Ground Zero mosque: too close for comfort?

[GRITS]

New York mosque plan stirs up 9/11 memories By Matthew PriceBBC News, New York

It doesn't take long to walk from Ground Zero to the old, crumbling Burlington Coat Factory on Park Place. Two or three minutes at most.

From the outside it doesn't look like much. Paint peels from the walls. An old, iron fire escape zig-zags up the outside of the building.

At the front door a sharply dressed man, in a black suit, white shirt, black tie, ushers in the worshippers. Men to the right, women to the left.

For now, this former clothing shop is a makeshift mosque, a place of worship for lower Manhattan's rapidly growing Muslim population.

If plans to develop the site go ahead however, within five years it will be a landmark Islamic cultural centre, a celebration - in the minds of its backers - of the religion.

A place for Muslims and non-Muslims to gather, it will include a mosque.

'Powerful symbolism'This is a deliberate attempt, Imam Feisal Rauf tells me, to present what he sees as the real face of Islam to a city where some - since the terror attacks of 11 September, 2001 - have come to distrust the religion.

Imam Feisal Rauf"This space [Ground Zero] has very powerful symbolism in the perception of the world," he says.

"It is important for us to be stakeholders in what this symbolism means.

"What better place to show that we, as Muslims, condemn the acts of 9/11 than making this stand and making this statement here. When we say it here, we will be heard."

Had the centre been planned elsewhere in this multi-cultural city, it would possibly have gone largely unnoticed.

But situated just two blocks from Ground Zero, it has raised concern among some of the relatives of those killed in the 9/11 attacks.

'Not Islamaphobia'Mike Burke's brother - a fireman - was one of the almost 3,000 who died as the World Trade Center's towers collapsed.

Mr Burke says families of 9/11 victims do not want a mosque by Ground ZeroMr Burke wears badges commemorating the event on the lapels of his denim jacket.

It is not Islamaphobia, he insists - it's just that he and others do not want an Islamic institution nearby.

"I think the first concern for the families is that the religious beliefs of the terrorists who struck is going to have such a prominent place right around the corner from Ground Zero," he says.

"This is not an… anti-Muslim effort. It is understandably… emotional for them to be suddenly told that around the corner from where their loved ones were killed they're going to put a mosque."

The project's leaders say they have gone out of their way to bring people living nearby on board with the plans.

They own the building and under city law have the right to build what they want there. Nonetheless, they spoke to the local community board and asked for its approval - something they didn't have to do. They got its support.

Sharif El-Gamal, the chairman of Soho Properties, which owns the building says he wants "a place where I could show off my hospitality, my culture, my background".

What he and the others involved envisage is a world-class facility - an environmentally-friendly building constructed with cutting-edge technology. It would be a place to show off what they consider Islam has to offer.

Sensitive issueFor some this has become a useful chance to voice popular fears about Islam.

Charles Wolf says it would be wrong to prevent the building of a mosqueOne group that says its aim is to defend freedom of speech against what it calls "Islamic supremacist intimidation" is arranging a rally at Ground Zero in protest at the plans.

Many wholeheartedly reject such a stance. Among them is Charles Wolf, an energetic man who has been heavily involved in the discussions over what should be built at Ground Zero in place of the Twin Towers.

He says many of the victims' families - like him - believe the Islamic centre should be built.

"The Muslims are not responsible for 9/11. There have been extremists in all religions," he says.

"Denying them the ability to build a mosque… would be like London denying the Roman Catholic Church the opportunity to build a church during the years of the IRA bombings."

All sides know this is a deeply sensitive issue. It's one that raises important questions about the place of Muslims in American society today.

Almost a decade on from the 9/11 attacks, this country is still grappling with their aftermath.

Link

[Mr. Darkjustice]

The project's leaders say they have gone out of their way to bring people living nearby on board with the plans.

They own the building and under city law have the right to build what they want there. Nonetheless, they spoke to the local community board and asked for its approval - something they didn't have to do. They got its support.

guess not everyone feels its a slap in the face

[Mr. Darkjustice]

Charles Wolf says it would be wrong to prevent the building of a mosqueOne group that says its aim is to defend freedom of speech against what it calls "Islamic supremacist intimidation" is arranging a rally at Ground Zero in protest at the plans.Many wholeheartedly reject such a stance. Among them is Charles Wolf, an energetic man who has been heavily involved in the discussions over what should be built at Ground Zero in place of the Twin Towers.He says many of the victims' families - like him - believe the Islamic centre should be built.

