Activists Hold Protest At Ground Zero Mosque Site (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (CBS 2) – The political détente long-reserved for 9/11 could be swept away by the debate over the so-called Ground Zero mosque.
Dueling demonstrations are scheduled, but some who lost loved ones on that tragic day are furious.
The city’s annual commemoration of the day the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center has always been a somber affair, restricted to the reading of the names of those who perished and a solemn procession of family members into the pit.
This year, though, the ninth anniversary of 9/11 will be taken over by dueling demonstrations about the controversial proposal to build a mosque and cultural center near Ground Zero.
Those in favor of the mosque are expecting groups from all over the state and the nation to join them, saying the opposition is anti-Islamic.
“Why are we here today? We are here to address the rising tide of ethnic and religious hatred and intolerance that is sweeping our city,” Imam Al-Amin Abdul Latif, president of the Majlis Ash-Shura, said.
The imam is a member of the Islamic Leadership Council of New York, which demonstrated its feelings on the steps of City Hall Thursday. The group plans to join hundreds of others to demonstrate again on September 11. They want the mosque built right where it is — near Ground Zero.
“For people to make me walk by these people – the Muslims murdered my son – to walk by down there, I think it’s another slap in the face to us from the Muslim community when they should be extending an olive branch,” Jim Riches, who lost his firefighter son on 9/11, said.
“This is the epitome of disrespect,” 9/11 first responder Andy Sullivan said. “You’re talking about our sacred ground.”
There will also be a demonstration by those opposed to the mosque. The mayor, a staunch defender of the Constitution, is refusing to block either group.
“We will protect people’s rights to say what they want to say, whether they are in favor or against,” Bloomberg said. “Government just shouldn’t be in that business.”
A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg said both sides have applied for demonstration permits on September 11. The 1st Police Precinct will decide how, when and where each is held.
56 Comments
Similiar Muslim ongoing projects have expressed ” ideals that include service to humanity speaking out against injustice, and promoting a high moral standard amongst society ” through “the implementation of a program that they call
Iqamat-ud-Deen, the establishment of the Islamic system of life. ” The
question is why these issues have not been addressed by the Muslim
community. So I put the question to you to address and answer the issues
September 7, 2010 at 4:38 am
The writing is on the wall.
A mosque with ties to Hamas who wants to open on 9/11/2011 is given the fast track with bells on; while a small 90 yr old church is continually denied work permits to rebuild…
Do the math follow the money.
There is only recognition of GOD if it is a muslim god
What happened to America???
Thank you obama and napoleon bloomberg.
September 2, 2010 at 9:05 pm
The barbarians are forcing this mosque at this location down our throats.
they are not peaceful, nor do they want oitreach.
cordoba. the name siad it all. when they realized we figured it out, it now called park 51 mosque.
liars. our ass hole judas mayor gives them the right to buy a building his close friends own, has sold us out
September 2, 2010 at 8:50 pm
I love the frenchies. They built the Arch de Triump for everyone BUT a frenchy to march through.
They also say they’re the best in humanity, and yet they violate minority rights worst than the commies.
September 2, 2010 at 4:52 pm
if u dont like it than close ur eyes everyone has there religiouse right u might not like it but its the law that americans created so get over it or move to another country there is no point to argew or fight live in love and pice
September 2, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Stupid Americans. Always arguing over something. You guys should just do us a favor and kill each other off. What a great country America is–NOT.
September 2, 2010 at 10:47 am
France would not even exist if it it were not for USA in WW2.
Stay in your hole please
September 2, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Meanwhile, where is the outrage over the Simon Wiesenthal Center which is constructing a sister site to the Los Angeles ‘Museum Of Tolerance’ in Jerusalem?
