If you haven’t heard yet, there is a proposed Islamic Community Center to be built two blocks down from the former site of the World Trade Center — ground zero. But you probably have. And you probably have been inundated with the controversy surrounding it.

Now I’m not one to call someone who is against building it there a bigot, and I don’t plan on it. But I would like to know why they are against it. Help me understand, because I don’t.

I hear many say that it is “too soon” or the emotions are still “too raw,” or even that it would be akin to “adding insult to injury.” What do they mean by this in its relation to this community center?

There are Muslim communities around this country, and there is one in New York City and they wish to build a center — Park 51. What is their connection with the horrible acts of Sept. 11, 2001? Well, their religion.

Now I ask, so what? Some Christian fanatics kill doctors who operate abortion clinics. I don’t associate Christians as a whole with these people just because they claim to worship under the same religion. Some Muslim fanatics killed over 3,000 people on 9/11. I don’t associate Muslims as a whole with these people just because they claim to worship under the same religion either.

Now I ask again. What does it mean to say the emotions are “still too raw” when we relate the attacks at the World Trade Center with this proposed Islamic Community Center? Are we not implicitly then associating all Muslims with the terrorists responsible for that fateful day? If not, please explain it to me, because I don’t get it.

Please, help me understand.