Bloomberg: "How big should the ‘no-mosque zone’ be around the World Trade Center site?"

[jefferson_dem]

:patriot:



Mike Bloomberg’s Remarks at the Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner at Gracie MansionAug 24, 2010 | NYC.gov

The following are Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s remarks as delivered at the Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner at Gracie Mansion, August 24, 2010.

“Well, good evening, and Ramadan Kareem, and I want to welcome everyone to our annual Ramadan Iftar at Gracie Mansion.

“We call this ‘The People’s House,’ because it belongs to all 8.4 million New Yorkers who call this city home. And people of every race and religion, every background and belief. And we celebrate that diversity here in this house with gatherings like this one.

“And for me, whether it’s marking St. Patrick’s Day or Harlem Week or any other occasion, these gatherings are always a powerful reminder of what makes our city so strong and our country so great.

“You know, America is a nation of immigrants, and I think it’s fair to say no place opens its doors more widely to the world than New York City. America is the land of opportunity, and I think it’s fair to say no place offers its residents more opportunity to pursue their dreams than New York City. And America is a beacon of freedom, and I think it’s fair to say no place defends those freedoms more fervently, or has been attacked for those freedoms more ferociously, than New York City.

“In recent weeks, a debate has arisen that I believe cuts to the core of who we are as a city and a country. The proposal to build a mosque and community center in Lower Manhattan has created a national conversation on religion in America, and since Ramadan offers a time for reflection, I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on that very subject.

“There are people of good will on both sides of the debate, and I would hope that everyone can carry on a dialogue in a civil and respectful way. In fact, I think most people now agree on two fundamental issues: First, that Muslims have a constitutional right to build a mosque in Lower Manhattan and second, that the site of the World Trade Center is hallowed ground. And the only question we face is: how do we honor that hallowed ground?

“The wounds of 9/11 are still very much with us. And I know that is true for Talat Hamdani, who is here with us tonight, and who lost her son, Salman Hamdani, on 9/11. There will always be a hole in our hearts for the men and women who perished that day.

“After the attacks, some argued – including some of those who lost loved ones – that the entire site should be reserved for a memorial. But we decided – together, as a city – that the best way to honor all those we lost, and to repudiate our enemies, was to build a moving memorial and to rebuild the site.

“We wanted the site to be an inspiring reminder to the world that this city will never forget our dead and never stop living. We vowed to bring Lower Manhattan back – stronger than ever – as a symbol of our defiance and I think it’s fair to say we have. Today, it is more of a community neighborhood than ever before, with more people than ever living, working, playing and praying there.

“But if we say that a mosque or a community center should not be built near the perimeter of the World Trade Center site, we would compromise our commitment to fighting terror with freedom.

“We would undercut the values and principles that so many heroes died protecting. We would feed the false impressions that some Americans have about Muslims. We would send a signal around the world that Muslim Americans may be equal in the eyes of the law, but separate in the eyes of their countrymen. And we would hand a valuable propaganda tool to terrorist recruiters, who spread the fallacy that America is at war with Islam.

“Islam did not attack the World Trade Center – Al-Qaeda did. To implicate all of Islam for the actions of a few who twisted a great religion is unfair and un-American. Today we are not at war with Islam – we are at war with Al-Qaeda and other extremists who hate freedom.

“At this very moment, there are young Americans – some of them Muslims – standing freedoms’ watch in Iraq and Afghanistan, and around the world. A couple here tonight, Sakibeh and Asaad Mustafa, have children who have served our country overseas and after 9/11, one of them aided in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero. And I’d like to ask them to stand, so we can show our appreciation. There you go. Thank you.

“The members of our military are men and women at arms – battling for hearts and minds. And their greatest weapon in that fight is the strength of our American values, which have already inspired people around the world. If we do not practice here at home what we preach abroad – if we do not lead by example – we undermine our soldiers. We undermine our foreign policy objectives. And we undermine our national security.

“In a different era, with different international challenges facing the country, President Kennedy’s Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, explained to Congress why it is so important for us to live up to our ideals here at home. Dean Rusk said, ‘The United States is widely regarded as the home of democracy and the leader of the struggle for freedom, for human rights, for human dignity. We are expected to be the model.’

“We are expected to be the model. Nearly a half-century later, his words remain true. In battling our enemies, we cannot rely entirely on the courage of our soldiers or the competence of our diplomats. We all have to do our part.

