In a world where sound bite slogans and heated rhetoric have replaced thoughtful reflection and civil debate, I think it is important for all of us to return to reason in our discussions about the Park 51 mosque controversy. The Park 51 project has been characterized as being built on the "hallowed ground of Ground Zero." While the site is indisputably close to Ground Zero, the proposed building is not on any block facing the site, nor on any side street that leads directly into the site. Although there may be some who feel that building a mosque anywhere in the general vicinity of Ground Zero is unacceptable, as an elected official I have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of New York and opposing Park 51 would be a dereliction of my duties. While it may be appropriate to ensure that the 16 acres that make up Ground Zero are restored in memory of those who died, it is very difficult to suggest that all neighborhoods surrounding that area face additional restrictions. Furthermore, if the private property around the site can have numerous bars and strip clubs-which it, in fact, does-I am hard pressed to believe that a community center or house of worship is defiling the memory of the people killed in the devastating attack on the World Trade Center. That is especially true in light of the fact that people of many religions, including Muslims, died in that attack.

So much of the current debate on religious freedom has focused on our own myth that the United States was founded on the tenet of religious freedom for all. While our country was founded by people who left their country of origin because they faced discrimination for not embracing the prevailing religion, they came here intending to create a community around their own religious beliefs. This did not mean that they were tolerant of other religious expressions-quite the contrary. Hence, the persecution of the early Quakers for their pacifism and the persistent puritanical views of sexuality that so distort our public discourse today on everything from contraceptives and abortion, to the use of religion to ban interracial relationships and marriage equality.

While religious fundamentalism of every stripe is antithetical to a free and open society, there are those religions with which we are more familiar and comfortable and therefore, more accepting of the expression of those religions. Nonetheless, zealous adherence to religion and the fear of the other has played a damaging role in our country's past. The notorious Leo Frank case in Atlanta, Georgia, where it is believed that rampant anti-Semitism led not only to the his erroneous conviction for murder, but to the eventual lynching of Leo Frank is just an example of how religious misunderstanding and mistrust can have dire consequences.

The current political environment, rife with exacerbated divisiveness, often exploits so-called "social issues" in a cynical attempt to gain political advantage. The diversity of our country may be one of our strengths, but it can also enable demagogues to divide communities from one another, precisely to manipulate the voting public. In a challenging economic climate, it is easy to use the fear of others to galvanize people to actions they might not embrace in better times. One's generosity of spirit often seems to diminish in direct proportion to one's sense of insecurity. Casting Islam as a scapegoat may serve as an outlet for pent up frustration but also unwittingly revisits an ugly chapter of our country's history.

In the 1840's the Know Nothing Party emerged from secret societies dedicated to opposing immigration. Waves of Irish Catholic immigrants arriving in the early 1800's made "native born" Americans feel threatened. In fact, in 1844, riots in Philadelphia resulted in the burning of two Catholic Churches and a Catholic school and at least 20 people were killed in the mayhem. So it is clear that our current fear of immigrants-a fear of "the other"-is a revival of past intolerance.

That people's emotions can be manipulated for political gain is the bread and butter of political consultants, political figures and talk radio personalities, but the debate over the mosque in Lower Manhattan has become so charged that the ability to discuss the issue rationally has fallen by the wayside. It's unsettling to watch an angry mob set the tone and tenor for what should be a thoughtful discussion. Preventing the construction of the Park 51 project would represent a sad day for America. The promise of our nation will have been eclipsed by its fears, needlessly adding another ugly chapter to the history of our great country.