President Obama has resoundingly failed to make clear that despite our tolerance, we are still Americans — and he failed again to be the spokesperson for the majority of us who feel that Ground Zero is a hallowed place where, despite one’s constitutional rights, no religious group can lay claim to erecting a place of worship without the good will and consent of those who whose lives were forever changed by the acts of radical Muslim terrorists. Because of his lack of courage, President Obama has failed in his role as leader of this great country. There are certain patently obvious things that ordinary people, regardless of race, color or creed, do not do — erecting a mosque near Ground Zero is one of them. As Charles Krauthammer said in his Aug. 15 column, “Location matters: sacred Ground Zero wrong place for mosque.” The pope told nuns they could not build a place of prayer next to Auschwitz, and Disney was told no amusement center was to be erected near Gettysburg. Location matters! These are hallowed grounds, and they are an exception to the rule. Sixty-four percent of Americans get it. The president and the band of liberalanointed ones who follow him do not. It took the head of the Islamic Council of Canada to point out, in speaking of her Islamic brethren, that to build a mosque adjacent to Ground Zero is a “slap in the face” to all Americans. At one point in our history, after we suffered the worst attack ever perpetrated by a foreign power on our soil, that devastation brought this country together as it had not been together since Pearl Harbor. Let us hope we can muster the courage, resolve and fortitude to stand up once again and be united against this unconstrained vision that would diminish the horror of 9/11.
Obama wrong about Islam’s place in American history
Re the recent comments by President Obama at the Ramadan dinner he hosted at the White House, as well as previous comments and actions by the president concerning Islam [Aug. 21 Gazette]: I recall during the 2008 campaign that you risked being called a bigot if you brought up Obama’s Muslim middle name, Hussein. Since his inauguration, he must no longer consider that to be the case, since he himself now uses his middle name publicly. The president chose not to hold a traditional White House prayer service on the National Day of Prayer, yet he hosts Muslims for a Ramadan meal and celebration. The president has also endorsed the Cordoba mosque to be built in proximity to Ground Zero (though he now seems to be backing off somewhat due to public outrage). The 9/11 families and other citizens are concerned for many reasons. The namesake of the mosque is taken from the Cordoba caliphate in Spain, when Islam had ruled parts of Europe several centuries ago. The mosque at Cordoba was built on the site of a Catholic church as a symbol of Islamic victory. Is the proposed mosque [near] Ground Zero also symbolic of the “victory” of Islam in the 9/11 terrorist attacks? Why does the mosque need to be built near Ground Zero, and not elsewhere? The imam behind the proposed mosque is of questionable character, based on his remarks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well his unwillingness to condemn Hamas or admit they are a terrorist organization. At the Ramadan dinner, the president stated that Islam has always been part of America — a remark that is rather perplexing and disturbing. For example, I am aware of the Mayfl ower Compact developed by the (Christian) Pilgrims in the 1600s, which is historically viewed as a foundation of our Constitution. I am unaware of any such contribution to our history by Islam. Perhaps the president was alluding to the early wars with the Muslim pirates (Barbary Coast), which led to the creation of the Marine Corps (the shores of Tripoli mentioned in the Marines’ Hymn); the 9/11 terrorist attack; and/or the Islamic soldier’s terrorist attack at Fort Hood.
"We were not attacked by the Muslim world," said Donna O'Connor, spokeswoman for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, whose pregnant daughter was killed in the World Trade Center attacks. "We 100 percent fully support the Islamic cultural center in New York City."
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Mosque controversy divides families of 9/11 victims Published: Saturday, August 21, 2010
By SAMANTHA GROSS Associated Press NEW YORK — Talat Hamdani traveled to Mecca to pray that her missing son, an EMT, was safe in the days after 9/11. She held out hope that his Muslim background had led to his detention as a suspect, considering it better than the alternative.
When part of his body was returned to her — his lower half shattered into 34 pieces — it was final proof he had indeed been killed when Islamic extremists brought down the World Trade Center. As Americans take sides over plans to build an Islamic cultural center and mosque blocks away, Hamdani says it feels personal.
“Why are we paying the price? Why are we being ostracized? Our loved ones died,” she said at her Lake Grove home. “America was founded on the grounds of religious freedom,” and opposition to the cultural center “is un-American. It’s unethical. And it is wrong.”
The thousands of relatives of the 2,976 victims have no single representative and no unified voice, even as another 9/11 anniversary approaches. The conflict is dividing a group that in many ways has never been united, with some saying the cultural center would reopen old wounds too close to hallowed ground and others saying that opposing it is tantamount to bigotry.
And some, like Vandna Jain, walk a middle ground.
“It is unfair to persecute the group, however, in turn, there should be some respect for the feelings of the people that are forever attached to this site due to their losses,” the New City resident, whose father, Yudh, died in the north tower, wrote in an e-mail. “I think people have a right to be upset about it, just as much as people have a right to build a mosque.”
Jim Riches, a former New York Fire Department deputy chief whose son, Jimmy, was killed at the trade center, believes the dispute has nothing to do with religious freedom.
“We’re not telling them not to practice their religion. ... It’s about location, location, location,” he said, asking why the mosque couldn’t be built farther away from the land that he still considers a cemetery. “It’s disrespectful. You wouldn’t put a Japanese cultural center at Pearl Harbor.”
Liza Murphy feels differently. Her brother, Charlie, died at ground zero, but she says she doesn’t lay claim to the sprawling, 16-acre site.
“It’s a place where a terrible tragedy took place, but I don’t see what makes it sacred,” said the Brooklyn resident. “Nine years later, that now belongs to the public. And my brother and his death are private and belong to me.”
Murphy says she has no objection to the planned mosque and wouldn’t want to judge one group of Muslims based on the actions of another.