Sounds like a great idea, you know, tolerance and all. The only problem is they are building the center on occupied Palestinian land. Not a single square inch of Jerusalem legally belongs to the state of Israel. According to the ICC, 2004, ALL of Jerusalem is ‘occupied Palestinian territory’. According to International Law, the acquisition of territory through war is inadmissible. Many Jews live there and are hardly disenfranchised, but the property is not a part of Israel.
As if this were not a big enough insult to the rightful owners of Palestinian land, the center is being built on, get ready for this one, a very holy 1400 year old Muslim cemetery where friends of the Prophet and 50,000 soldiers of Saladin are buried. Currently the remains of the buried are being disinterred with backhoes. Literally. They are excavating the cemetery and pulling the ancient bones out of the ground so a “tolerance center” can be built.
September 2, 2010 at 9:05 am
I think we should talk about the Ma’man Allah cemetery in occupied Jerusalem. The occupiers are literally disinterring and desecrating thousand year old Muslim graves to build an adjunct Simon Wiesenthal ‘Tolerance Museum’. If Americans knew!
The media wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole. I don’t have a Lexis-Nexis subscription but I’d be interested to know if any American outlets have even mentioned the Israeli crimes.
Christ didn’t warn people about the “leaven of the Imams” but rather the leaven of the Pharisees. He didn’t forewarn His followers they would be dragged into mosques and persecuted but rather synagogues.
September 2, 2010 at 9:03 am
Dumb Americans-always wining and complaining. America, land of the suck
Kill each other all and do us a favor.
September 2, 2010 at 6:41 am
French should be the last to talk about it. Your country is already taken over and spun out of control.
September 2, 2010 at 8:50 am
Pete your country would not even be on the map if it wasn’t for USA.
Crawl like escargot back into your hole.
September 2, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Remember woodstock the ones that went on to heaevn most likly were there and would love to see all people loving each other than fighting at there most spirtal place wake up world and look for the truth before you make any action!!!
September 2, 2010 at 5:03 am
look at they way the set this up so you all do fight each other ,,you think that s what your brothers would want from you all to do or spread love and peace????
September 2, 2010 at 5:00 am
Pray on the sabbith day and make a sacrfise ,,but not by killing gods creations!!!but give to the needed and give peace and love,, trust the lord as he will bring back all from the resting place ,,,they are still alive!!!
September 2, 2010 at 4:59 am
All should be prasing the lord on this day 9 -11 -2010 to defete the negitivetive put in fourth by saten ,,police etc. that hope to see hatred not love ,,and all should be ashamed if they go down there to do so,,,love in the lord and all will be risen from the grave!!!! It shouild be more like woodstock than hells kichen
September 2, 2010 at 4:56 am
Do you think there are no Muslim died in September 11 case?
Yes they always die in suicide bombing to kill others .they call sacrificing for allah it is not rare .
September 2, 2010 at 1:21 am
e are more and more non-Muslim studying Muslim religion?
What is their for studying, the highest achievement is 72 virgins,wine etc.
people who have prominent middle portion with no brain are attracted to to this so called religion , in this religion? there are many things spiritual if we consider spirituality as sex with…,what a wonderful spiritual thinking, god as a supplier of
September 2, 2010 at 1:12 am
Ultimate achievement of human life is 72 virgins and… ,it is very simple(there is vast litrature how to achive if you are a serious student contact to any imam they will show you easy path or go to TheReligionofPeace.com,) ,and they promise for this ,what you want more? be happy.
September 2, 2010 at 12:57 am
There are more and more non-Muslim studying Muslim religion?
What is their for studying, the highest achievement is 72 virgins,wine etc.
people who have prominent middle portion with no brain are accreted to to this so called religion , in this religion? there are many things spiritual if we consider spirituality is sex with…
September 2, 2010 at 12:40 am
Press for DEMOCRACY and FREEDAOM OF RELIGION in sSAUDI ARABIA and all these problems will GO AWAY
September 2, 2010 at 12:24 am
Press for DEMOCRACY and FREEDAOM OF RELIGION in sSAUDI ARABIA and all these probles will GO AWAY
September 2, 2010 at 12:22 am
Well first…let’s give back all of our German Cars and Japanese electronics. Pearl harbor was a terrorist act on our soil and yet very few hate the Japanese with such fervor. We live side by side with Germans and Japanese…I’m not sure there’s a difference?