"The Muslims are not responsible for 9/11. There have been extremists in all religions," he says. "Denying them the ability to build a mosque… would be like London denying the Roman Catholic Church the opportunity to build a church during the years of the IRA bombings." All sides know this is a deeply sensitive issue. It's one that raises important questions about the place of Muslims in American society today. Almost a decade on from the 9/11 attacks, this country is still grappling with their aftermath.

this is for the people that probably wont read her post cause its long. the guys arent buildin a mosque from the ground up. a business owner is comverting his property into it, and he has support from the community which he didnt have to go out of his way to get given hes within his rights to do it. REGARDLESS OF WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO SAY IT SYMBOLIZES

[keepinitloud]

I have been readin about this and there is a question about where the money to fund the building of this mosque is comming from the U.S is doin a little reaserch into the Imam himself cause there is some questions about his possible ties to the hezbollah

[Slawsen]

I can copy and paste too!

Islamist militant organisations (including Al-Qaeda, Hamas and Islamic Jihad) continue to argue that suicide operations are justified according to Islamic law, despite claims that Islam strictly prohibits suicide and murder.

LOLWUT

Anyways... Terrorist organizations are just idiots who misinterpret a book to justify their killings. We see it happen all the time in the past, just not to the extent that it has gone to with Islam.. As much as I think it is a slap in the face, its not like they are building it on the old site. Its at least 3 blocks away? Not everyone who practices the religion misinterprets it, which is why the people who want to build this mosque should be looked at and if allowed to build it, need to be kept a close eye on.

[Mr. Darkjustice]

I have been readin about this and there is a question about where the money to fund the building of this mosque is comming from the U.S is doin a little reaserch into the Imam himself cause there is some questions about his possible ties to the hezbollah

if he is indeed funding it with illegal money then id be against it, other than that im for the rights were supposed to uphold. if he has legally obtained all his money then as a us citizen he has the right to do w.e he wants with his property regardless of how controversial it is

[Team_DC-Derrick]

I have mixed feelings about this.. While I do feel its wrong for a mosque to be soo close to where terrorist Islamic extremists killed thousands of americans, I cannot judge the good muslims and tell them they cannot have something that close to something. To do that would be taking away their rights..

Now if they can tie the guy to the extremist groups or something, I would fully support it 100%... But everyone that is a good person and has did no wrong do not need to be treated as if they did something because of their beliefs. Its not the people who are trying to put the mosque up *till proven* that those extremists did what they did.

I guess it comes from my time from overseas in that region... ive met alot of muslims in their own lands who supported america.. and hated what those people did to us.. then again i met others who were praising what happened.

[Mr. Darkjustice]

I have mixed feelings about this.. While I do feel its wrong for a mosque to be soo close to where terrorist Islamic extremists killed thousands of americans, I cannot judge the good muslims and tell them they cannot have something that close to something. To do that would be taking away their rights..

Now if they can tie the guy to the extremist groups or something, I would fully support it 100%... But everyone that is a good person and has did no wrong do not need to be treated as if they did something because of their beliefs. Its not the people who are trying to put the mosque up *till proven* that those extremists did what they did.

I guess it comes from my time from overseas in that region... ive met alot of muslims in their own lands who supported america.. and hated what those people did to us.. then again i met others who were praising what happened.

my point exactly. except i never went overseas lol

[EricR]

I didn't even know there was a political section... I don't watch the news nor do I care about some mosque, I'm pretty sure the security is tight up there so I don't see the problem.

[moetpoppin]

1st amendment. nuff said

freedom to exercise religion?

freedom of speech?

freedom of press?

freedom of assembly?

freedom to petition?

I put freedom of religion first. Not to support this argument, but because this is the order that the first amendment is written. To our forefathers, it seemed to be the most important thing, it just happens to be the FIRST topic in the FIRST amendment to YOUR, MY, "THEIR", OUR BILL OF RIGHTS

You think this is a slap in the face, well not allowing the mosque to be built would be an equal sized slap in the face to our country and what it stands for. Have you forgotten what tens of millions of people AMERICANS have lost their lives to defend? Our freedoms. Is this not true when it applies to other Americans?

"Land of the Free, Home of the Brave"