Families of 911 victims appeal to mosque protesters for restraint on anniversary day

If some families of 9/11 victims have their way, there would be no anti-mosque protest on the anniversary scheduled for Saturday, September 11.

Specifically, the families feel that the day should be set aside for sober reflections as oppose to protesting the approved location of the controversial Islamic cultural center.

Among other things, the appealing group, My Good Deed, a body of volunteers co-founded by Jay Winuk and David Paine ask the pro and anti-mosque campaigners to “leave that day for the remembrance and service in memory of those who perished.”

“Whether you're pro on con on the mosque's issue, that's is not what this is about,” Winuk reportedly said. “This isn't an appropriate day to do a protest of this sort.”

However, it is certain that the appeal fail to get the desired result as anti-mosque protesters have vowed to go ahead with the planned rallies as scheduled.

The executive director of Stop Islamization of America, Pamela Geller seems indifferent to the appeal given the tone of a statement released by her organization, saying the protest would go as planned.

According to Geller, in order to give the proposed anti-mosque protest a more sombre look, co-protesters are urged to bring American flags in place of signs.

Jim Riches, retired FDNY chief who lost a firefighter son on 9/11, and a member of another group of 911 families feel that his group's planned protest on the anniversary day is that of a “moral obligation,” and that the anniversary would be used to prevent the Cordoba House project.

“There can be no peace and reflection for the 9/11 families who strongly feel that this proposed mosque is disrespectful and insensitive,” Riches said. "On 9/11, as the world is focusing on Ground Zero, families want to be able to raise their voices and say to the world that this is wrong.”