I’m torn because I think it’s a slap in the face to allow it so close to our biggest national wound…however…we all have religious freedoms guaranteed by our constitution. Tough part of being a patriotic American is allowing the freedoms of people you hate.
What’s the answer
September 2, 2010 at 12:17 am
Gradually they will show their teeth, which will sharper in proportion to their population.The follower of Koran wants religious freedom !!
September 2, 2010 at 12:13 am
Musoims are BIGOTS try building a church in Saudi ARABIA. Try getting a bible thruogh airport customs in Saudi Arabia
September 2, 2010 at 12:11 am
why majortiy of U.S.A. citizens are blindly ignoring that Bush’s Administration was behind 9/11 with the help to false-flag it to muslims in order to begin a new form of imperialism against muslims and loot their oil resources. try to research back b4 u harass U.S.A muslims by referring websites like: 911truth.org and associates.
September 2, 2010 at 12:10 am
Ahmed,
If you deny your own martyrdom you won’t get to heaven and 72 virgins will go to an infidel. Take credit when it’s due.
September 2, 2010 at 9:00 am
Do you think there are no Muslim died in September 11 case? There are more and more non-Muslim studying Muslim religion, do they find any rule or chapter or anything that support terrorism? Or is there any religion do so?
September 1, 2010 at 11:55 pm
In some mosques in the Bronx, Muslims were told not to go near towers on 9/11.
Video footage of this story is available.Muslims all over the world danced with joy after bombing. Again, video footage of this in several locations is available.I can bring up a lot more examples of Muslim “solidarity”, but why bother when nobody is willing to listen.
September 2, 2010 at 12:03 am
this is true. Lots of celebratiing the borough of brooklyn. no news stands open that day my friend.
September 2, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Those who are behind this mosque must first demand religious freedom in Saudi.
Stop muslims invasion through immigration now.
September 1, 2010 at 11:48 pm
lame excuse. It has nothing to do with you guys in the U.S., and you not allowing them their right to build in the U.S.
September 2, 2010 at 12:09 am
Americans rally against the mosque(it’s their right too) trying to put pressure on developers and convince them to move the project or, hopefully, to redesign it to multicultural.
September 2, 2010 at 9:12 am
how about i say your religion sucks how would you feel whats wrong with muslims gathering to pray how would you like it if i sad that your god(s) sucked. you should really keep your mouth shut
September 2, 2010 at 12:12 am
You’re right. That was racism at its finest. People are still amazingly hurt by the actions of a few extremists.
September 2, 2010 at 12:23 am
Extremists are too numerous to call it “a few”. It happens all over the world.I see it differently. There are those islamists who dare to commit violence and those who are “chicken” to do it, but silently finance it.
You can find it in Genesis 16. Ishmael(Ishmaelites) was destined to go against the world and the world against him. Sort of a bad example for the rest of the world.
September 2, 2010 at 8:54 am
your religion is the one that preaches to kill all who are not believers in allah.
this is hate this is not peace. You are not worthy of this county’s freedoms.
September 2, 2010 at 1:32 pm
It’s interesting that Americans are so upset about a mosque being built close to ground zero. I wonder how many Americans are aware of the mosque and Muslim shrine, the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which are built on top of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. For Christians you could say that is without a doubt built directly over ground zero. It is built over the rock to be the very place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac and stands directly over the site of the Holy of Holies of both Solomon’s Temple and Herod’s Temple (Temple Mount).
September 1, 2010 at 11:44 pm
They have to build INTERFAITH center instead of ISLAMIC center with THEIR money and that will close the discussion.After all, they are talking about reconciliation. What could be better than center for ALL faiths. Actions speak much louder than words.
