NYC community board OKs ground zero mosque plans

[DaemonSeid]

NEW YORK – After hours of contentious public comment, a New York City community board voted late Tuesday to support a plan to build a mosque and cultural center near ground zero.

"It's a seed of peace," board member Rob Townley said. "We believe that this is significant step in the Muslim community to counteract the hate and fanaticism in the minority of the community."

The vote was 29-to-1 in favor of the plan, with 10 abstentions. The move by the Manhattan Community Board 1, while not necessary for the building's owners to move forward with the project, is seen as key to obtaining residents' support.

Some board members wanted to postpone a vote until the next meeting to gather more information about the project and the organizations sponsoring it. But the motion failed.

The meeting was unruly, with project opponents jeering at speakers and yelling comments such as "You're building over a Christian cemetery!" while holding signs that read, "Show respect for 3000," among other things.

Many said they were not opposed to a mosque — just not one that's two blocks from ground zero.

The families of Sept. 11 victims "would be wounded by erecting a mega mosque so close to the place where their loved ones were massacred," said Viviana Hernandez, a chaplain. "Even though they may have altruistic reasons, the real terrorists will see it as a win on their side."


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So are we saying that all Muslims are terrorists or sumn?

[BluPhire]

I don't know if this is going to be a good thing.

[honeychile]

^ I think it's more of a sensitivity issue - and building a mosque in the shadow of the World Trade Center isn't exactly sensitive.

[IrishLake]

I hope to God they allow a Synagogue, Church, and Temple to all be built on the site as well then.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by IrishLake

I hope to God they allow a Synagogue, Church, and Temple to all be built on the site as well then.

There's already a church close by, closer to Ground Zero than the mosque will be.

I'm not really sure how I feel, or if I care too much, about this.

[AOII Angel]

People get so bothered about this when on a daily basis, they won't even think about it.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

People get so bothered about this when on a daily basis, they won't even think about it.

See that's my issue. The people that get bothered about it.

[Animate]

I really love reading the comment section of articles like this. People really show their true colors.

About the mosque, I doesn't really bother me. People make the argument that "they wouldn't let us build a church over there". Well aren't we supposed to be "better" than that? Land of the free? People want to say how great the US is only when it benefits them.

I think the building of the mosque is a much needed gesture at the least to try to bridge the gap to help people understand Islam and those that follow its beliefs.

[Drolefille]

It's a community center that includes a mosque. It's not even like minarets and "stereotypical mosque building here"

Also I love how we're "ok" with a mosque, just not "here."

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

It's a community center that includes a mosque. It's not even like minarets and "stereotypical mosque building here"

Also I love how we're "ok" with a mosque, just not "here."

I had heard about this last week and one of the factors that is getting people up in arms is that the Imam involved with this has made controversial comments/writings in the past. I noticed that wasn't in the article. Some see this as being a show of Islamic supremacy, a modern day version of Dome of The Rock or Hagia Sophia.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I had heard about this last week and one of the factors that is getting people up in arms is that the Imam involved with this has made controversial comments/writings in the past. I noticed that wasn't in the article. Some see this as being a show of Islamic supremacy, a modern day version of Dome of The Rock or Hagia Sophia.

Yeah it has nothing to do with Dome of the Rock or Hagia Sophia. It's a community center with a mosque, kind of like how my Catholic campus had a YWCA and a mosque on it.

I think the thing that gets most people 'up in arms' about it is that it's Islam and that a majority of them wouldn't know what an Imam was or what a controversial statement in Islam was.

[Drolefille]

Googled because I can't do anything else due to wet carpet.

Imam Feisal

Yes. Totally radical.

Only sites I can find with arguments objecting are places like WND and they say things like "No decent American, Muslim or otherwise, would do such a thing."

I can't find anything he's said that's shocking or offensive. At most he's coming from a different perspective, for example stating that Muslim youth are growing up in dictatorships that Western countries helped create and admitting that part of America's responsibility is necessary to make progress. Spin as much as they like, that doesn't mean he's saying it's all America's fault.

In short, meh. Unimpressed.

Also, Dome of the Rock was a mosque before it was a church before it was a mosque.
The Hagia Sofia was a church then a mosque then a museum. Neither of these comparisons fits.

[DaemonSeid]

Any ol' ways...

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NEW YORK (AFP) – Controversial plans to build a mosque near the site of the New York towers destroyed in the Septmeber 11, 2001 terror attacks cleared a big hurdle Tuesday as a city panel voted to end protected status for an existing structure on the site.

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously in favor of an application to end the protected status of the 1850s Italian Renaissance palazzo-style building near the site of the former World Trade Center.

The commission voted 9-0 in favor of removing the building at 45-47 Park Place from the landmarks list, said the body's chairman Robert Tierney. The building now houses only an abandoned clothing store.

Many applauded the decision, but others shouted "shame" and one women held a placard saying: "don't glorify murders of 3,000, no 9/11 mosque" and "Islam builds mosques at the sites of their conquests."

Supporters say the project will help build bridges between the West and the Muslim world and transform both the drab lower Manhattan street and the way Americans have looked on Muslims since the deadly attacks in 20011.

Boasting a mosque with sports facilities, a theatre and possibly day care, the multi-story Islamic center would be open to all visitors to demonstrate that Muslims are part of their community, not a separate element.

But the proposed mosque's location, just around the corner from the gaping Ground Zero hole, where nearly 3,000 people died on September 11, 2001, has angered many New Yorkers who see it as an affront.

[Drolefille]

Two thumbs way up.

There's already a mosque closer to Ground Zero, and this building is not just a mosque but a swimming pool, community center, etc.

Muslims died in 9-11 too. Unless these Muslims had something to do with it, people (especially non-NYers) should stop trying to interfere with their freedom of religion and their right to buy and use property how they wish - within all pertinent regulations.

[Kevin]

I don't really understand what the big deal is. So some anti-Muslim bigots get ticked because they think Islam=terrorism. They'll be around for awhile, not worth getting worked up over. I don't see how NYC really had a choice in this matter.