House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (CBS 2) — President Barack Obama said Wednesday he has “no regrets” about speaking out about the so-called ground zero mosque, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have some.
CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer reports she is being roundly attacked here for what some call “un-American” remarks about those opposing the mosque.
On Wednesday Pelosi became the latest politician embroiled in the ground zero mosque controversy with what can only be regarded as eye-popping remarks.
“There is no question that there is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some and I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded,” Pelosi said.
Families of the 9/11 tragedy immediately jumped all over the top House Democrat.
“I think it’s outrageous. She’s investigating 9/11 families whose sons were murdered on 9/11 rather than look at foreign entities that sponsor terrorism? I think she has her priorities mixed up and she’s lost her mind,” said Jim Riches, a former firefighter who lost his son in the World Trade Center attacks.
“They can look into all our funding. We’re regular families, regular citizens, like people who protested in 1776. We’re ordinary citizens and she’s coming out against us because we disagree with her.”
Actually, a lot of people disagree with building a mosque at ground zero.
A new Siena poll found that 63 percent of New Yorkers don’t want the mosque built near ground zero. Only 27 percent support it.
However, 64 percent of voters support the right of the developer to build the mosque at ground zero compared to 28 percent who say they don’t.
Congressman Peter King, who wants to see the mosque built someplace else, was appalled by Speaker Pelosi’s remarks.
“This is absolutely disgraceful what Nancy Pelosi is doing. This is an attempt to stifle free speech,” Rep. King said.
King said Pelosi doesn’t understand that the people opposing the mosque are real people with real losses.
“This is an entirely spontaneous, grassroots level from people who suffered on Sept. 11 that are now suffering again as this mosque just tears their wounds open and pours salt into it. That’s what this movement is,” he said.
When it became clear that Pelosi’s remarks were attracting attention, her office issued a clarification, but it didn’t change much.
In the new statement, she said “We should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center.”
Pelosi’s comments and the whole idea of the mosque are not sitting well with the leader of the New York Archdiocese. Archbishop Timothy Dolan called Wednesday for a “prudent compromise” to move the mosque to another location.
And Dolan is even offering to help broker the deal.
Dolan compared the so-called mosque controversy to the Carmelite nuns wanting to put a convent near the Auschwitz concentration camp. Pope John Paul II intervened and the convent found another home.
“John Paul II said why don’t we get together civilly, thoughtfully, and with dignity and maybe decide a good solution. And he’s the one who said let’s keep the idea and maybe move the address. It worked there, it might work here,” Dolan told Kramer.
Dolan, the leader of 2.5 million Catholics, said he wants to see a “prudent compromise” and he offered himself as a mediator to bring the developer Sharif el-Gamal, the 9/11 families and other interested parties to the table to work out a compromise.
“If I can be a part, say but the word. In a kind of backdoor way I think we already are,” Dolan said.
Some 9/11 families welcome the archbishop’s intervention.
“I think this is what they should have done long ago. I think it’s right. They should have all the parties come together, talk it over, come to some kind of compromise and I think the Muslim community will be shown an olive branch by trying to move the location and I think it will work out better for everyone,” Riches said.
“There is a clear relationship, a definite analogy between the Carmelite nuns at Auschwitz and the mosque at ground zero. Absolutely. Because there were Catholics killed in the Holocaust but it was primarily Jews. Yes, there were Muslims killed at ground zero but the fact is it was an attack carried out by radical Muslims and to have a mosque within 560 feet of ground zero of hallowed ground is the height of insensitivity,” Rep. King added.
King said he would like to see everyone at the table talking compromise.
“The Muslim leadership should realize that while having a mosque serves as a useful purpose, having it at ground zero is the worst location for it is causing insensitivity. It’s causing suffering and anguish. I think Archbishop Dolan is entirely right,” he said.
There was no response from the mosque developers to request for comment on Archbishop Dolan’s suggestions or his offer to mediate a compromise.
There was also no word on when the governor will meet with the developers.








35 Comments
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The question should be Who is funding Pelosi?
September 6, 2010 at 11:07 pm
I was a democrat. The party left me..I did not leave the party. We have unreconcilible differences..so now I’m a republican.
Nancy Pelosi just does not get it. Harry Reid just does not get it.
The democrat party is now the American mouthpiece for Islam.
August 31, 2010 at 4:08 pm
The courts in michigan ruled that dearborn mosques could broadcast the “call to prayer” on loudspeakers on the outside of the mosques for everyone to hear (even if you don’t want to hear it) the same michigan courts ruled against manger scenes or nativity scenes anywhere on city or state/federal property in dearborn michigan and I think this should be reported on since there is a double standard here of monumental proportions.
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2ZQ2_American_Moslem_Society_Dearborn_Mosque_Michigan
The difference between the “call to prayer” on loudspeakers and a manger scene at the fire department is you can avoid the manger scene at the fire department or not look at it but you cannot escape the “call to prayer” on loudspeakers in your home or at work or eating at a diner it’s unavoidable for non-muslims and this needs to be talked about from this so called tolerant religion.
The dearborn michigan muslims want to erect a statue of helen thomas too by the way and nobody is talking about this either and I just see a helen thomas statue as making a point that they don’t like israel that’s what this is about.
August 23, 2010 at 8:33 pm
whatever happens happens coz the end of the world is going to come soon anyways.
que sera sera, whatever will be, the future will soon for us to see, que sera, sera.
may God bless America till the end.
August 20, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Nancy Peloser is oblivious to the fact of how this oranization pulls 100 million dollars out of there pocket for this building, but she questions who is funding the oppostion to the building.
Mrs Peloser thats an easy one The American People. Now you find out were the 100 million is coming from?
Iran , yeman , Syria , Hamas just a few ideas for you.
