Hello, Mr. Calderone. I don’t think we’ve ever met, but we know some of the same people. I hope you’ll give me a few minutes of your time, because I’ve noticed a trend in your writing about the Ground Zero Mosque. I don’t mean to single you out, but you’re one of the people making a claim that I really don’t think is in your best interests to make. And I don’t know anyone at the Associated Press.

Whether you think this mosque/community center/whatever is a victory for religious freedom, proof to the world of America’s greatness, a noble stand against bigotry, or any combination thereof, you’re making a terrible mistake by insisting its proposed location isn’t at Ground Zero.

It’s unbelievable that I have to show you this, considering it happened less than 10 years ago and there’s no shortage of documented evidence. But I want you to take a good look at this picture:

It genuinely pains me to have to remind you what happened that day. Don’t you remember what — more importantly, who — was in that cloud?

If a rigid definition is suddenly important after almost 9 years, why don’t we put it like this: Anyone who choked on the dust containing the remains of 3,000 innocent people was at Ground Zero.

Please stop saying they weren’t, Mr. Calderone.

Thank you for your time.

P.S. Another view of the area that is supposedly outside Ground Zero: