If you were paid a large sum of money to help build a mosque at ground zero, would you?

I would build it for free.

If I was in the area and able to help, I’d do it (and wouldn’t even need to money to do it).

Certainly. That’s a lot of money, and I like building stuff. Plus, I’d love to visit New York.

I’m not good at building non-lego structures, but if there was any way I could help contribute then I would. Incentive or no-incentive.

Sure. Absolutely. Especially since the building you’re referencing isn’t actually at ‘Ground Zero,’ nor is it primarily a mosque.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir took the words out of my mouth.

I think they’ll regret hiring me, given that I have no construction knowledge or experience, but I’d be fine with doing my best.
That situation holds true for a hypothetical mosque at ground zero, or the proposed community center 2 blocks away from ground zero.

Because you mentioned “a large sum of money” in your question. i suppose it is an apparent controversial thing, to help build the building?

Of course. I’d really mess things up though. Post and lintel is about as far as I can go :P

I would partner up with @Simone_De_Beauvoir and @janbband and even but them lunch. I would also donate whatever money I was offered for the work to promote positive awareness for the project.

Of course I would. And then I would donate most of the money to the mosque.

Just to be clear here, no one is planning on building a mosque at ground zero. The Islamic center that is being planned is a few blocks away.

Yes, @AstroChuck, I think practically everyone understands that by now—except the people who will adopt any excuse to damn the project.

I would caddy @Simone_De_Beauvoir‘s tools.

@cprevite dirty

@Simone_De_Beauvoir: I was actually being literal. :^)

@cprevite me too.

I would do it for a burrito and a six pack of Pabst tall-boys at noon everyday.

@Austinlad- I was just addressing the wording of the question.

Of course not. Or if I did it would be conditional. But if asked, I would say “Check out Fluther. Some of them will give you anything you want.” I assume that the above are getting out their checkbooks?

That would mean that I would preempt tax collection for a major property. Instead of being a boon to the community, the building would become a tax exempt deficit. Since I built it, I would be contributing the poverty in NYC.

I don’t care if it is a mosque, church, or even a charity building, decreasing the tax base in an area that sorely needs to rebuild is a morally reprehensible, greedy act and NO, I would not do it!

Well, until I read @Ron_C ‘s comment, I’d say “Heck yeah!” just to hang out with some cool jellies. Although they’d regret hiring me once they saw my complete and utter lack of skills, but if I could last at least one day I bet I’d have some fun. Better yet, we could all get fired together, hang out in the city for the night, and not have to feel guilty about undermining NYC’s tax base!

@MissAusten well miss Austen, people think about freedom of religion and all of that “free love” sort of mentality. I think someone has to pay the bills, someone has the replace the fire fighters that died because some demented religious idiots thought the people in that building need punished.

I’ve only been in NYC a couple time but find that I really like the people that live there and want them to prosper. The don’t prosper when their tax money takes up for the religious slackers. I don’t care if any kind of building is built but I care a great deal if I have to finance its services. We need to stop religious exemptions. There should be a charity exemption but why should money spent to build a parking lot or new church be deducted from a person’s fair share of taxes?

I am attracted about your idea of taking the money and partying but would fee guilty about getting it under false pretenses. I wouldn’t feel guilty, however, about spending the severance pay.

Hell NO…..same reason as @Ron_C and a host of patriotic reasons and plain common sense reasons, with which I will not bore you, as you’ve already heard them either from me or from those of like mind right here on your favorite site.

Ive changed my mind on the mosque. I think it should be the goal of every American to be tolerant. The mosque should be allowed, in an effort to promote tolerance.

That is why I also propose, that two nightclubs be opened next door to the mosque thereby promoting tolerance within the mosque. We could call one of the clubs (which would be gay) “The Turban Cowboy” and the other being a topless bar “You Mecca Me Hot”.

Next door should be a butcher shop that specializes in pork and adjacent to that have an open barbeque pork rib restaurant, called something like “ Iraq o’ Ribs”?

Across the street there could be a very daring lingerie store called Victoria Keeps Nothing Secret with sexy mannequins in the window modeling the goods.

Next door to the lingerie shop, there would be room for an Adult Toy Shop (Koranal Knowledge), its name in flashing neon lights, and on the other side a liquor store, maybe call it “Morehammered”?

Then the Muslims could be allowed to show their tolerance. Problem solved.

Is there a sense of humor on this site?.....:) Hope so….especially since this makes so much sense.

@plethora we don’t often agree but I do like your suggestions for the adjacent businesses as long as we (taxpayers) don’t have to subsidize them. I would object to supporting a tax loosing business as much as subsidizing a religious institution.

@Ron_C I think these kinds of businesses are cash cows, very profitable, and pay taxes. I need a partner. Ever thought of owning a strip joint?

@plethora funny you should ask. I live in a small town with 4 large Catholic churches and a number of Protestant ones. I have often told my buddies in the Rotary Club that this town needs an Adult Book Store and a topless bar. I wanted the bookstore downtown, hopefully next to the religious articles store. I doubt that I would live the night thru after the proposal was presented to the zoning board.