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The lovely-looking restaurant and bar The Breslin begins lunch service tomorrow, and co-owner Ken Friedman (The Spotted Pig) is planning on serving alcohol despite objections from the Masjid Ar-Rahman mosque across the street. Earlier this month the mosque’s leaders called a meeting with Friedman at The Ace Hotel, where The Breslin is located, and asked, "Can you move the bar?" Friedman's response makes us want to hurry over to The Breslin right now for a dram of Laphroaig to show our support (and drown out the voices):
I laughed. And the guy said, "Oh, you think that’s funny?" And I said, "Yeah, that is funny, that is really funny, because we’re not going to move the bar just because you discovered we’re serving booze." Can you name one restaurant in New York that doesn’t serve booze? I said, "This is the United States of America and we’ll do whatever the fuck we want." He said the mosque had suggested it couldn’t control the behavior of "a few bad eggs"; i.e., we could get a brick through our window.
Friedman notified police of the threat, but just to show he's not a hard-hearted man, that it's not all dollars and cents, he agreed to put a curtain over the windows so devout Muslims wouldn't be corrupted by the sight of infidel inebriation. But the curtain hasn't arrived yet, so over the weekend he actually taped paper over the windows to hide a gay wedding. A volunteer at the mosque says city law forbids serving liquor within 200 feet of a place of worship and that "not more than 200 feet is between the mosque and the bar."
But Ace Hotel developer Andrew Zobler tells The Observer, "The law is clear that in order for that to apply it has to be an exclusively dedicated house of worship, and at their space they have both residences and a restaurant, so basically, because of those uses the law allowed there to be a bar within 200 feet. Everyone was aware of that when the liquor license was granted." And Friedman adds, "They can threaten, but they can’t really stop us." Yeah, heh, what are these devout, pissed-off Muslims gonna do?
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Wow, your post is kind of assholish, dude.
True, but it's also assholish to ask someone to move their bar because you're not allowed to drink.
Yeah, but there's some sort of real disrespectful tone an innuendo going on here... is this the NY Post?
brandonz, get used to it, it's a marker of a typical JDS post
ach, my comment should've gone under #5
welcome to gothamist.
"This is the United States of America and we’ll do whatever the fuck we want".
This guy sounds like an asshole, and the "what a cool guy for saying that" post is assholish too.
That's kind of the point of living in this country, no? Sure, it's a callous way of saying it, but it's true.
Maybe a better way to say it would be "We do whatever the fuck we want, as long as it doesn't stop you from doing whatever the fuck you want."
Agreed. The point is, ideally, that we do what we like, and respectfully let others do what they wish as well. I understand the guy is not breaking any laws (ostensibly), and is free to do what he pleases with his business, but "fuck off this is America" is an ugly way to say it, and an ugly statement to commend.
He's obviously not a real American, if he allowed a (gasp) gay wedding.
But seriously, it sounds like this guy would make old Jimmy proud.
"[1] | brandonz
Wow, your post is kind of assholish, dude."
Do we have another censored comment here?
Awwwww...it's assholish...so sensitive...
We ain't letting them do here what they did in Europe, so STFU and STFD.
Muslims' ??
Do we know possessive from plural? Really guys.
Intolerant fucks.
Please, tell us, John, what do YOU think "these devout, pissed off Muslims" are "gonna do?" I would love to know...
Who knows but let histor offer a few suggestions.
What ahve devout pissed of muslims done in the past to people that don't live as they see fit.
you don't get much international news do you?
Plenty, but what's your point
as you should have noticed, i was responding to muncher not your incoherent comment. thanks for playing though.
File this under: Your Religion's Rules Are Humorous and Embarrassing
Or under your religion isn't everybody's religion, no matter how damn bad you want it to be.
I've noticed one of the owner's selling points are the ease of getting a cab in the area. I wonder do the cabbies know about his place and remark? they must because they probably worship in that mosque.
owner still sounds like a dick.
cant wait to goto the breslin and have a good laugh over this
we need to sympathise with the conplaint. imagine if for us christians or jews were presented with a strip club or a gay bar infront of our place of worship?
i don't however, condone the use of violence, which is where "some bad eggs" are on the loosing side. This IS the USA and sometimes, passive protesting is what's called for, not breaking windows.
Sorry, but we don't need to sympathize with the intolerant and ignorant, regardless of how they choose to brand themselves.
