[commanderkai]

Brenda Brenda:

City gave their permission. So yes.

Most people accepted that they can build there. However, a lot of people still see it as provocative and in bad taste.

[BartSimpson]

Brenda Brenda:

And the "9/11 mosque" is not going to be JUST A MOSQUE.

Given the name of it, 'Cordoba House', that's what a lot of people are worried about.

[BartSimpson]

Brenda Brenda:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

Brenda Brenda:

Just a side note, the Burlington Coat Factory did not OWN this building. They leased it.

So f*cking what? So because they leased it and didn't own it then that makes it okay to build a mosque there? WTF kind of logic is that?

City gave their permission. So yes.

And that has what to do with the place having been leased?

[Brenda]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

And that has what to do with the place having been leased?

What has the Burlington coat factory have to do with the building at all?

The owner of the building wanted to sell, left it abandoned for years. You made it sound like the poor Burlington Coat Factory went bankrupt because of it. Hardly.

[commanderkai]

Brenda Brenda:

Did you realize the Pentagon has a mosque (and no one bitched about that...)?

A military office building has a mosque? Really? It's probably a non-denominational prayer room that anybody of any faith can access. Not exactly the same as a mosque that's devoted to a singular religion. If there was a mosque in the Pentagon, there certainly would be a variety of Christian churches and a synagogue or two.

$1:

And that not all families of victims are opposed to this?

But a lot of them are. So...upset a large group of victims because a few aren't opposed to the mosque?

$1:

And that, as far as I know, we are not at war with Muslims? That they have the freedom to build their mosques wherever they want, just like you can build your church where ever you want? Did you realize Muslims did die there, and not just Christians?

I agree, it's not a smart move, BUT, they have the right.

Yes, I realize some Muslims (40 or so, not including the hijackers) died on 9-11. And yes, we're not at war with Islam, but Islamic extremism.

Nobody has argued that they have no right to build the mosque. Of course they have the right. However people are saying it's provocative and insensitive to build it in that location. If the mosque planners want to go ahead, knowing they'll be upsetting a large portion of the New York City's population as well as ignoring the wishes of many family members, they have that right. Of course, people will see them as jackasses, but people have a right to be a jackass too.

[Brenda]

No one can please everyone.
I'd say build that centre, AND the gay bar next to it. If they really want to show how tolerant they are, they should have a place where gay muslims can hang out too.

[commanderkai]

Brenda Brenda:

No one can please everyone.
I'd say build that centre, AND the gay bar next to it. If they really want to show how tolerant they are, they should have a place where gay muslims can hang out too.

Not everybody will be happy when this issue is resolved, I agree. If the mosque planners do move it, then they will be unhappy, along with possibly Muslims who would find said location most convenient. If the mosque is built, then a lot of New Yorkers, and the relatives of those who died, and many living victims of 9-11 will be unhappy.

And then somebody, using their freedoms, will build something Muslim unfriendly next door or across the street, and then the congregation at said mosque will be unhappy as well.

I do think the best solution is for the mosque planners to take up Governor Paterson's free land offer, which will respect the families of 9-11 victims and earn some cultural understanding points between Islam and the rest of the United States population.

[Dragom]

New mosques are being protested all over the US.

The problem is that people are using "Sensitivity" to turn this the war on terror into a crusade.

[EyeBrock]

Well, it's not like Muslims are trying to fit in to any country they go to now is it?

[Dragom]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Well, it's not like Muslims are trying to fit in to any country they go to now is it?

Not like I'm going to change anything about myself to fit in either, though.

[acidcomplex]

Brenda Brenda:

No one can please everyone.
I'd say build that centre, AND the gay bar next to it. If they really want to show how tolerant they are, they should have a place where gay muslims can hang out too.

Yeah cause that wont enrage anyone who hates gays and or Muslims, IMO it is beyond belief that anyone in there right mind can consider this as anything other than a reminder of the death and destruction brought to these tower by a "few radicals".

If they build it there it will meet opposition and cause even more issues.Shit ever try putting a Calgary flames flag in your Edmonton backyard. Multiply that reaction times a million and you'll have your average American feelings about this mosque

[EyeBrock]

Dragom Dragom:

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

Well, it's not like Muslims are trying to fit in to any country they go to now is it?

Not like I'm going to change anything about myself to fit in either, though.

It's not the ideal attitude we seek in new immigrants.

But it's what we get because we demand so little, and in return we get little back.

I think we should ask for more.

[xerxes]

Just as a bit of an aside, I haven't been able to find any other articles about Muslim center being scrapped. Not to slag on Haaretz, but I haven't found any other mentions of this apart from blogs linking to the Haaretz article.

So either Haaretz is mistaken or my Google skills aren't what they once used to be....

[xerxes]

Speaking of my Googling skills, I found this interview with the site's developer.

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/123896/ny1-exclusive--developer-won-t-budge-on-mosque-location

$1:

NY1 Exclusive: Developer Won't Budge On Mosque Location

By: Grace Rauh

With a debate raging from coast to coast over whether an Islamic community center and mosque should be built near the World Trade Center site, NY1’s Political reporter Grace Rauh sat down for an exclusive interview with the developer to talk about the future of the project.
-------------------------------
Calls are mounting for him and the other backers to find a new home for their center, further away from the site of the September 11th terrorist attacks, but El-Gamal isn't budging.

He is sticking with his plans to erect a 13-story center and prayer space in Lower Manhattan. He likens the project to a YMCA or Jewish Community Center, with programs open to all residents of all faiths.

"A landmark, an iconic building that will have people come and visit it from around the world,” said El-Gamal as to what he imagines. “This looks like it is going to be the most famous community center in the world."

Some might argue that the center would be the most famous mosque in the world, but El-Gamal emphasized throughout the interview that he is building a community center, that is expected to house a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a restaurant and an auditorium.

The developer takes issue with the fact that so much has been made of the location of the project.

"Park51 is a community center. It is two blocks north of the World Trade Center site,” said El-Gamal. “In New York City, two blocks is a great distance. There are some buildings in New York that have their own zip codes. There is such a scarcity of space in New York, especially in Lower Manhattan. Keep in mind this is a small island, so we are nowhere near the World Trade Center site."

I asked El-Gamal if he's been surprised by the backlash against the project and the national attention it's garnered. He chose his words carefully.

"I am surprised at the way that politics is being played in 2010. There are issues that are affecting our country, which are real issues: unemployment, poverty, the economy,” he said. “And it's a really sad day for America when our politicians choose to look at a constitutional right and use that as basis for their elections."

Of course, the project got a boost from the White House last weekend when President Barack Obama spoke strongly in support of the developer's right to build the center. El-Gamal says he heard the president's remarks while he was on his way to East Hampton. He says he was blown away.

There's also word today that Governor David Paterson is planning to meet with mosque developers to discuss moving the project. El-Gamal says that while there is no such meeting scheduled yet, he is open to talking to the governor.

He insists, however, that he is not open to moving the center.

[commanderkai]

xerxes xerxes:

Just as a bit of an aside, I haven't been able to find any other articles about Muslim center being scrapped. Not to slag on Haaretz, but I haven't found any other mentions of this apart from blogs linking to the Haaretz article.

So either Haaretz is mistaken or my Google skills aren't what they once used to be....

Yeah I think the article was wrong, the developers denied what was said in the article.