(CHAPEL HILL) -- The man behind a proposed mosque at Ground Zero spoke at UNC-Chapel Hill, talking about the importance of Americans engaging with the Muslim community. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said what Muslims are being treated in a similar fashion as other religious groups from previous generations.

"What we Muslims are going through today is analogous to what the Jewish community and the Catholic community went through a century ago, 70 years ago to 150 years ago, in terms of struggling for acceptance among the broader American community," said Imam Rauf.

The Christian Action Network organized a protest outside of the building where Imam Rauf was speaking. Republican congressional candidate Ilario Pantano helped lead the march.  "I'm here to exercise my freedom of speech to stand in opposition to something that I think is inherently wrong, building a mosque at a sacred site, which is Ground Zero," said Pantano. "And I say that because thousands of human remains were never recovered. They're dust that has swept into every corner and every crevasse that is Ground Zero."

Six police officers looked on as the protesters stood quietly across from a small group of counter protesters. Neha Rayamajhi is a senior at Salem College. She drove almost an hour with a friend to take part in the counter-protest outside the building where Imam Rauf was delivering his speech.

"I just wish people would stop making people of different groups scapegoats, and I was just disappointed to see these people bringing their kids and kind of feeding these kids the idea of hate and racism.  That bothers me," said Ravamajhi. The counter-protest was made up of about 15 young people.

Iman Rauf's plans to build a mosque and cultural center near Ground Zero has sparked a heated debate in New York City. His speech on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus drew about 100 protestors Wednesday night.

Imam Rauf is scheduled to speak at Duke University on Thursday.

(Special thanks to: Carolina Connection reporters)