I've seen lots of non-kosher food being sold across the street from orthodox synogogues. Same thing.
Fuck those fuckety fuck fucks and let's go have a beer at the Breslin.
Ditto; I will go. This is a free country last I checked & whoever does not like it can get the fuck out. Viva L'America:)
Actually Christian churches like to situate themselves in shady places to rescue the sinful people. I think the Muslims' request was out of hand. This is still a country run by a political system and not a religion. They should head to Pakistan or wherever if that is what they desire.
I meant Iran not Pakistan.
I think Pakistan could work in this instance.
I think the request to move the bar was ludicrous, but it is a sensitive issue, and Friedman was courteous to offer some curtains. He should probably work out a deal with the principals of the Mosque and agree to have the curtains closed for a total of an hour or two a day, to coincide with regular and special services. This would probably satisfy enough to prevent future absurd requests and any lingering anxieties about unattended bags and parcels.
How do you explain the fact that the church on Christopher street in the west village is directly across from some fairly raunchy gay bars? I've never heard of anyone complaining or threatening about that.
JLRodP translated: We need to protect all intolerance so ours can still be exercised. And if you're not Jewish, Christian or Muslim you don't count.
"we need to sympathise with the conplaint. imagine if for us christians or jews were presented with a strip club or a gay bar infront of our place of worship?"
Is dining out and having a drink an illicit or an offensive activity? Why speak of gays in the same breath as a strip club? Friedman opened a bar in his restaurant for goodness sake. The average patron has dinner, has a couple of drinks with dinner and moves on. It's not like a Bowery bar where a guy gets blind stinking drunk.
Muslims don't want to drink, that's their right. The problem with them is that they start demanding that we not drink because it offends their sensibilities. Their demands soon moves from the bar to our private lives. Didn't you people hear about the Muslim cabbies in Minnesota who refused to transport passengers picked up at the airport with the post-vacation boxed bottles of alcohol? It's not about their sensitivities (I'm sensitive to having the WTC, Pentagon bombed); it's about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happyness. That's what they're seeking to constrain.
all those stupid rules about liquor being served next to houses of worship or schools is a dumb ass idea back to the more religious conservative days.
JDS is a douchebag, but he happens to be spot on. These f*ckers need to get a clue about a pluralistic society; can't we all just get along.
I think we all need to spread the word and show up for some rounds! Maybe a special drink should be named; "The Halal Bomb; shot of jameson's in a guiness, with a bacon twizzler"
Just lost a ton of respect for Gothamist.
Agreed with the first poster. Total asshole post.
Gothamist just lost a ton of respect for you.
Some of you folks sound as intolerant as the mosque guy.
Friedman is showing sensitivity enough.
Though I think have a standing policy of free rounds to anyone from the mosque might be good. They do sound like they could use a beer.
I am intolerant of religious fanatics of all stripes trying to impose their fairy tale rules on the rest of us booze guzzling heathens.
Isn't this what we want to happen in an open society?
The members of the mosque are offended by behavior they find objectionable happening right across the street from their place of worship.
While the demand to close the bar was a little unrealistic, I don't see what's wrong with asking for some consideration for their religious beliefs.
Curtains seem like a step in the direction of a reasonable compromise.
Perhaps in instead of framing this story as bar stands up to Muslims, the reality is that both sides are working to get along. and that is something that we should all be proud of..
Are you people fucking kidding me? This IS America, and we should all be damn glad and thankful that we are free. Can you imagine if it was YOUR business that was threatened by a religious group, any religious group, in this manner?
I'm GLAD Gothamist posted this. In Britain, they have gone beyond tolerance (tolerance = good) to obsequiousness, where Islam is allowed far more control over day-to-day events than ANY religion should be allowed. (religious lawmaking = bad).
You people need to wake up. This bar owner is dead right. It was nice of him to put up the curtains, but this is NYC, and this is America. Just like Satmars who want to ban people who are "immodestly dressed" from passing through "their" neighborhoods, these Muslim fellows need to respect that they are in America, not an Islamic (or Jewish, or Christian, or Hindu, or Etc.) state.
Mate, I been to London a few times and I am often shock on how the Muslim community has imposed their religious beliefs unto your Parliament.