“Just as we fought communism by showing the world the power of free markets and free elections, so must we fight terrorism by showing the world the power of religious freedom and cultural tolerance. Freedom and tolerance will always defeat tyranny and terrorism – and that’s the great lesson of the 20th century, and we must not abandon it here in the 21st.

“Now I understand the impulse to find another location for the mosque and community center. I understand the pain of those who are motivated by loss too terrible to contemplate. And there are people of every faith – including, perhaps, some in this room – who are hoping that a compromise will end the debate.

“But it won’t. The question will then become, how big should the ‘no-mosque zone’ be around the World Trade Center site? There is already a mosque four blocks away. Should it be moved?

“This is a test of our commitment to American values. We have to have the courage of our convictions. We must do what is right, not what is easy. And we must put our faith in the freedoms that have sustained our great country for more than 200 years.

“Now, I know that many in this room are disturbed and dispirited by the debate. But it’s worth keeping some perspective on the matter. The first colonial settlers came to these shores seeking religious liberty and the founding fathers wrote a constitution that guaranteed it. They made sure that in this country government would not be permitted to choose between religions or favor one over another.

“Nonetheless, it was not so long ago that Jews and Catholics had to overcome stereotypes and build bridges to those who viewed them with suspicion and less than fully American. In 1960, many Americans feared that John F. Kennedy would impose papal law on America. But through his example, he taught us that piety to a minority religion is no obstacle to patriotism. It is a lesson I think that needs updating today, and it is our responsibility to accept the challenge.

“Before closing, let me just add one final thought: Imam Rauf, who is now overseas promoting America and American values, has been put under a media microscope. Each of us may strongly agree or strongly disagree with particular statements that he has made. And that’s how it should be – this is New York City.

“And while a few of his statements have received a lot of attention, I would like to read you something that he said that you may not have heard. At an interfaith memorial service for the martyred journalist Daniel Pearl, Imam Rauf said, quote, ‘If to be a Jew means to say with all one's heart, mind, and soul: Shma` Yisrael, Adonai Elohenu Adonai Ehad; Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One, not only today I am a Jew, I have always been one.’

He then continued to say, ‘If to be a Christian is to love the Lord our God with all of my heart, mind and soul, and to love for my fellow human being what I love for myself, then not only am I a Christian, but I have always been one.’

“In that spirit, let me declare that we in New York are Jews and Christians and Muslims, and we always have been. And above all of that, we are Americans, each with an equal right to worship and pray where we choose. There is nowhere in the five boroughs of New York City that is off limits to any religion.

“By affirming that basic idea, we will honor America’s values and we will keep New York the most open, diverse, tolerant, and free city in the world. Thank you and enjoy.”

http://www.mikebloomberg.com/index.cfm?objectid=A6E94126-C29C-7CA2-F17405EFF4C45816

[Make7]

1. Twelve thousand five hundred miles away in any direction? ( n/t )

j/k

[BrklynLiberal]

2. I am not a big admirer of my Mayor, but in this instance, I give him

much credit for his position, and for his ability and willingness to state it....unconditionally and steadfastly.

[glitch]

4. Agreed. He done good on this one. :) nt

[RufusTFirefly]

5. Me too. But it's still kind of depressing that this case even has to be made

I mean, this should be a no-brainer for all Americans who understand the Constitution and take it seriously.

[saltpoint]

11. Agree.

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

3. Why is the site of the former WTC "hallowed ground"?

No disrespect intended but being the site of a horrific tragedy almost nine years ago doesn't make it "hallowed ground" IMHO and I hate how it's constantly been lugged around as a big open national "wound" for the past (almost) 9 years- mostly by the Republicans whom keep wanting to hump the corpse of that horrific day (which SHOULD forever be wrapped around their necks and carried like an albatross for the rest of their days) whenever they need to attack Democrats on national security and score a few political "points". There is NOTHING about the site of the former WTC IMHO that should be used to justify the kind of shameless anti-Islamic bigotry that we've seen in recent weeks nor the exclusion of people from building near it and moving on with their existence.

[IndianaGreen]

22. If it was really hallowed ground, we would be building a temple on the site, not a bunch of shops

and business space.

The "hallowed ground" meme is pure rubbish!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

27. I agree!

:thumbsup:

BTW I thought that we were going to rebuild that site. What happened with that????

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Kinda like those "free speech zones" under Bush

(same amendment, anyway)

Makes you wonder... what's on the other side of a free speech zone?

