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Sides Square Over Proposed Downtown Mosque Site

Yesterday, two groups of protesters faced off over the controversial mosque and community center proposed for 45-47 Park Place. Hundreds of people were there—the anti-mosque folks had props (a fake missile) and a patriotic mix tape (yes, "Born on the U.S.A." was included). Here's a sampling of what was shouted or written on signs:
  • Supporters: "America! When did it become OK to be a bigot!" "Hallowed ground, that's a lie!" Opponents: "Obama, your middle-name is Hussain [sic], we understand. Bloomberg, what's your excuse." [Daily News]
  • Supporters: "Fascists get out!" "Stop the fear and hate." Opponents, while chanting "USA!": "No clubhouse for terrorists." [NY Post]
  • "Thousands of people died here. I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but just because you have the right to do something doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do."—Jersey City resident Bob Brennan [NY Post]
  • "It’s a disgrace to have a mosque at this sacred site."—Kali Costas, Tea Party member [NY Times]
  • "Land of the free. Stop sharia before it stops you." "No mosque here. Preserve the dignity of our loved ones killed on 9/11." [CNN]
  • "The mosque shouldn't be here! ...There is an un-Godly, unholy thing gonna go up two blocks away from this site. Absolutely not!"—Barry Bledsoe, a West Virginia resident who brought his 9-year-old son to the protest [Daily News]
  • "We support religious freedom but at some point in our lives, we have to have a little common sense, and a little sensitivity."—retired firefighter Daryl Patterson [WCBS 2]
The Times also noted that one supporter of the project, medical student Michael Rose, held a sign that said, "Religious tolerance is what makes America great": "An argument broke out, punctuated by angry fingers pointed in the student’s face. One man, his cheeks red, leaned in and hissed that if the police were not present, Mr. Rose would be in danger." The police took Rose away; later on, the red-cheeked man apologized, "You have a right. I am sorry for what I said to you. I disagree with you completely, but you have a right." Good times!
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By Jen Chung in on August 23, 2010 9:28 AM

Comments [rss]

  • John L

    Times are bad and the American public needs an adversary to kick around and keep them entertained. A few weeks ago immigrants were public enemy #1 but then Bloomberg, Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of Disney and their billionaire friends got together and said "we need immigrant workers" so now they found a better villain that stirs even more emotions. So while these idiots sit here and plot against this insignificant mosque the Top 1% keeps looting this country.

    The Top 1% keeps moving the jobs overseas and then lobbying for more and more tax loopholes and everyone wonders why things are so bad. No jobs for Americans, no tax revenue for the U.S. It's simple economics 101.

    But as long as they keep the mindless busy debating non-issues then they can keep looting this country.

  • wow 14th street

    Muslim Lite pickets downtown for this

    propaganda center,Muslim Lite does not protest

    anything about Mecca being in the totalitarian chop yo' head off Saudi Arabia....... Cool!

    No Construction company will build this Center

    on Park Place that is after years of litigation

    is settled in our fair court system.

    In any event we need Muslim Lite for the future

    CPA's of the world and 24 hr supermarts at gas

    stations.

    Liberals also are against this in your face building

    that belongs in DOOOO BYE...whoops!... Dubai

    What would Samuel Beckett do?

  • jjazznola

    Playing "Born In The USA" just shows what idiots some of these people are. This whole "sacred or hallowed ground" is nonsense. People have died all over the city yet there are houses of worship, museums, businesses, libraries etc everywhere. What makes this different? How close is too close? 2 blocks? 5 blocks? There already is a mosque downtown that no one even seems to notice. It's private property. They can build whatever they want. Grow up people. We have much bigger problems than this!

  • sharpshoota

    These idiots that were protesting against the mosque yesterday are the same as the folks that used to burn crosses and wear sheets over their heads. Whether they believe it or not. They believe that they are more american than muslim americans. Whites are scared that they are losing the country. White people that don't even live here protesting this nonsense. Why don't we go casing down italian american catholics in the streets since their "fathers" have been molesting youth for decades. Why? It wouldn't be fair. Obviously, fairness only applies to whites. People that believe that this issue isn't rife with racism are completely stupid!