Mate, in a generation the Muslims will hold a majority in Parliament and Sharia will find it's way into society as a whole. Eurabia first, then the rest of the 'free' world.
verbal ≠ nostradamus
Seconded. Where I live most Hasidem act like his (yes always a he) prejudices automatically carry the force of law.
"so over the weekend he actually taped paper over the windows to hide a gay wedding." I find that offensive that a gay wedding has to be covered not to "offend". WTH??? Again this country is not run by religion and I find their request offensive. I could understand if it is a noise complaint or blocking the streets complaint but a bar?
What the hell is wrong with you people? This is New York Fucking City. It was built by liquor and drunks. If the mosque doesn't like that fact then I suggest they move their operations to St. Paul and go screw themselves.
If the reps from the mosque suggested they might not be able to control " a few bad eggs" (hint, hint), then it's time to move the mosque. Rikers Island has some space available.
Get a clue people. The hole in the ground where the World Trade Center stood wasn't caused by bartender.
Am I wrong or is everyone missing the point? This is a legal matter. Regardless of religion, you cannot have a bar (and this means the door of the bar), less than 200 feet from a house of worship. So either the door of the bar is or is not 200 feet.
Do you even know how to read? Don't comment unless you've actually read the article, you twit.
"The law is clear that in order for that to apply it has to be an exclusively dedicated house of worship, and at their space they have both residences and a restaurant, so basically, because of those uses the law allowed there to be a bar within 200 feet. Everyone was aware of that when the liquor license was granted."
then let this go to the courts and SLA you twit.
if it's a legal issue which it sounds like.
there was a situation like this in Tribeca. Residents didn't want a new bar and used the mosque place of worship rule. but the mosque didn't mind having a bar as their neighbor. The mosque was also a library, I believe.
this lawyer is paid handsomely to get liquor licenses.
not sure how that makes me a twit. i'm not preventing it from going to the courts, nor do i have a problem with that.
Not really sure that anyone has called me a twit since I was in pigtails but ok…. I think that you are confusing the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. By inserting the word “exclusive” the SLA is disallowing establishments that are really not places of worship at all (like the Salvation Army). The mosque appears to be pretty exclusively a place of worship. My church has guided tours, a gift shop, non religious concerts and a soup kitchen. There is a parsonage so that's a residence. Is it still exclusively a place of worship? I guess it depends on what the definition of “is” …”is”.
Well, that's certainly a more thought out argument. I guess it's for the courts to decide at this point. My personal view is that religions, especially yours, have had far too much leeway in America (and the world), for far too long. And I think we can all see where that has gotten us:
Jews who ignore the parts of the Torah that might restrict their boundless right to "self-defense", Christians who ignore Christ's teachings of kindness, compassion, and charity to the poor, Muslim who ignore the Quran's inconveniently nonviolent leanings.
I'm not broadsiding ALL religious folk, just the ones flushing the world down the toilet. And they're all "right." Interesting.
Agree to disagree but don't diss Saint John the Divine. It's a haven for gays, the poor and other members of the underserved community. Anyway, Saint John the Divine is the LEAST hard core church in Manhattan. Episcopalians are dubbed religion - light. But the point is that nobody would look at Saint John the Divine and try to argue that it is not an exclusive place of worship.
I didn't "diss" your church. I was very specific in my criticism. Yes, we agree to disagree. It's not my place to decide whether Breslin is in compliance, as you and the honorable JacqueMehoff noted, that's for the courts.
I will be outraged, and express it, whenever I see religious people demanding special privileges or treatment. Especialy when it infringes on the rights and well-being of others. And I disagree with lots of laws already on the books regarding that, frankly, I think religion is treated far too generously in terms of the law.
don't blame me,
this was probably a law giuliani enacted.
and regarding the exclusively for worship clause, don't churches have kitchens or a rectory?
maybe the hotel messed up regarding the law, it happens.
like I said this happened in tribeca to a bar on west broadway, most residents didn't know there was a mosque there. Residents who didn't want the bar invoked the 200 feet rule.
EdithJWharton wrote: "The mosque appears to be pretty exclusively a place of worship. My church has guided tours, a gift shop, non religious concerts and a soup kitchen. There is a parsonage so that's a residence. Is it still exclusively a place of worship?"
