Newt Gingrich Will Permit Mosque Uptown!

Great news, Muslims! Our arbiter of all things American, Newt Gingrich, has decreed that you may build a mosque on the island of Manhattan! There's just one condition: It has to be far away from the World Trade Center site. How far is far enough? Newt says near Central Park is permissible, or maybe up around Manhattanville. Last night Gingrich elaborated on what Matt Yglesias has called the "mosque exclusion zone" during an interview an interview on Fox:

You know, there are over a hundred mosques in New York City. I favor religious freedom. I'm quite happy if they'd come in and said, "We want to build a community center near Central Park, we'd like to build a community center near Columbia University." But they didn't. They said right at the edge of a place where, let's be clear, thousands of Americans were killed in an attack by radical Islamists.

Daily Intel has put together a handy map showing Newt's No Mosque Zone, ballooning out in an 80 block radius from Ground Zero. The area outside that zone will be ceded to Islam, and any real American leaving the safe zone is advised that he or she will likely encounter individuals who are, in Gingrich's words, "very hostile to our civilization."

The Landmarks Preservation Commission has not yet ruled on whether the building the mosque would replace deserves landmark status. But last night Community Board 1 voted 24-to-11, with two abstentions, to recommend that the city's Landmarks deny historic designation for the building at 45-47 Park Place. Before the vote, there was the requisite ranting from the public. Stuart Kaufman of Great Neck, Long Island, declared that "this is not just a local issue. It was America that was attacked on 9/11."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on July 28, 2010 1:55 PM

Comments [rss]

ANGRYGOD11

Maybe Newt can point out where in The Constitution non-Moslems have the right to not feel icky about mosques.

BTW, this is not a federal matter. Doesn't NY have better laws protecting religious freedom?

robingee

Making them build it "far away from the WTC" site means nothing. It's so stupid. Shut up, Newt!

pmckcon1

It's NOT a mosque. It's similar to a Y or JCC.

"It is designed as a multi-use complex with a space set aside for prayer -- no minarets, no muezzin calls to prayer blaring onto Park Place."

Clyde Haberman of the New York Times

jpeditor

Clyde Haberman, CHIEF DHIMMIE OF THE NY SLIMES.

/fixed it.

Splicer

Is this cockmouth still talking? Shut up, Newt, and go write another shitty novel about Hitler winning the war.

Polite New Yorker

The government has no right to determine if a mosque can be built near Ground Zero. If the supporters of this mosque have someone willing to sell them property for this and abide by all proper zoning regulations etc., it's none of the government's business. Public outrage at this mosque will be fierce and well-earned and public officials accusing opponents of "Islamophobia" will hopefully be voted out of office. But opponents are wrong to seek a government ban on the project or a "mosque-free zone."

RoboticInsides

Exactly what I've been saying. If they are able to buy the property, they can build it.

Guest

What if it was bought with 'blood' money? Just wondering.

flowerpower

Hey HowBoutDemCowboys, what you mean by blood money? If you mean money from Saudi Arabia, then I'm afraid everyone who has an account or mortgage with Citibank is also guilty. See: http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/20/news/companies/citi_stake/index.htm?postversion=2008112021

Oh, and same goes for all viewers of Fox News. See: http://www.prwatch.org/node/8906 (a substantial share owned by one of the Saudi princes, Prince bil Talal).

But I suppose Gulf money is all good if it supports Americas dying finance sector or goes to support the genuis that is Glenn Beck. Quit making juvenile arguments and educate yourself, or better yet, just shut up.

Guest

I asked a question, that's all. You can take your own advice if you believe everything the liberal media tells you. Me, I don't listen to either side of the media because it's no longer about the truth, it's about the truth as the "journalist" sees it. I hate our government and do not support anything it does involving needless bloodshed. So, take your prejudice (yes, that's what it is when you judge me based on my avatar or whatever it is in your head that makes you think I'm something I'm not) and shut up yourself.

psquire

oh hell yes, flowerpower, well put.

SP's Ghost

"public officials accusing opponents of 'Islamophobia' will hopefully be voted out of office."

Why bother with such a silly thing as "voting" when it's clear what you really want is to just skip straight to the pitchforks and torches stage.

jpeditor

I suggest either giving them Gracie Mansion or grab a piece of nearby Carl Schurz Park and letting them build a 50 story mosque there.

Bloomberg won't mind.

Anything less than 50 stories would deny them the right and ability to store enough weapons and explosives for koranus training, and if you deny them that training, then you are just a joo-loving, anti-muslim racist.

robingee

Joo are an idiot.

nicemarmot

Did you really say "joo"?

It's like the third grade version of racism...Eric Cartman has a better grasp of the issues than this guy.

jpeditor

Too much irony for you.

bashmentgirl

Every conservative who has an opinion is either racist or pandering to racist people. I would like to hear the opinion of a reasonable, non-pandering conservative.

ddhboy

They exist, but they are being silenced by tea party people. Obama's going to be riding easy in 2012 given how much the republicans have fucked themselves over, especially if these tea party loons actually vote for Sarah Palin in the primaries. Even then I doubt that she'll win the nomination, but it will end up getting just as nasty as the Obama vs Clinton thing.

oinonio

A "reasonable, non-pandering conservative" is about as rare as a white rhino these days...

I think it's high time the rest of America hate NYC again...then they can leave us alone.