August 20, 2010 at 12:22 pm
umm syria is a secular state ruled by alawait muslims, whom are not liked by sunnis. i bet you cant even locate it on the map. Iran is shai, yemen doesnt have money to feed its people and hamas is made up of hundreds of starving palestinians. The money you talk about might be funded by your allies in the region who happen to be the most radical of muslims. but hey you are another ignorant america who probably doesnt know anything other than your city.
August 24, 2010 at 6:54 am
Poor Nancy..I believe that poor lady could be brainwashed into believing wearing dynamite vests is fashionable.
August 31, 2010 at 4:10 pm
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@eljr, please let me know when we can start building Christian churches in Mecca.
August 19, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Just Nancy getting her Il Duce on. Nothing to see here, move along
August 19, 2010 at 12:03 pm
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She even looks like she may actually have ice water running through her veins.
Almost inhuman….
August 19, 2010 at 8:51 am
Can we all please vote republican next time. And the funny thing is that I am a democrat but these guys in office are just crazy
August 19, 2010 at 1:39 am
Pelosi is a truther – just like Van Jones and the imam Rauf.
August 19, 2010 at 12:40 am
brokeback osama is tolerant and diverse
August 18, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I think Jennifer Anniston said it best when she spoke of her ex-husband doing a magazine spread of a happy family with his new girlfriend after 10 years of marriage.“There’s a sensitivity chip that’s missing,” Aniston says of Pitt.
Ground Zero is a burial ground of loved one’s who were brutally murdered by radical Muslims. New York City is a big plus. C’mon build somewhere else.
This to me is a no brainer. I’m deeply saddened that this is not for others.
August 18, 2010 at 9:03 pm
“They can look into all our funding. We’re regular families, regular citizens, like people who protested in 1776. We’re ordinary citizens and she’s coming out against us because we disagree with her.”
Then you shoud understand how ‘ordinary citizens’ who are Muslim feel when they are mischaracterized, and are viewed as suspects.
August 18, 2010 at 8:55 pm
The opposition to the mosque is being “funded”? Is she a nut job or what? Boxer, Reid, Frank, that entire crowd needs to retire to bedlam. Obama couldn’t navigate his way to an ice cream truck let alone a political firestorm. These are HIS partners in crime.
August 18, 2010 at 7:14 pm
I must consent that the developer has the right to build in that location. Rights are what set our country apart in this world. I do think, however, that there are probably better locations in which to build, especially if the desire is to build good relations with those in NYC and this country. In this case, it seems to be more a matter of what is being built: a religious institution or better relations. Is it more important to be right about something, or even to insist upon one’s rights; or to be right with somebody?
August 18, 2010 at 6:43 pm
this represents this government placing this particular belief above all others destroying the hearts of those who lost loved ones and making out like we are at peace with this particular faith on this earth and we are not at peace with them for the wars are ongoing our military is still active ..it is deception and a lie…we have degraded the American public and make a mockery of the loss we felt during 9/11 and now a mockery of America and for the God we say in which we stand….to investigate families that have been so severely injured is trouble waitng and wanting to happen it is pure ignorance …
August 18, 2010 at 6:42 pm
She’s the Czarina!
August 18, 2010 at 6:35 pm
As we approach the anniversary of September 11 everyone should be reminded of what happened that day. Perhaps the mosque does not want the name of those who died be heard over the loud speaker: http://www.lockergnome.com/jfk/2009/09/10/september-11-2001-my-story/
August 18, 2010 at 6:26 pm
palosi is as corrupted as any government official has ever been. What’s more, it gets worse, she has the iq of george w.
August 18, 2010 at 6:21 pm
Nazi Pelosi is insane – she has no business in politics she hails from the most liberal area (Greater San Francisco Cali) in all the USA, she represents a select few spooks and whacko liberals and not the interest of the majority of the common people of the use.
August 18, 2010 at 6:19 pm
about time the real true colors are showing! she is a power hungry nut case also and the more of the citizens that know it the better, have fun now Pelosi your day in the sun is almost over and then the minority seat will be yours!
August 18, 2010 at 6:32 pm
MISS P is nuts.
August 18, 2010 at 6:08 pm
She lost her mind a really, really long time ago.
August 18, 2010 at 6:01 pm
My goodness folk’s.
If someone you loved is shot – should they stop making guns? If someone you love is stabbed – should they stop making knives? If someone you love is hanged – should they stop making ropes? If someone you love overdoses – should they stop making drugs? Get real please. These folk’s have the right to build what they want on there property. That’s it’s located TWO BLOCKS from ground zero makes no difference.
August 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm
My goodness eljr… would you have any problem with a Nazi community center only two blocks from the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau? In your misguided efforts to be “open minded” you have lost sight of practical reality.
Sharia law, and in fact Islam itself, is antithetical to our constitutional republic. I wish I could find it, but one of our founders, I think it was Jefferson, wrote about this. In essence he described the foolishness of taking a principle so far that it became destructive.
This is what you are blithely doing now; being so nice and inclusive that you are inviting in the enemy. Do you actually believe they will think you are commendable? To them you are a useful idiot.
To me you are not useful.
An open mind is a cesspool of thought. If you do not have the wisdom and discernment to understand some basic truths just stay away from the voting booth. We may not be able to withstand one term of Obama. God forbid it becomes two.
August 18, 2010 at 7:12 pm
You obviously have no clue about the stains of 9/11. Where were you that day? I know that I was running for my life.
August 19, 2010 at 1:55 pm
@eljr ~ You obviously have no clue about the stains of 9/11. Where were you that day? I know that I was running for my life.
August 19, 2010 at 1:57 pm
What would you expect from another democrat who is anti-American
August 18, 2010 at 5:35 pm