The only place of worship is where divine service is held. All the things you mention are ancillary to the work of the church. If your church uses the sanctuary for non-religious concerts and as a residence, then no, it is not exclusively a place of worship. I'd put a bar right next to it. The mosque has, in the same space, residences and a restaurant. They engaged in illegal construction to have that. They are no longer a single use construction but a multiple use one.
Remember Harlem, folks, where every block used to have/maybe still does have a church and a liquor store.
People are arguing here about two different things.
Do I think the bar should be moved? No, I don't. Friedman can and should do whatever the law permits him to do in running a profitable business.
The offense lies in the overall tone of the article. If a Synagogue made a similar request, would the article be called "Jews Threaten Breslin..." I don't think so.
And of course, there's the snickering joke in the last line of the article that if you piss off a Muslim you're inviting a bombing.
Maybe we can have some chicken and watermelon jokes next?
Exactly.
Excuse me, we are getting away from the facts. The fact is that when the bar owner didn't cave to his demands, someone threatened him that they might not be able to control the behavior of a few bad eggs. That's why the article was titled as such, and I'm not sure what planet you're living on. I'm 100% for religious tolerance, but that means religious people must also be tolerant. They have no legal leg to stand on whatsoever, so they resorted to threatening this lawful business owner.
A synagogue didn't make a similar request, but from what I recall there was a pretty similar response of outrage regarding the "too much woman skin!" issue that orthadox Jews had with the hipster cyclists on Kent Ave.
I agree, the tone of the article is pretty nasty and of course gothamist readers will jump in with their own racist innuendo. However let's note that the mosque implied violence toward the bar and we KNOW how much the gothamist staff likes to drink.
Intolerant extremists exist in every religion.
WTF?! Where the hell did the chicken and watermelon joke thing come from? Making a joke about possible terrorism when talking about a mosque threatening someone they don't like may not be nice, but it at east makes sense. Don't just bring up any racial stereotype that comes to mind because you're offended by someone cracking wise about Muslims.
If a rabbi actually threatened the bar owner the way the mosque guy did, yes, the post would use the word "Threaten" in the title.
doubt it, nobody attacks or criticizes the Jews for fear of being labeled "antisemitic"
ditto
Absolutely - the Mosque needs to live and let live, they're part of a community, not a silo. Shame both sides couldn't take a more civil tone - even if you think it was a ridiculous request, I don't think the threats and attitude on either side are very productive toward diffusing things.
JDS is clearly writing to get his page hits up today. That being said, you really can't kowtow to asshole religions, especially if they threaten you with violence, i.e. a brick through your window. He put up a curtain - he was willing to compromise by doing something a bar ordinarily wouldn't do. So what exactly is the remaining problem?
Uhoh, JDS, the PC Police are here and they'd like to take you downtown for hectoring.
ROFL
Move the Mosque.
surely there has to be a story in the modern world where Muslims showed up and made things better. Right?
Ha - imagine that.
Props to Friedman for sticking to his guns, but the malicious, accusatory tone of this article (particularly the sarcastic non-zinger at the end) made me cringe. Then it made me feel ashamed for being an avid Gothamist reader. Then it made me really angry.
This great city is supposed to be about peaceful, tolerant co-existence with lots of people from other backgrounds, John, and you seem to be trying to tear that apart. It is neither fair nor wise to make broad and spiteful accusations (explicit or implied) against an entire group of the human race (in this case, devout Muslims) simply because of the actions of a small few within that group.
I'd also like to add that the way to fight intolerance is not with more intolerance. Please think before you type.
What a rube you are. (Yes, I thought before typing that.)
You guys are funny. If that request was made from a christian church nearly everyone on here would be telling them to go fuck themselves.
Regardless, this isn't Riyadh. So if it's 200 ft, then shut the f up. If it's not, then the owner has a problem. Simple as that.
"But the curtain hasn't arrived yet, so over the weekend he actually taped paper over the windows to hide a gay wedding."
Why the fuck do we have to hide our weddings from a mosque? This is America, the most diverse country on the planet, and if you want to live here and enjoy your personal beliefs and the wealth of our country you will have to be respectuful of all those around you.
I'm going to open a strip club across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral and see if everyone tells me the church is evil when they ask me to move it.
Because strip clubs are just like a marriage between two loving people. Great comparison.
KEN FRIEDMAN
Take down the curtains.
