Second: Religious Intolerance

According to the Constitution’s Bill of Rights, the First Amendment protects the right of American citizens to practice whichever religion they please without government interference. Nevertheless, after the September 11^th attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon, hysteria and fear has greatly limited the freedom of religion granted to people of Islamic faith in the United States. My political cartoon attempts to portray this current dilemma. For example, before 9/11, the government would not have become involved in the location of a Muslim mosque. However, a group of Muslims in New York City are currently arguing for their Constitutional right to build a mosque in the city, but their request created much debate because the proposed location is relatively near Ground Zero where the Towers fell. This is just one example of the double standard within the realm of freedom of religion that is currently the norm in the United States. My cartoon shows on one side a Christian church, a Jewish temple, a Hindu temple, and a Buddhist temple, and on the opposing side, it shows an Islamic Mosque. Between the two scenes is the First Amendment, but I have added an extra phrase beneath which exempts Muslims from their constitutional right claiming 9/11 as justification.