It also needs to be remembered that the 1st Amendment was a restriction on the Federal Government, like all of the Bill of Rights. This did not prevent State Governments from establishing, supporting, or suppressing religions in their respective States, in fact several of the States had State sponsored religions. The freedom of religion being "transformed" to the freedom of worship is lock step with the Soviet model. If freedom of worship is adopted and accepted as the law of the land, which the current Supreme Court will do, then freedom of religion as we know it will become a Federally controlled issue. We will be able to openly worship but only what the Gov't tells us, when the Gov't tells us and where the Gov't tells us.
As for the Mosque issue, if the Muslims want to prove that it is intended as a place of healing for NYC then they should be willing to change the date of the ground breaking. The Muslim faith is big on symbolism, especially in dates things occur, having the ground breaking on the 12th of Sept is a symbolic move aimed right at the taking down of the twin towers, a show of victory for them. If it is meant as anything else then they should be willing to change the date.