JDS is almost always a dick with his posts. Jen Carlson is an ignorant transplant from god knows where. Jen Chung could use a few lessons in grammar (for a senior editor). And so on and so forth.
And yet I still keep coming back to this site because I run out of websites to visit while at work.
Woah, Islamaphobic much? That last sentence is disgusting. I'm all for freedom of speech, but don't be a dick about it.
I work right by there, and the Ace Hotel is so obnoxiously hipster-ized that I cross to the mosque and church side of the street to avoid it.
Did you conveniently overlook the part where the mosque guy actually threatened the owner of the bar?
No, I think the mosque rep was a dick to that, but then again, we don't have both sides of the story. I'm wondering if JDS even tried to contact someone at the mosque.
"No, I think the mosque rep was a dick to that, but then again, we don't have both sides of the story."
We've been getting their "side" for 13 centuries, and it's consistently violent and retrograde. They should move their mosque back to hell, or koranustan or wherever.
"I'm wondering if JDS even tried to contact someone at the mosque."
Why don't you go get their "side" - be sure and leave them your home tel # and address.
Yes, because if I talk to them they will kill me?! What planet are you people from? Do you actually know any Muslims? I really don't think you do. P.S. Get your math right! Do you even know when Muhammad lived? It was more than 13 centuries ago.
"Yes, because if I talk to them they will kill me?!"
Go ahead and find out. Like I said, BE SURE AND GIVE THEM YOUR # & ADDRESS.
"What planet are you people from? Do you actually know any Muslims? I really don't think you do."
I live 3 blocks from the biggest "mosque" in NYC, you know, the one where the imam blamed the "Joos" for 9/11 before he fled the country.
I've read the koran, and it's a manual for murder of "infidels". Look up "dhimmie"; I am NOT one.
" P.S. Get your math right! Do you even know when Muhammad lived? It was more than 13 centuries ago."
The psycho, pedophile war–monger and mass-murderer died (not soon enough) in the 7th century. And there hasn't been a year of peace from islam ever since.
And if you want to see what happens when you appease these intolerant psychos, go visit their nieghborhoods in Paris, in Londonistan, or Malmo, Sweden, or Copenhagen, or Rotterdam, or better yet, Atlantic Avenue.
And if you like fislam so much, STAY THERE.
POSTSCRIPT:
RE: "And if you want to see what happens when you appease these intolerant psychos, go visit their nieghborhoods in Paris, in Londonistan, or Malmo, Sweden, or Copenhagen, or Rotterdam, or better yet, Atlantic Avenue."
Add Dearborn Michigan to that list:
10/29/09: Detroit imam killed in shootout with FBI
PPS - For those who can't watch utube at work.
ROPMA...
don't feed the trolls.
That last line is loathsome. And not in a "wow, you're edgy!" way. In a "wow, you're a piece of crap" way.
The Mosque guys sound a bit wound up. Maybe they should have a drink.
What the fuck is the matter with some of you all who think everyone needs to be kissy-kissy with each other?
If it weren't for us assholes, some of you little shits wouldn't even be here.
I'll have to side with the bar in this case. Sorry my Muslim friends, but beer existed for some five Millennia before the birth of my son (And most religions for that matter), and I've enjoyed it since its creation. I guess creating man was good for something after all right?!
You can pray to me (Allah, God, whatever), and enjoy beer brewed from the hops that I sowed the fields with at the same time. An Equitable solution for all those involved.
If you disagree with my judgement, perhaps a small flood or, say, another big bang will change your minds.
I don't believe in you.
lol Like I haven't heard that before.
Once you get to the Pearly Gates and I get Saint Peter to stamp your forehead with the words DENIED, you'll change your tone. Not before Beelzebub gets a whack at you. Satan may be evil but he always makes me laugh.
Good one...
it's about time you showed up. omnipresence my ass.
I usually like to appear as obscure patterns on walls or loafs of bread, but I thought a discussion board would be something new.
I love The Lord!
Next they'll be demanding all women wear burkas anywhere near their. Little by little, we're being cowed into a de facto system of dhimmitude. Thank goodness the bar owner has the guts to tell these fanatical tyrants off. Political correctness will be the death of freedom in this country.
Great post.
Yes, because all Muslim women wear burqas?!
Why are you people all worried about NYC turning into South Waziristan? How long have you been here, anyways? The area around the Ace Hotel used to be the Tenderloin. It's never going to happen.
