There were several very busy Middle Eastern food stands at Ground Zero when I went there

[zulchzulu]

I went to Ground Zero a while back (2002) and after walking around the area noticed that there were quite a few food stands there.

I had a Middle Eastern falafal with my brother, a Republican, as we looked on at the area. There were of course quite a few chess playing tables there. Chess has its origins in the Middle East with Persians and Islamic Moors, among others.

No one was making a fuss about that nor was anyone about to make it only an American hot dog vendor zone.

As I finished eating, I didn't have an urge to perform Sudjood. I wanted a beer. And got one.

The point is that having a mosque a couple blocks from Ground Zero is something to be decided between the owner of the property and whoever else is building the project. Anyone who is against having something like a mosque that is "Middle Eastern" near Ground Zero has utterly no idea about Arab contributions to the World, let alone understands that the Islamic faith is actually peaceful (or as peaceful as Christianity).

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ao_fud-SOWo/SU8-LUFY-8I/AAAAAAAAAXc/4k9uAgEiHUc/S187/Al+Habib+Alwi+bin+Muhammad+bin+Ahmad+Alhaddad.jpg

As a matter of fact, the number zero was introduced by Arab mathematician Muhammad Bin Ahmad in 967 AD. By that fact, using the words Ground Zero is paying homage to Arab contributions to society.

[boppers]

1. Interesting take.

More on Zero here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0_(number)

[niyad]

2. that should make their widdle heads explode.

[dsc]

3. the discovery or invention of zero was absolutely huge in mathematics

allowing us to move from concrete to theoretical math. Without zero, it was impossible to write large numbers effectively and division was a total nightmare.

[3waygeek]

4. The concept of zero is also useful

in expressing the IQ of wingnuts.

[zulchzulu]

5. Apparently, it took the 13th century for the West to embrace the concept of zero

Granted, the Earth was still considered flat then too by many in "polls".

[dsc]

6. that is sad

it should be noted that the ancient Greeks and Romans knew the earth was round but that during the dark and middle ages we forgot that knowledge.

[hvn_nbr_2]

9. Most of what we have from the ancient Greeks is because the Arabs preserved it.

If there are any bookstores near Ground Zero that sell books by or about Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Aristophanes, etc etc, they should be forced to close or take those Arab-tainted books off their shelves.

[zulchzulu]

10. dsc...can I do a high-five on your importance of zero

You rock!

[Odin2005]

14. Actually, that's not correct.

The educated few and many sailors, even in the Early Middle Ages, knew that the Earth was round, but the average peasant probably thought the earth was flat, even in Classical times.

[TlalocW]

7. If there are any schools or after school study places

I demand all algebra books be removed.

TlalocW

[ThomCat]

8. The middle eastern food stands have been there forever.

They are always busy. They are the favorites of the people who work in that area.

Tourists may like hot dogs, but people who work in the area want real food, and want some variety. Those stands offer some damned good food.

I know, I used to work down on broad street, a few blocks south. My roommate worked in the World Trade Center, Tower 2. We would meet in front of those food vendors for lunch.

You could find a little bit of anything in this area, including some really good vegetarian/vegan food and ethnic food ranging from Hallal, Glat Kosher, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Italian (and damned good Pizza), and almost anything else if you looked for it.

[zulchzulu]

11. Being a former NYCer in the past, diversity is the fuel that makes the place so wonderful

How any New Yorker would even make this an "issue" is ridiculous. As soon as you arrive in Manhattan in any entrance, you fully see it is a place of diversity on steroids.

[ThomCat]

12. So true.

[Odin2005]

13. Nit-pick, Islam got Zero from the Indians.

Oh, and Middle-Eastern food is AWESOME. GO HUMMUS!!!