relatives and friends of those kill on September 11, 2001 when the World Trace Center was destroyed in New York. The United States of 2010 is a hotbed of bigotry, whether racial or religious. This brouhaha is a prime example. It seems that bigotry sells well to some voters, so politicians are playing it to the hilt. They know no shame no matter how disgusting their positions are. They characterize the Imam leading this project as extremist, even though he is a leading proponent of interfaith unity and a staunch opponent of terrorism. Personally, I don't like any religions and any religious institutions. But I distinguish between my own personal views and the right of others to have their own. Too bad that the bigoted bombasts are unable to do that, whether on Islamic centers, abortion rights, or gay marriage.