I'm glad the owner of the restaurant stood his ground, but JDS doesn't have to be such a dick about it.
Shit, did Ides of March just agree with me? That gives me pause.
this bar is in the middle of f*cking manhattan. any group trying to shut down a bar in the middle of manhattan is a dbag, plain and simple. doesn't matter what religion, race or whatever else it is that brings the group together.
and i can't believe the windows were covered for a wedding, though i'd imagine that was done more with an eye towards preventing harassment of the grooms and guests than for the benefit of the intolerant neighbors.
and when did calling someone out for a threat of violence become improper? JDS's tone was too harsh? maybe next time he should use emoticons instead. would that be ok?
The people who object to this post are in the same shameful camp as the sharia-prone neighbors of this bar. This is America where people are free to do as they please so long as they do not violate someone else's rights.
Would those of you objecting to this piece be OK with a bar owner asking a mosque to move or somehow conceal its services because it offends his or her belief that women are not chattel, or hurts our sensibilities because they knew someone who was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks? No. Such a request would rightfully be the object of derision. The mosque's requests should be subjected to the sarcasm it has richly earned.
"welcome to america. now fuck off."
Wow, way to be neutral Gothamist.
Is the Mosque that unreasonable in asking? If they were there first and believe they are right about the 200 foot rule, then what's the problem with them making a request? Would it have been better for them to just run to court and sue?
If a threat was made then that's a different story. But, there isn't enough in the article to know exactly how anything was phrased. Was it a threat or just someone saying that people might go overboard? The only info. comes from the bar owner.
And, frankly, why did the bar owner feel the need to use profanity when talking to the mosque leader? Would anyone talk to a priest or rabbi like that? I am no fan of organized religion, but unless the Imam came into the situation with an attitude it seems disrespectful.
That being said, the fact that the bar covered the windows seems like an awfully nice gesture here and an attempt to address the concerns of the mosque and the reality of the situation.
ohai~~~~
"The law is clear that in order for that to apply it has to be an exclusively dedicated house of worship, and at their space they have both residences and a restaurant, so basically, because of those uses the law allowed there to be a bar within 200 feet. Everyone was aware of that when the liquor license was granted."
You're quoting the developer of the bar. I'm not saying he is right or wrong, merely that he has an agenda. If there was an identical quote from the zoning board or someone not involved, then I would accept that.
Right, because people on zoning boards are impartial. Gonna correct a misconception: blogs don't need to be objective. You're lost, the New York Times has their own website.
Frankly, if a priest asked me to close my business for a similar reason, I can guarantee I would be incredulous. And in my incredulity, I might damn sure use profanity.
Not really sure what planet you live on, or what country you think this is.
I hate people... all of you.
*hugs*
...ok, well not you hotstepper.
more *hugs*!!!!
...ok weenie... you too. (But... I'm keepin' my eye on you.)
This story was ridiculously one sided. There wasn't a single quotation from a mosque representative. The threat to get a brick through the window is actually the paraphrased interpretation of the bar owner! The mosque never said that. (It just warned that it couldn't control its congregation, which to me is just being realistic.)
The mosque was hopelessly stupid and naive in thinking it could ask someone who had just invested a lot of money opening a legal bar to move. But the writer of this article is still an asshole; that, or he needed a troll post to hit his page views quota. Bonus time maybe oh John Del Signore?
Dear muppets who don't know the difference between bloggers and journalists,
Gothamist is a blog. Most of its posts direct you to articles from news sources, which employ journalists. There you can find all of the balanced or not-balanced content, which may or may not cause you to get your panties in a bunch.
So, stop blaming JDS for not providing the balance you are seeking in his "reporting". He is and always has been snarky in his blog posts. That is his prerogative. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it. Unless, of course, you're one of those people always looking for a reason to be offended.
Thanks for clarifying that some bloggers are assholes. Sorry if any journalists or other real professionals feel dirty or tainted by the association.
So why are you on Gothamist, then?
Journalists? A dying breed
fuck islam, fuck religion trying to control non-religious people. if they want to run the show, they can haul ass back to their sandy backwards countries
i think everyone is making assumptions in regards to this situation. if you were to build a bar , get a liquor license and open for business obviously there is no law broken. this guy definitely dumped a lot of money into this business. im not here to judge the Muslim or the bar owner.each person has his side of the story, but the law is the law and the business owner has a right to do as he pleases as long as it is lawful. people need to stop blowing things out of proportion. someones religious views have nothing to do with business. i am a bar owner in Brooklyn, new york and i would not move my business for anyone s religious views or any other reason.
