Lower Manhattan on Sunday was at a fever pitch with supporters and anti-supporters voicing their opinions over the mosque/cultural center that is set to be built roughly two blocks from Ground Zero. The weather would not deter hundreds of passionate individuals on both sides from being in New York.
Signs and American flags were amongst the crowds. Both sides let their feelings and emotions be known; some maybe pushing the envelope to get their point across. Luckily, though, the police were able to keep the two "battling" groups from getting too close to one another. Additionally, police cornered off the area and the street the potential mosque/cultural center will be on.
Those against the mosque/cultural center blasted "American tunes" while chanting their opposition to the building. Some signs had "SHARIA" written on them with blood-red letters, which were dripping. One anti-supporter, Steve Ayling, had one such sign and connected the individuals behind this mosque/cultural center as being one and the same as the individuals responsible for the events of 9/11. He further added that "they should put it in the Middle East." It is one thing to be emotional or upset about having a mosque/cultural center being built close to Ground Zero, but flat out saying there should not be a mosque anywhere in the United States is pure unacceptance of Islam as a religion.
Another opponent, Mike Meehan, mentioned he would not be opposed to the center if it were built elsewhere in the city; just not so close to Ground Zero. While another critic, Shawn Gilfeather, called it "a breeding ground for terrorists."
About a block away from the opponents of the center were supporters of it. There, several hundred individuals chanted among other things, "Muslims are welcome here!". One supporter, Dr. Ali Akram, brought up the fact that Muslims were among those who died on 9/11 in New York City. For those like Dr. Akram, the views of many of those who oppose the center can be seen as hypocritical if they preach freedom of religion then chose which religions should be allowed to be practiced in America.
For supporter Ruth Massie, "It would be giving in to bigotry and intolerance to demand that it be moved and I think in the end, it makes us less safe because we need to show the world that we are a tolerant, open society."
The Coalition to Honor Ground Zero organized the rally against the construction of the center. The NYC Coalition to Stop Islamophobia staged the counter-protest.
Sunday's protests are only the latest development in what once was a local issue. In recent weeks, the matter has become a bigger story at the national level with individuals all over the United States speaking out about something taking place beyond their backyard. The project's leaders, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife, Daisy Khan, have caught a lot of flack despite their insistence of this mosque/cultural center's mission of promoting moderate Islam.
Many who lost loved ones at Ground Zero and oppose the mosque/cultural center view Ground Zero as a burial ground for their loved ones. However, the mosque/cultural center is not being built on Ground Zero.
There certainly will be a lot more discussion and actions by those on both sides of the argument. It has sparked much conversation from Democrats and Republicans. Liberals and conservatives. And groups in between. The aspects of freedom of religion and the sensitivity of 9/11 families have been among the most talk about.
This argument and issue will not be solved anytime soon.
Comments
This film was shot at the NYC Ground Zero counter protest. Note at about the 3min 55 sec mark that the real anti-semitism comes to the surface. After seeing the lack of reaction by most of these folks, I can only assume weren't really there in support of equality, rather they were there to call anyone who was against this mosque being built a racist. That and I believe they were there to declare Israel and Jews racist simply because they were, as they called them, "Zionist Jews".
This is typical of the tolerence that Americans are use to seeing from people on the left. But don't take my word for it... Watch the video yourself at:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/anti-semitic-incident-ground-zero-mo...
Muslims are abusing the freedom of religion in America and using it to build thousands of Mosques all over our Country to spread their Evil Venom and Islamise it, then request the application of Sharia Laws, and this will be the end of America, her freedom and here Glory.
The American Officials, who are supporting Muslims and helping them to achieve their goal by giving them approvals to build their Mosques, are destroying America.
So those Officials are America’s worst enemy because they don’t know what they are doing, and they must wake up and throw away that deceitful fluffy blanket that Muslims are covering them with,which is called Islam the Religion of Peace.
It's offensive to suggest that Americans need to be “sensitive” to 9/11 victims when building a mosque. Muslim Americans should not be expected to endlessly apologize for a few crazies out of the billion or so worldwide. Equating the Muslim religion with terrorism is bigotry. Period.
BTW, our military is over there supposedly helping Muslims. It makes no sense to think Muslim AMERICANS are our enemy.
http://www.examiner.com/accessible-travel-in-manchester/then-they-came-f...
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