[seattleblue]

7. No speech is on the other side. The zones are there after Bush.

My local library has a "free speech zone" about 100 feet from the entrance. Apparently once you cross their line your Constitutional rights disappear even though it is a public building on public property.

[mia]

8. You spoke so eloquently, and I believe in freedom of religion,

but some Muslims gladly acknowledged that they struck down our fellow citizens on 9/11 in the name of Allah. I believe in one God, but no
matter what the name, it's inconceivable to me that the God that I believe in would sanction such an evil as 9/11. I reject anyone's right to kill any of my fellow citizens and expect me to forget about it. I will not forget.

I also believe that "Christians" have done unforgivable harm to Muslims in their own countries since then. I hate the fact of our own atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan. I cry for all of the mothers and fathers who have had to see their children suffer and die. I look at the children I know and think about the horrors that other parents have had to endure. Imagine if we had war going on in our country. To have to watch my little baby grandchildren be maimed away is beyond my imagination. Yet parents in Muslim countries have had to suffer with that and so much more. I'm so sorry for what the United States has done to the Muslim people and wish that our "Christian" country had real moral leadership. In the end, as an American citizen, I know that we have a lot less to forgive than they do.

[Honeycombe8]

9. Translation: My city is getting tons of money for this center/mosque. Don't you be

interfering with that! After all, I'm all about money, right?

Just wondering. Not saying the building should be moved down a couple of blocks. Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn't. Just wondering why the forthright stance, pretending not to even understand the controversy. Of course he understands the controversy. And it would be easily put to rest if he took the locals' concerns seriously. Deep throat said it best: Follow the money.

[jefferson_dem]

13. So he is only standing up proud for religious freedom, mutual respect...and unity...

because of "the money". That has to be the most overtly cynical post I've seen in a while.

Guess this goes to show - if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[jberryhill]

14. I like the new package - "the local's concerns"

[phleshdef]

19. If that were true, changing the location to another party of the same city wouldn't effect that.

I think your assessment of him on this is dead wrong.

[saltpoint]

10. If Bloomberg is angering the Baggers and radio hate-hosts,

he's scoring some key points with people who think the Constitution and human history are still pertinent considerations.

The Islamic Center dust-up has shown us this guy at his best.

[saltpoint]

12. Bloomberg could have coasted on this one.

He could have kicked back out on the balcony and had some iced tea delivered on a nice tray with various snacks and goodies and let the media fan the flames of "both camps."

I liked that he staked a claim in the argument and stood with 1) the men and women who fought for the liberty in question and 2) the men and women who sacrificed in thousands of other ways in times when uniformed men and women may have been serving, and not least, 3) the very many and certainly diverse heritage of peoples who populate his city.

It's a world city he's the mayor of, and just about everybody in the world knows it.

Bloomberg's movement on this issue has been large and poised and brainy and tough.

I certainly can't picture his miserable predecessor making any such stand.

[Kablooie]

15. I'd recommend one not be built within the footprint of the WTC.

[Karenina]

17. That "footprint" extends to N.J.

:eyes:

[Llewlladdwr]

20. How about not not building on a site where debris from the aircraft involved fell? NT

[Karenina]

21. Your fetish is your fetish.

:hi:

[boppers]

24. Maybe not building on a site where the smoke drifted?

:sarcasm:

How's that rebuilt mosque in the pentagon sitting with you?

[Arkana]

16. I'll give Bloomberg credit--he's been the best he could possibly be

on this issue.

[Kdillard]

18. Finally something where I can give him due credit.

[golfguru]

23. My city will get $100 Million to build the mosque

NY city needs the money, so the mosque project should go ahead.
So what if the money source is not known...money is money! Green rules!

--da mayor.

[Hekate]

25. Mayor Bloomberg, I salute you

:patriot:

At Yom Kippur this year, know that in this time you did one heckuva mitzvah.
(For those who don't know, it is one of the Biblical injunctions to take care of the "stranger in your midst.")

Thank you, Mayor, for standing up for our common humanity and for the US Constitution.

Hekate

[Donald Ian Rankin]

26. Vountarily; worldwide. Compulsorily; not.

I would rather people didn't build Islamic centres/mosques near the site of the WTC, because I would rather people didn't build mosques, because I would rather people didn't practice Islam, because I would rather people didn't practice religion and became liberal secularists like me.

But given that religion isn't going to disappear overnight, if people are going to build mosques then near the sight of the WTC is as good a place as any for one, I think, and arguably better because of the messages it sends about religious tolerance and about the fact that most Muslims condemn the attack on it.