September 1, 2010 at 11:37 pm
it is a center open to all faiths
September 2, 2010 at 12:08 am
You don’t get .I’m not talking about museum open for public at visiting hours, rather a center with areas designated for nominations other than Muslim and named respectively “INTERFAITH”.
September 2, 2010 at 8:47 am
We ought to be bigots…because being nice enough to let ALL SORTS of people come here has resulted in THIS pathetic situation and a lot more trouble we’d never have had if we’d just not allowed certain immigrants in……….bigotry is not such a bad idea anymore.
September 1, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Lets be sensible, all Americans are imigrants except for the native indian.
September 1, 2010 at 11:36 pm
this is not about immigration this is about the motive of hate and conversion and hiding behind the firat amendment when it is convenient.
September 2, 2010 at 1:29 pm
the A-hole who thought of this says he’ll never back down. Shows what he’s like and where his true sympathies lie, and it’s not with America.
September 1, 2010 at 11:22 pm
how many muslim soldiers are serving in iraq and afghanistan?
ZERO
September 1, 2010 at 11:17 pm
That’s not true at all. There are plenty of Muslim-American soldiers.
September 6, 2010 at 2:46 am
Can you please delete the above comment? I was logged under the wrong account.
September 6, 2010 at 2:58 am
Americans are bigots. You either support the constitution for every citizen or you don’t.
September 1, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Should the fault of afew overide the rights of millions of American muslims
September 1, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Americans have the right to petition. And that’s exactly what you witnessed.
September 1, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Lets see you lose someone you love in this manner and see if you want something like this built two blocks away from where it happened. No one has told them they cant build the mosque they just want it moved further away from ground zero.
September 2, 2010 at 1:35 am
because this religious group is like no other before it in the sense that they have sueccessfully launched terrorist attacks on our country resulting in thousands of deaths means all bets are off.
September 2, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Oh, and the recent murder of a pregnant woman and 3 men in Israel is nothing. That’s just a mu-slime’s idea of “peace” negotiation.
September 1, 2010 at 8:59 pm
You are showing your anger towards mislead muslims or true believers? Check out your statements before you make such a shallow assumption on muslims. Who mislead the muslims? The jews, colonialization & many other situations. Just like innocent girls being murdered and raped when the rapist got stimulated after watching pornsites created by Americans (the pioneer). Who to be blamed? Who will be sentenced to jail/ punished?
September 14, 2010 at 12:15 pm
If you’re lumping a group of homicidal maniacs as an “ethnic” group and a cult of murder as “religion”; than yes, yes I am intolerant of you murderous homicidal maniacs.
FACT: Everywhere where there are mu-Slimes, sh-!t happens.
China — sh-!t happens
(suicide bombers that kill little children and run amok with metal pipes in the streets)
India — sh-!t happens
(mu-slimes burned 100s of hindus alive in packed trains and burned villagers alive while they slept)
Middle East — sh-!t happens
(suicide bombers that kill little children)
Russia — sh-!t happens
(suicide bombers that kill women and children in crowded theaters)
South East Asia — sh-!t happens
(mu-slime thugs who kidnap teachers, school children, nurses, priests for ransom, than murder them all)
Europe — sh-!t happens
(suicide bombers that kill little children)
USA — 9/11 happened
Goes to reason, no mu-slimes, no sh-!t.
All these camel turds understand is violence and lies anyway. I say we oblige them by killing them all and than lie about how sorry we are.
Islam. It’s a disease. And like any other infestations of boils, pox and pestilence, it should be eradicated. You don’t talk to diseases. You eradicate them like you did polio.
And some bleeding heart imbecile here will post that it’s just a few individuals that are murderous, just like any other society. But than conveniently forgetting about the Fact that it happens worldwide and by a LOT MORE than just a few individuals.
September 1, 2010 at 8:57 pm