  • SPs Ghost

    Sushi restaurants AT PEARL HARBOR!!!1!eleven!

    http://maps.google.com/maps?near=Pearl+Harbour,+HI&geocode=CUIgoA4APZhGFSGvRQEdxH2V9im548pGdWUAfDF3l8M_eoSSqw&q=sushi&f=l&sll=21.344033,-157.9751&sspn=0.05628,0.063601&ie=UTF8&hq=sushi&hnear=&ll=21.356856,-157.971039&spn=0.108554,0.127201&z=13

    This is HALLOWED GROUND. These goddam nips have no sensitivity, and these sushi restaurants are VICTORY sushi bars. They will surely be planning more attacks on us there.

  • wsanders
  • Jen S

    I assume the irony of the "Proudly Made in USA" missile is lost on the anti-"mosque" crowd.

  • Tricksta

    Was that missile from the "for-" or "anti-" crowd? What's it supposed to mean? All it says to me is that someone's got a bad case of penis envy...

  • BillyShears

    I'd like to thank Sarah Palin and the Tea Party and that blogger chick whose name I can't even bother to remember for whipping this up into a national issue. Because if any subject is going to destroy a political movement on the national stage, it's going to be perceived religious intolerance.

    So, you know, an ass-backwards "Bravo!" for slitting your own political wrists. See you in never.

  • robingee

    Blogger chick = Pamela Gellar. She's just a terrible, terrible person.

  • spiritross

    How many victims from the wtc tragedy were Muslim, there had to have been some?

    Not sure where I stand with this but, to all the republican crazies that aren't from nyc... there already is a mosque a 4 blocks away on Warren and W. Broadway (2 block farther than this proposed place).

  • bizzarospeak

    the bigots have faild, there is already a mosque downtown. It's been here since the 1970's. It sorry to burst your bubble guys.

  • youngpro

    typical 9/11'ers...just like whacko Cons: can't answer a question without using the word 'but.'

  • robingee

    "Everyone I know has a big but." - Pee Wee Herman

  • Såkandulæredet

    I think i agree with the Muslims in the earlier NY Times who said they wished the project had never been proposed in the first place. If the Imam wanted to 'initiate a dialogue and build bridges' choosing this 'Park51' in an area so close to the towers, and also the exact spot where the landing gear crashed down, then it was a very poor choice.

    If, on the other hand, the real reason is to incite this kind of response and stir up these kinds of passions, then it's a good choice and it's doing precisely that.

    Anyway, now that the project has been proposed and is pretty much a go, it's a very tough situation. If they back down and move it somewhere else, then people can say they are "capitulating to the bigots", if they leave it where it is, people will say, "they have no respect".

    What really gets me is the self-righteousness both sides have in this debate.

  • In the same vein, Let me ask you something: When did you stop beating your wife?

    What you posed above is pretty much the same thing as my ridiculous question.

  • handsomedevil

    If the Imam wanted to 'initiate a dialogue and build bridges' choosing this 'Park51' in an area so close to the towers...

    Now, this is something that kind of gets lost. I think the organizers actually DID want to be close to the site, not as a big FU or a monument of triumph (motives for which there is no evidence whatsoever) but rather to be "a part of the conversation" at ground zero.

    They say the whole point is to represent a moderate Islam that is tolerant of other faiths and does not support terror. They have included plans for a 9/11 memorial within the center. The center is their way of saying "we're not all like that."

    This is something that should be supported, not demonized. It's good. Until the idiotic right started flogging it it wasn't controversial at all. Frankly, at this point I wish New York would say "you know what, fuck you, not only are we not moving them, but we're inviting them right onto the WTC site."

  • VanessaNYC

    "What really gets me is the self-righteousness both sides have in this debate."

    If by "self-righteous" you mean that one side is defending the rights set out by our constitution then, yeah, those who support the Muslim community center are pretty "self-righteous."

  • TimSPC

    He has initiated dialogue and built bridges with me. Because of this controversy, I have tried to learn more about Sufism.

  • Sinchy

    On the Aug 17th Brian Lehrer show

    http://beta.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2010/aug/17/

    Brian interviewed two leaders of 911 family groups, Colleen Kelly, co-founder of September 11th Peaceful Tomorrows, and Peter Gadiel, Founder of the 9/11 Families for a Secure America Foundation. The differences between the two perspectives was vast.

    Kelly, who was pro Park51, had an attitude of hope and constructiveness bounded in fact and reality while Gadiel was defensive, obstinate and just sounded so afraid.

    When played a clip of Daisy Kahn explaining how the funding would be conducted, Gadiel implied that all Muslims are liars and can't be trusted. He seems paranoid.

    Give it a listen and you will really see the difference between rational debate and reflexive xenophobia.

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