Proposed Mosque Near Ground Zero

[MsTinkerbelly]

Obama makes clear support for ground zero mosque

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 2 mins ago
WASHINGTON – After skirting the controversy for weeks, President Barack Obama is weighing in forcefully on the mosque near ground zero, saying a nation built on religious freedom must allow it.

"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama told an intently listening crowd gathered at the White House Friday evening to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."

The White House had not previously taken a stand on the mosque, which would be part of a $100 million Islamic community center two blocks from where nearly 3,000 people perished when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. Press secretary Robert Gibbs had insisted it was a local matter.

It was already much more than that, sparking debate around the country as top Republicans including Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich announced their opposition. So did the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group.

Obama elevated it to a presidential issue Friday without equivocation.

While insisting that the place where the twin towers once stood was indeed "hallowed ground," Obama said that the proper way to honor it was to apply American values.

Harkening back to earlier times when the building of synagogues or Catholic churches also met with opposition, Obama said: "Time and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues, and stay true to our core values and emerge stronger for it. So it must be and will be today."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent who has been a strong supporter of the mosque, welcomed Obama's words as a "clarion defense of the freedom of religion."

But some victims' advocates and Republicans were quick to pounce.

"Barack Obama has abandoned America at the place where America's heart was broken nine years ago, and where her true values were on display for all to see," said Debra Burlingame, a spokeswoman for some Sept. 11 victims' families and the sister of one of the pilots killed in the attacks.

Building the mosque at ground zero, she said, "is a deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of Allah."

Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son was killed at the World Trade Center, said the president had failed to understand the issue. "As an Obama supporter, I really feel that he's lost sight of the germane issue, which is not about freedom of religion," she said. "It's about a gross lack of sensitivity to the 9/11 families and to the people who were lost."

Added Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.: "President Obama is wrong. It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of ground zero."

Entering the highly charged election-year debate, Obama surely knew that his words would not only make headlines in the U.S. but be heard by Muslims worldwide. The president has made it a point to reach out to the global Muslim community, and the over 100 guests at Friday's dinner in the State Dining Room included ambassadors and officials from numerous nations where Islam is observed, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

While his pronouncement concerning the mosque might find favor in the Muslim world, Obama's stance runs counter to the opinions of the majority of Americans, according to polls.

Opponents, including some Sept. 11 victims' relatives, see the prospect of a mosque so near the destroyed trade center as an insult to the memory of those killed by Islamic terrorists in the 2001 attacks

[Stearns]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

Obama makes clear support for ground zero mosque

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer Erica Werner, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 2 mins ago
WASHINGTON – After skirting the controversy for weeks, President Barack Obama is weighing in forcefully on the mosque near ground zero, saying a nation built on religious freedom must allow it.

"As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," Obama told an intently listening crowd gathered at the White House Friday evening to observe the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

"That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances," he said. "This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable."

The White House had not previously taken a stand on the mosque, which would be part of a $100 million Islamic community center two blocks from where nearly 3,000 people perished when hijacked jetliners slammed into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. Press secretary Robert Gibbs had insisted it was a local matter.

It was already much more than that, sparking debate around the country as top Republicans including Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich announced their opposition. So did the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish civil rights group.

Obama elevated it to a presidential issue Friday without equivocation.

While insisting that the place where the twin towers once stood was indeed "hallowed ground," Obama said that the proper way to honor it was to apply American values.

Harkening back to earlier times when the building of synagogues or Catholic churches also met with opposition, Obama said: "Time and again, the American people have demonstrated that we can work through these issues, and stay true to our core values and emerge stronger for it. So it must be and will be today."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent who has been a strong supporter of the mosque, welcomed Obama's words as a "clarion defense of the freedom of religion."

But some victims' advocates and Republicans were quick to pounce.

"Barack Obama has abandoned America at the place where America's heart was broken nine years ago, and where her true values were on display for all to see," said Debra Burlingame, a spokeswoman for some Sept. 11 victims' families and the sister of one of the pilots killed in the attacks.

Building the mosque at ground zero, she said, "is a deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of Allah."

Sally Regenhard, whose firefighter son was killed at the World Trade Center, said the president had failed to understand the issue. "As an Obama supporter, I really feel that he's lost sight of the germane issue, which is not about freedom of religion," she said. "It's about a gross lack of sensitivity to the 9/11 families and to the people who were lost."

Added Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.: "President Obama is wrong. It is insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of ground zero."

Entering the highly charged election-year debate, Obama surely knew that his words would not only make headlines in the U.S. but be heard by Muslims worldwide. The president has made it a point to reach out to the global Muslim community, and the over 100 guests at Friday's dinner in the State Dining Room included ambassadors and officials from numerous nations where Islam is observed, including Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

While his pronouncement concerning the mosque might find favor in the Muslim world, Obama's stance runs counter to the opinions of the majority of Americans, according to polls.

Opponents, including some Sept. 11 victims' relatives, see the prospect of a mosque so near the destroyed trade center as an insult to the memory of those killed by Islamic terrorists in the 2001 attacks

Aside: Gee, I wish Obama would express this kind of conviction for LGBT rights. I'd love to hear him say, "This is America, and our commitment to equal rights must be unshakable."

[Jude]

Hmmmmm, Baptist extremists can be fairly daunting too, ya' know.

The little cosmic joke is that Islam and Judaism are fundamentally the same Abrahamic faith. The only real differences are that Muslims acknowledge Jesus (Issa) as a prophet and messiah (not the son of G/d) and consider, of course, Prophet Muhammed as a genuine prophet. Basically the same laws govern both faiths and neither faith gives more rights to women than another. Christianity, of course, is also an Abrahamic faith at its core and women are admonished to "keep silent in the church". So, in which faith (as it is generally practiced) does a woman stand the best chance? Probably the answer would be none of the above.

Nonetheless, we must respect the right of people to make their own choices as to their beliefs and interpretation, so long as they don't directly affect our own right to liberty.

If one chooses to bow down to Humpty Dumpty and their life is more meaningful having done so, G/d bless 'em. Just don't force me to follow suit.

[Stearns]

Originally Posted by June

From that article:

Those protesting the California construction site include the pastor of a neighboring Baptist church who recently told the Los Angeles Times he was upset about the construction plan because the mosque and community center will turn the town into "a haven for Islamic extremists."

AJ - Some days, I just want to put you on ignore for making me read this stuff, which causes me to (further) lose hope in the future.

Frankly, it offends me that so many Protestant churches are producers of and havens for 'Christian' extremists. And get tax-exempt status to boot.

[Laerkin]

Everything I have to say has already been said...from the number of Muslims killed in the terrorists attacks to the importance of recognizing that a group of extremists in no way represent the one billion people that are Muslim.

I'm all for the new community center and I would be totally happy to check it out after it's been built. The more we educate, the more we eradicate hatred and ignorance.

[lipstixgal]

I have no problem with the Muslim community building a Mosque I have many Muslim friends at school and we are good friends so as a Jew I see no harm done. In fact I would like to visit it once its built to see it!

[Corkey]

Here is where I have a hard time with all of this. It is just fine to build a church, or a synagog. It is however not so good to build a mosque. I know we all remember that these 3 religions come from the same book, different chapters, but still same book.
If the people of this book can't agree on if they are brothers and sisters under their same God, then why should I who doesn't believe in their God have any reason to think they are sane?
The Muslims under the Constitution have every right to build a mosque where ever the permit permits.
Christians need to get over themselves.
Gandhi: "I like your Christ, I wish your Christians were more like him."