Michael Bloomberg delivers stirring defense of mosque

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/08/03/mayor_bloomberg_on_mosque/index.html

Michael Bloomberg delivers stirring defense of mosque
New York mayor chokes up defending "ground zero" Muslim center by citing religious freedom, private property rights
By Justin Elliott


Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has emerged as the unlikely but passionate defender of the planned Muslim community center near ground zero, today traveled to Governors Island off the tip of Lower Manhattan to deliver a stirring plea for sanity in what he called "{as} important a test of the separation of church and state as we may see in our lifetimes."

The Daily News' Adam Lisberg reports that Bloomberg choked up at one point as he delivered the speech surrounded by religious leaders of different faiths, with the Statue of Liberty in the background.

Rather than attack the bigotry of the opponents of the so-called "ground zero mosque," Bloomberg made several positive arguments for building the center. He traced the struggle for religious freedom in New York and affirmed the rights of citizens to do as they please with their private property:

snip//

"Of course, it is fair to ask the organizers of the mosque to show some special sensitivity to the situation, and in fact their plan envisions reaching beyond their walls and building an interfaith community. But doing so, it is my hope that the mosque will help to bring our city even closer together, and help repudiate the false and repugnant idea that the attacks of 9/11 were in any ways consistent with Islam.

"Muslims are as much a part of our city and our country as the people of any faith. And they are as welcome to worship in lower Manhattan as any other group. In fact, they have been worshipping at the site for better, the better part of a year, as is their right. The local community board in lower Manhattan voted overwhelmingly to support the proposal. And if it moves forward, I expect the community center and mosque will add to the life and vitality of the neighborhood and the entire city.

"Political controversies come and go, but our values and our traditions endure, and there is no neighborhood in this city that is off-limits to God's love and mercy, as the religious leaders here with us can attest."

[Scurrilous]

1. K & R

:thumbsup:

[monmouth]

2. The Mayor moved up many, many notches in my book today. n/t

[shaayecanaan]

3. Good for him...

He should be applauded for taking a principled and unpopular stance.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

4. I would love to see if Bloomberg or his daughter was involved in the sale of the property.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. And I thought *I* was cynical. We'll see. nt

[cilla4progress]

5. Yes, this is what you call leadership.

What the hell political party is he currently a member of?

[shaayecanaan]

13. He's a member of the evil political party

that blights the wheat and blots out the sun, and from whence no good can come. At least according to most of the rah-rah football crowd on here, most of which I should note are about as left-wing as Attila the Hun.

If Bloomberg became the first self-funded presidential candidate in history, I'd wish him well. At this point, only self-funded candidates have a chance in hell of avoiding the usual rent-seekers on the way to political office. Given, however, that the Republican Party found itself unable to endorse even a Mormon for the top job I still have some reservations as to whether they could get behind a Jewish candidate.

[jumptheshadow]

14. Independent (nt)

[Smarmie Doofus]

6. He's a jerk but that's a good speech.

Made that much better 'cause I don't hear any other local pols speaking up. (N.B. Maybe they are but aren't being covered.)

[uppityperson]

7. k&r To repeat for those who are confused....

"But doing so, it is my hope that the mosque will help to bring our city even closer together, and help repudiate the false and repugnant idea that the attacks of 9/11 were in any ways consistent with Islam."

[Canuckistanian]

9. It's NOT A MOSQUE

It's a friggin' Community Center with a prayer room.

[babylonsister]

10. I know; that drives me a bit batty, too. nt

[spanone]

11. k&r..

[TheBigotBasher]

12. K&R

That is quite brave for a semi-Republican to say so I expect to see Palin send her flying monkeys after hm. I am guessing he is showing go on then - bring on the bigots he is up for the fight.

"Refudiate that" Bible Spice.

[kskiska]

15. President Bush and Mrs. Bush worship at Shinto Shrine

American Christians were both grieved and shocked when President Bush, professing Christian, went to a Mosque and joined in prayer with the Muslims to the “Universal God.” President Bush evidently assumes that all religions worship the same “Universal God” under different names. Thus any name of any deity will do. This is, of course, not acceptable to Bible-believing Christians because Allah and all other pagan deities are demon-gods according to I Cor. 10.

President Bush and his wife have now managed to alienate the Japanese and Korean Christian communities by going to a Shinto shrine and worshipping the demon spirit in the shrine. They both bowed to the demon and clapped their hands to awaken him. Then they signed the book of those who have worshipped the demon spirit who inhabits the Shrine - you can see the article from the Japan Times right here.

(snip)

According to the Japan Times, the Prime minister of Japan remained in the car because he could not join the Bushes in worshipping at the shrine. This was due to a wall of separation between temple and state set forth in the Japanese Constitution. It forbids the heads of state from participating in Shinto worship because that was the religion that motivated the carnage of WW II and the attack on Pearl Harbor.

American WWII veterans are particularly outraged at the Bushes worshipping the spirit of past Japanese Emperors as this was the motivating force behind the Japanese attack on America.

more…
http://www.cephas-library.com/nwo_bush_goes_to_shinto_worship.html