From this New York Times story, the reaction appears to be mixed. Said Malik Nadeem Abid, a Brooklyn insurance agent:
It was not a politically smart move, from my perspective. No one wants a center in downtown Manhattan that stands as a permanent fixture of this terrible tension.
Yet the decision has been made, he said, “and we can’t let the loudest voices dictate what happens.” Still, he added, if the center were built 5 or 10 blocks away, as some people have proposed, “I don’t think it would matter very much.”
The range of opinions, the story says, reflects the diversity of Muslims in America.
And thanks, Bro. Sensei, for the link.
Dating Jesus 
Someone’s trying to mislead all us God-fearing Christian-Americans. Everyone knows that all 1 billion Muslims hold exactly the same beliefs about everything.{snark off}
(Snark on!)
from the NYTimes story:
“Because the festivities marking the end of Ramadan this year will occur close to Sept. 11, Mr. Habeeb asked that residents not misinterpret the party atmosphere at the mosque on that final evening, when more than 1,000 people are expected to share a meal and exchange gifts.
“It will not mean that we are celebrating the 9/11 attacks,” he said. “It sounds strange to have to say this, I know. But in this climate you can’t be too careful.”
And the really sad part? It won’t matter a bit that he has said this. FOX, Beck, Palin, Limpburger, and the rest of the 9/12ers will still have their field day. If they were to pass up thie opportunity, they’d have to wait another 11? 19? years for Eid al-Fitr to come around in September again.
This was an excellent article by Paul Vitello. As I read Pervaz Akhtar and A. Chowdhry’s comments I wondered if they too will labeled as bigots? Perhaps the word coward will appear or maybe xenophobic. I hope that nobody here calls these two people names because of what they believe. I enjoyed Mr. Akhtar’s comments the best “If they want to put it ten blocks away that’s fine.” He added “I believe in compromise.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Ten blocks is acceptable? Why not 15? If 15 blocks is acceptable, why not 18? If 18 is okay, why not 25?
Sharon,
I didn’t say ten blocks…Mr. Akhtar did. Did you see how he used the word “compromise?”
Do you in heart of hearts truly think that building this center on Ground Zero is going to sit well with firefighters and police + all of the victims’ survivors? Simply move it away from Ground Zero, NYC find a way to cover the hole, …end of story. The mosque is built, the ugly reminder of 9/11 is covered over and everyone is happy. Mayor Bloomberg and Obama are taking huge body blows on this topic…and it’s not just Republicans and Fox News that throwing the punches.
Why don’t we just level a few square miles around the former site of the World Trade Center and be done with it? Would another strip club be sufficiently respectable at Park51? My guess is no. Let everyone who thinks that the WTC site is sacred ground all chip in the bucks to buy the surrounding property and close it off as a memorial.
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/08/20/our-lecturer-in-chief/
It’s not “on” Ground Zero. And it’s not a mosque.
But you already know this.
Yes, yes he does.
And I’m against compromising with ignorance and stupidity.
What ChrisB. said.
Skimming through the past couple of days’ worth of newspapers, I came across an article that suggested that GOP leaders (the real ones) are a little nervous about the bullshit being spread thickly about this building. They’re concerned that it’s going to cover over serious issues that affect everyone, not just the group that’s effectively and intentionally freaking out about this.
I’ll bet we’ve all forgotten all about the bill that the Rethugs voted down, to extend aid to the first responders and their families, haven’t we?
Well, most of us haven’t. But I’ll bet than anyone who relies on FOX for their news source has forgotten.
Not forgotten at ALL. We have to lay some blame at the feet of some Democrats too, though, because they insisted on a 2/3 vote rather than a majority, (supposedly) so that they wouldn’t be embarrassed about the tax-issues the bill addressed as they face the election season. At least as I understood it.
I thought they chose the alternate rules so that tax-cut amendments could not be tacked on, as the Rs are wont to do with every bill.
No, I THINK hidden in the bill was a plan to close some tax loopholes for companies doing business from offshore addresses. And the Repubs were crying about adding taxes! And threatening jobs! And and … oh and one guy said that the 9/11 rescue workers were there to save lives, not to raise taxes. All that reported in the Jon Stewart report called “I Give Up.” As I recall.
Right, right! How could I have forgotten? “There’s people stranded on the 89th floor, but before I go up there, you gotta promise me, McClusky, that this will not affect the Swiss pharmaceuticals companies’ offshore tax status!”
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-august-4-2010/i-give-up—9-11-responders-bill
There are good people in the Republican party. There are good people in the Democratic one. It’s just that some of the bad people are getting too much air play these days. Here’s someone who’s showing some brains on the issue: http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/usnews/politics/4332-gov-christie-warns-republicans-over-ground-zero-mosque-flak
A comment, verbatim, from DJ’s thenewamerican link:
“No liberal tollerence
Despite what all they say liberals are the most intollerent bunch around and musilms what to kill all the christians”
Alrighty then! Pogo wuz right: we have seen the enemy, and they is us!
I’m shocked! Shocked! Shouldn’t that be “ALL musilms what to kill all the christians”?
Tolerate the intolerant. I just do not get that equation.
Did anyone post this here yet? I forget.
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/outrage-over-plans-to-build-library-next-to-sarah-palin-201008193017/
Just noticed this. Funny! I mean in a …. snarky …. mean-spirited …. intolerant …. ungenerous kind of way!