New York, NY – Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s eloquent and at times emotional speech in defense of a proposed mosque at near ground zero this week is already being called the most stirring of his career as a public official.
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Even so, nobody expected this: a personal letter to Mr. Bloomberg, effusively praising the address, from Representative Anthony D. Weiner, a persistent critic who openly covets the mayor’s job.
Mr. Weiner, who seriously weighed running against Mr. Bloomberg in 2009, and afterward boasted that the billionaire’s aides “were afraid of me,” quietly dashed off the letter [pdf] on Aug. 5.
“Dear Mayor Bloomberg,” it began. “I honor you for your powerful statement about the proposed cultural center with a mosque in Lower Manhattan.”
“Your remarks on Tuesday put this controversial issue into context,” he continued.
Mr. Weiner, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn and Queens, has said little about the planned Muslim community center, even as controversy engulfed the project, and it became a hotly debated political issue across the country.
But in the letter, while never directly saying whether he is for or against it, Mr. Weiner makes clear that he endorses the mayor’s overriding message: that the government has no place dictating where a religious complex should be located.
“I feel strongly that the constitutional protection of religion from the overreach of government means that elected officials should endeavor to stay out of the business of deciding where houses of worship may or may not be,” the letter says.
But in a nod to the families of the victims of the attacks, and their vocal concerns about the mosque, Mr. Weiner adds: “I hope that as the issue is considered going forward, there is a process where those other great hallmarks of democracy are respected — transparency and tolerance of all viewpoints.”
He added: “That process can allow fair questions to be raised.”
On this point, Mr. Weiner seems to have differed with the mayor. Those opposed to the project have called for its fund-raising to be as transparent as possible, out of fear that foreign governments with ties to radical Islam will finance the center — an issue that Mr. Weiner, in his letter, appears to be referring to.
Mr. Bloomberg has, in fact, flatly rejected calls for a government investigation into the financing of the proposed community center, saying Friday morning on the radio that he would no more ask who had tossed money into the collection basket at a church, or donated to a synagogue.
Still, the mayor’s office seemed grateful for the unexpected letter. “We thank the congressman for his kind words,” a spokesman for Mr. Bloomberg, Stu Loeser, said.
The Siena poll out Friday shows Jewish New Yorkers AGAINST the Mosque 75 to 15 (10% no opinion); Bloomberg and Weiner are out of touch with their Jewish constituents (except for the upper West Side elite).
Remember that he, just last month, married a muslim woman. He is very politically savy and it would be suicidal for him to openly state his position if it is promosque. But how do you think he feels about it?
I never cared much for either lunatic.
all he says is that he will no longer investigate churches and houses of prayer as to where the money has come from . that does not mean that the federal gvernment wont investigate. sounds to me that both bloomy and weiner are both shaking in thier boots from the moslem community. cant blame them though.
Just wait till Wiener comes pandering for the Jewish vote in 2013 for Mayor.
He lost my vote for sure.
“the government has no place dictating where a religious complex should be “
100% true.
Those in this forum who oppose the mosque need to remember that the next time that some anti-Semite or self-hating Jew tries to stop a shul or yeshiva from expanding.
Why does it make any difference that he married a Muslim woman? He’s not Jewish (his father is, his mother not), so why do you care who he married?
“Comment #2 says:
Remember that he, just last month, married a muslim woman. He is very politically savy and it would be suicidal for him to openly state his position if it is promosque. But how do you think he feels about it?”
He is just making his wife and shver happy ,
New Yorkers , please keep all this in mind election time. Don’t forget!
Mike and Anthony this is not a matter of freedom of religious its a matter of freedom for terrorist organizations. If u don’t think so just listen to this Imams 60 min interview and to the comments he has made about this country and what he wrote in his book. So mr Weiner don’t come praising the Mayor for supporting this u should be stopping this I wish Juliani would wake up and do something.
Anthony Weiner has no honor to give.
His mind is fixated on Bloomberg’s billions, to help him in his fugure political career.
Anthony Weiner trained as Chuck Schumer’s ass’t. He married an Arab and there lay his interests. The issue which everyone seems to overlook, is that these savage Muslims try to cannibalize everyone else’s religious sites by covering them with a mosque i.e. Kever Rachel, Mearas Hamachpelah, and even Har Habayis. The travesty of allowing these Arabs a mosque is their successful use of our guarantees of freedom of religion…a freedom they, given their drothers would allow NO ONE.
What all these hi-fallutin’, Liberal poiticians fail to recognize, is, the feelings of the 9/11 victims’ families, including the families of the First Responders and all decent Americans who feel they’re getting a slap in the face by placing the mosque at Ground Zero. Those hypocrites, by their statements and policies are pretending as if the catastrophic destruction of the WTC was not brought on by muslims.
he married a Muslima. what do you expect? all you Syrian and other frum Jews who jostle to have your photo taken with him – why? so he can bless your real estate deals? you should be ashamed. an article in Vanity Fair about his behavior after 9/11 had him hanging around bars hitting on an army of female interns, being called “the Jewish kid” by older Democratic congressmen and being an all around jerk.
enjoy having him ride your votes to self aggrandizement and Friday prayers at Ground Zero.
only in NY.
Well I guess now we know who wears the burka in weiner’s family
Show Bloomberg giving a teary eyed speach over tolerance, diversity and liberal values and I’ll show a pile of millions on the other side. Please. Get real. I am not surprised by him. Re-election calls. But Obama? That was a disappointment. not to at least qualify his support? to even make a distinguo between legality and humanity? Hah, where is a backbone when we need one?