I am ashamed, appalled, and embarrassed at the number of people fighting the building of mosques, even an Islamic community center, in the United States.

We are lucky to live in a country where - allegedly - the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion - not the kind of religion, but the choice of religion (including "none").

We must distinguish between true practitioners of religions and fanatics who distort their respective faiths to "justify" crimes. All Irish Catholics are not IRA terrorists. All Protestants are not Ku Klux Clan murderers. All fundamental Christians are not gay-bashers. All atheists are not murderers with knives in their teeth. All Muslims are not terrorists.

Distorting faiths out of ignorance is horrible. Deliberately lying about faiths is irresponsible and promotes hate, violence, and ignorance.

By the way, Eid-al-Fitr, a Muslim celebration, is by sheer coincidence on September 10, 2010. Don't be foolish enough to believe the crazed pundits saying that Muslims are "celebrating" the ninth anniversary of the WTC-Pentagon-Flight 93 murders.

KATH BUFFINGTON, ROCHESTER