Gothamist should never be invited back to the Brian Lehrer Show, that's for sure!
Anything that gets in the way of my drink should be blown to Kingdome Come.
Why is no one outraged at the Muslim that stereotypes his own people?
Great, they covered the windows.
Now they won't see that brick coming until it is through the window and the perpetrator is gone with no witnesses.
Catering to delusion is not good. It is time to stand up to the ancient nonsense of religion.
But the Gothamist Libtard says: "But Muslims are peaceful! Why are infidels so evil and racially profile all the innocent little brown muslim people like this? Amerikkka suckkks!"
This law perplexes me... my house of worship is a bar.
Fuck 'em.
Throw some swine flu at these zealots.
Good for you. We'll do whatever the fuck we want indeed. If they don't like it there are pleny of third world hell holes they can crawl back to. When in Rome asshole.
Somehow I think the one three precinct will be very busy
keeping these two neighbor's apart.
The devil/Satan alcohol bar and the Taxi drivers mosque.
"You can't write stuff like this".
If not for bars, taxi drivers would probably lose about 1/3rd of their business.
Hmmmm...
Someone complains about a business encroaching on their territory, business sez go f--- yourself (in so many words), plaintiff then threatens them with physical harm...
Both parties sound like true New Yorkers to me!
This Gothamist writer sounds like a total dick.
I agree!
This is how it starts... next they'll want building owners to install foot washes in bathrooms.
Then, they'll say that New York City is the 3rd holiest city in Islam.... Oh wait, they already did that with Jerusalem.
The bar owner is in the right and I have no problem with how this article was written. The mosque is in Manhattan and they're going to bitch about a bar being across the street? The 'go fuck yourself' response is appropriate because their request is ludicrous.
Agreed, bravo for the bar owner. I had a business across the street from a mosque. Some of the Muslims thought nothing of parking their cars in my lot. Finally, had to tell them the next time it happened their cars would be blocked in until the police arrived to tow them.
What I didn't understand at the time was the sheer malice in the eyes of some of those Muslims with which I had conversation. I didn't know as a kafir I wasn't allowed to challenge any Muslims behavior. 9/11 was a call for everyone to educate themselves about Islam, by your comments many of you are woefully ignorant. And I would hazard to guess, willfully so.
I'm a tolerant lefty, but fuck these assholes. Good for the bar owner and good for JDS.
Go back to North Waziristan if you want to ban other people from drinking and leave this open society the F alone. Try not to abuse your women in the process you entitled pricks.
How about I don't serve or drink alcohol within 200 feet of you if you stop beating your women and looking down upon the rest of humanity?
Ronald said: "What I didn't understand at the time was the sheer malice in the eyes of some of those Muslims with which I had conversation. I didn't know as a kafir I wasn't allowed to challenge any Muslims behavior."
You're dead right, Ronald. In their eyes, we have no right to respond to anything they do because their being followers of Mohammed mean they are superior to us. To their mind, when they kill us, we should not respond with anything but submission to them. That is why bin Laden and company did not expect the response they got after 9/11. That is why the huge outrage and the sending of jihadis into Iraq and Afghanistan. Their attitude is you are subservient to us; we can kill you, slap you around, force our views on you, determine the way you live, deprive you of life liberty and the pursuit of happyness and you must take it because you're not Muslim. Ask the Copts of Egypt how true Ronald's statement is. The posters on this list who don't understand the enemy in our midst are willfully blind morons.
he hung the paper with mosquing tape
*ack*
If the bar owner is smart he'll start carrying a gun at ALL times. These Muzzies WILL kill you and "go to heaven" for doing it. Islam is the enemy of mankind, and you better get used to that because if you don't, we are all doomed. Here is one girl who is doomed because the morons in the justice system think they are just dealing with a "runaway" when the ex Muslim girl herself tells everyone she WILL BE KILLED if force to return home. Count on it, she will be killed if her father gets her back:
FULL STORY
Reroute the "Heritage of Pride Parade" past that place.
wonder how this will end...