But Peter Gadiel says he owes no apologies for singling one group out. Since his son, James, was killed at the trade center, Gadiel has argued publicly that all Muslims should share some collective guilt for what happened on 9/11.
“The fact is that Islam does not coexist well with other religions, and you can’t separate that from Islam,” the Kent, Conn., resident said, explaining his stand against the mosque. “If that sounds intolerant on my part, that’s too bad.”
The families’ impassioned responses to the prospect of the mosque have influenced the public debate.
Gov. David Paterson has suggested moving the project further away from the trade center site out of respect for opponents’ feelings, while Mayor Michael Bloomberg came out in support of the mosque, calling it a test of the separation of church and state.
President Barack Obama has said he believes Muslims have the right to build the Islamic center as a matter of religious freedom, though he’s also said he won’t take a position on whether they should actually build it.
The imam leading plans for the center on Friday called extremism a security threat in both the West and the Muslim world. Feisal Abdul Rauf made his comments to Associated Press Television News in Bahrain during a Mideast tour funded by the U.S. State Department, but he wouldn’t discuss the uproar over the Islamic center.
Relatives of those slain on Sept. 11 have made their diverging voices heard on a number of issues over the years — from whether to try the suspects in a civilian court to the location of a proposed freedom museum at ground zero that is no longer planned for the site.
Charles Wolf, who lost his wife, Katherine, at the trade center, says emotions among family members are especially raw right now.
“This is anniversary season. It’s really, really hard,” the Manhattanite said. “Passions are up and this is bringing up a lot of hurt in people.”
He says he worries that any decision to respond to public pressure and move the mosque would be used by extremists to paint Americans as intolerant.
“The powers of evil were piloting those airplanes,” he said of the Sept. 11 attackers.
Now, with the mosque dispute, “here is where we’re falling into the terrorists’ trap ... trying to tear each other apart. Good people fighting other good people — does that sound like evil at work?”
Contributing to this report were Associated Press videographer Bonny Ghosh and writers David B. Caruso and Karen Matthews in New York and Martha Raffaele in Philadelphia.
This will never be built. This mosque is a $100 million project and they have raised only $20,000. With over 100 mosques in NYC even Shelly Silver is now against this location.
This mosque will never be built!!!!! This will be yet another major issue come november!
Next election....bloomberg will be gone!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Last night I broke fast for Ramadan at the Islamic Center of the Capital District. The experience was wonderful for me and the group of ten people (seniors) I brought there. We were Jews and Christians who had the opportunity to meet with the Imam, hear about "Jihad" and its REAL meaning, and hear about the suffering that has been inflicted on them by the criminals of 9-11. Please listen to Donna Marsh O'Connor, professor at Syracuse Uniersity and former prof of my daughter at the time of 9-11 when O'Connor lost her pregnant daughter in the WTC.
For people like yourselves that think you are patriots, you really are bigots.
there's a sucker in every crowd....and they found one in booms!
Think logically booms. Don't be driven by emotion. It'll get you in deep do-do every time!!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Ahhh...There it is, the 'B' word. All 71% of Americans that believe the Mosque should be moved are bigots. We must follow the directives of our enlightened 29%. After all, if a professor at Syracuse says it should be built. Who am I to question her?
I'd like to hear what O'Connors daughter has to say on the subject. OH YEAH, I CAN'T, SHE WAS KILLED BY RADICAL MUSLIMS.
That's why there is a shepherd to protect the sheep from the wolves.
I wonder what Cindy Sheehan's son, Specialist Casey Sheehan, an American Patriot, would think of you ridiculing his mom for speaking out in defense of all American sons & daughters who lost their life in Bush's Oil War.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
I wonder what Cindy Sheehan's son, Specialist Casey Sheehan, an American Patriot, would think of you ridiculing his mom for speaking out in defense of all American sons & daughters who lost their life in Bush's Oil War.
Would would Casey Sheehan he think about Cindy's PR funding?
Quoted Text
PR Machine Behind Cindy Sheehan? Leading the group is Fenton Communications employee, Michele Mulkey, based in San Francisco. Fenton specializes in public relations for liberal non-profits.
Their bills are being paid for by True Majority, a non-profit set up by Ben Cohen -- of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream fame.
Ben Cohen, True Majority: "People are willing to listen to her and we want to do as much as we can to make her voice heard."
Cohen's group has teamed up with Berkeley based MoveOn.org, an anti-Bush group co-founded by Joan Blades.
Earlier this month, MoveOn helped organize anti-war vigils in support of Cindy Sheehan.
Current Democratic National Party Chair Howard Dean's organization Democracy for America is also involved, as is the more radical anti-war group Code Pink organized by San Francisco's Medea Benjamin.
Money donated through these groups and others is helping to pay for Gold Star families whose children have been killed in Iraq to attend anti-Bush protests.
This week Simi Valley California Gold Star wife Melanie House flew to Idaho for a protest and then flew to Crawford.
ABC7's Mark Matthews: "Can you tell us if you're getting help in airfare to come down here?"
And why would anyone care what Charlie Gibson has to say... especially after being strained through Right Wing Newsbusters??? Why not ask Druggy Rush or the Rodeo Clown for an equally unbiased view?
The Right LOVES a patriot, and a Patriot dying in a war is a great Fox Story... but when that patriot turns out to disagree with right wing agenda, they are vilified and ridiculed... The HERO becomes a Villain, if it fits their purposes. Want more... Look up Pat Tillman... another HERO who's parents are accused of Treason because they won't carry the Rights tainted lies.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
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This will never be built. This mosque is a $100 million project and they have raised only $20,000. With over 100 mosques in NYC even Shelly Silver is now against this location. 