If I were the bar owner of the new soon to be not trendy
Ace Hotel, I would put on the side of my hotel wall facing
the "taxi driver" mosque ,a big illuminated bottle of
Schmirnov Vodka.
It was OK for these Muslim's that own several building together where this mosque resides to almost have these
buildings collapse when they were doing illegal construction on them.The DOB closed them down for several
months till they became code compliant.
I don't know...I felt it was pretty respectufl that he ordered curtains and pappered the windows.
Friedman response is quite right. You're in America and we can do what the f*** we want. Muslims are always demanding concessions that bring us in to line with their ideology, yet, they make none to appease our sensibilities. It would be nice if they would stop hating, threatening, flag-burning, complaining, accusing us of bias and discrimination. It would be even nicer if they would respect our laws and not force their ideology upon us. So they say they don't drink. Good for them. We do. Leave us alone. If they don't like the presence of a bar, don't look at it. Just live and let live. No threats. No injuries. Else, if they bring a brick, we bring a gun. Then they'll understand loud and clear that this is America and we can do what the f*** we want.
The bar owner was totally justified in his response. The Muslim was being highly offensive by walking in there and asking him to move his bar, because it was against his utterly unprovable delusions that some god named "Allah" runs everything.
Make no mistake: walking in there and asking the owner to "move" his bar is a hostile and aggressive act. If you think it was a polite request you have much to learn about islam and bullying. The bar owner was standing up to the bullying.
How would you apologists here like it if I walked into your business and demanded you MOVE IT because my flying spaghetti monster god demands it?? This is the equivalent of what happened. It's highly offensive, confrontational and thuggish.
Do you realize what would be involved in "moving" the bar? Do you realize the magnitude of the task being requested of the bar owner? The costs? The time? The lost business?? Hello?!!
To all of you who are going on about the bar, the issue is not at all about alcohol. It's about pork! I followed one of the links to the Observer article and discovered this money quote: "After the recent FergusStock, a festival during which famed British chef Fergus Henderson cooked whole pigs for a rapt crowd of New York chefs and foodies, Mr. Friedman said the mosque’s leaders called a meeting with the hotel. “They said, ‘Can you move the bar?’”"
The Muslim objection came only after FergusStock and the cooking of whole pigs. That the bar serves alcohol is a problem for them, but the pigs! Oy vey! The pigs!!
Muslims are not content to let other people live their own lives. Jews don't eat pork, and they don't bug our ass about it either. Live and let live.
I think the bar owner covering the windows is about as much respect for the customs as can be expected. I think enforcing drunk & disorderly in the area should be strictly enforced as well. Other then that it is hard to impose standards on a society built on different values.
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Hi, I just wanted to comment about "religious freedom". You are guaranteed the freedom of religion in the United States constitution. This means that the state shall not choose which religion you practice. This only restricts the state. This does not mean that people have to respect your religion. At most, the state is respecting peoples 'right to choose' religion individually, without restriction from the state.
As far as the zoning law in the city; there is a street where I live that has a christian church, catholic monestary, jewish cynagog, and an islomic mosque in the same block, and I have always felt that this area must have been zoned for bombing.
I hope people here can tolerate my ignorance of correct spelling and arbitrary rules of grammar.
NICKFROMSPACE
John, let's not get nuts with the "infidel" and "Yeah, heh, what are these devout, pissed-off Muslims gonna do?" comments. You're not helping tolerance here. I am not allowed to park in front of churches but I'm not going to assume the people that go to the church are going to blow up a Planned Parenthood.
These assholes make all Muslims look bad.... The religion is all about tolerance' isn't it? They are soo wound up in their little archaic worlds that they think passing by a bottle of Patron will make them go to hell when they die.. Idiots...
I'm not sure about this article. I think I agree with a lot of people here, the author of the article did a terrible job.
The Ace hotel now has plants in front of the windows
so the Arabs do not have to be offended,that's a
concession,what's next? mirrored glass?
The Co-op 1200 Broadway next to this" taxi driver mosque"
surely has owners that cook pig meat,guess they will have to move.
Holy crapola! this is the BIG apple...the city that never sleeps. Get a life and get over it Mr Muslim!
Kim :)
It's like the local weight watchers to ask a bakery to not put cakes in the window. I respect the choices of others but this is a bulging metropolis. don't make the mistake of confusing a few idiot muslims with the gentle faith of islam.