New York - Hikind To Bloomberg: Denounce Support For Ground Zero Imam, Mosque |
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News Source: Press Release
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Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, standing center, executive director of the Cordoba Initiative, greets worshipers inside a Muharraq, Bahrain, mosque after leading midday prayers Friday, Aug. 20, 2010. Rauf, the imam leading plans for an Islamic center near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York, is on a U.S.-funded outreach tour to Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to talk about religious tolerance in America. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)New York - Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) is calling on Mayor Bloomberg to withdraw his support of the Ground Zero mosque in the wake of the revelation of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf’s anti-American and anti-Western rhetoric. Rauf has been quoted as saying, “We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands that al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims. . .the West has not been cognizant and has not addressed the issue of its own contribution to much injustice in the Arab and Muslim world.”
Hikind, who has been an outspoken critic of the proposed project, recently demanded that the Mayor apologize to all New Yorkers for his sanctimonious remarks chastising those who oppose the building of the mosque.
“The Mayor needs to publicly denounce this contemptuous Imam and withdraw his support for the project,” Hikind said. “It is unconscionable for this plan to move forward.”
Hikind also noted, “How can this mosque possibly promote tolerance and understanding when the very foundation will be built with blood money from our enemies in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim countries which despise us?
Hikind’s sentiments were echoed by the Rabbinical Alliance of America, an Orthodox rabbinic organization which boasts more than 800 members.
“Opposition to the building of the mosque is not an issue of religious intolerance or a matter of us versus them,” said Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, director of the Rabbinical Alliance of America. “People of all faiths should be appalled by the Imam’s remarks and very frightened at the possibility of terrorist monies funding this endeavor.”
Hikind added, “63% of New Yorkers oppose the building of this mosque. That’s a statistic that simply cannot be ignored.”
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Read Comments (24) — Post Yours »
1
Aug 24, 2010 at 12:55 PM YidelfromBP Says:Report as Inappropriate
Bravo!
Straight Forward! Welcome Back Dov! from Auschwitz. You are 100 Percent right! it has nothing to do about religious freedom its about Who is the person behind this mask!
To The people supporting this mask I have a question. would they support this mask if he would of announced it on 9/12/2001 ??? I guess not!!. So why is it ok now 10 years latter? What has changed?
2
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:03 PM Michel Says:Report as Inappropriate
Thats right! Islam is out for world domination and conversion at the point of a sword. They did it before, thats why Turkey, Yemen, Morocco, etc are Muslim. Submit or die. They disseminated and manufactured the Protocols but they themselves are guilty of desiring to rule the world. The USA is in danger of being felled by the very freedoms it espouses. Freedom of religion- sure- but not if that religion espuses your destruction. Freedom of speech- sure- but not if it is hate filled and incendiary. We need to buckle down on these freedoms just a bit and define what hateful speech and religion is and ban it.
3
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:09 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
please don't make into a Jewish vs. Islam issue!
4
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:13 PM yoeli Says:Report as Inappropriate
I'm really curious were are this kinds of denouncements being made, in front of the media or in privet ?? Does Bloomy know about this ?
5
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:28 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
“We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands that al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims. . ."
Why can't you make statement like that??
The fact is he comes from a different worldview and culture than you do and his views reflect Arab frustrations with America. There's nothing wrong with criticizing the US.
This reminds me of when R Ovadia Yosef called chilonim snakes and the whole country wanted to cut his head off.
The fact is..he is a pragmatic person..if you read through the whole interview and many other speeches he's given.
He's someone we should be embracing and having dialogue with in the Muslim world.
Imagine if it were 1933 and there was a battle between the Nazis and some other more moderate German nationalist group..and we had an opportunity to bolster their support and we wouldnt because of some nationalistic views that they have that rubs us the wrong way.
We're in a war with Al Qaida..and we should be aligning ourselves with moderate Muslims even if sometimes they things that might seem a little outlandish to us..
6
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:32 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Bravo!
Straight Forward! Welcome Back Dov! from Auschwitz. You are 100 Percent right! it has nothing to do about religious freedom its about Who is the person behind this mask!
To The people supporting this mask I have a question. would they support this mask if he would of announced it on 9/12/2001 ??? I guess not!!. So why is it ok now 10 years latter? What has changed? ”
Excellent question. If it is a first amendment issue then would it have been a first amendment issue on Nine Eleven too? If not then it shouldn't today either.
7
Aug 24, 2010 at 01:55 PM sane Says:Report as Inappropriate
Where is Chuck Schumer? He can't find a microphone?
8
Aug 24, 2010 at 02:02 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
I have a question for you all..
If he's such a vile evil person as you say he is..why is this a question about "ground zero"?
Why do you say...let him build it somewhere else?
9
Aug 24, 2010 at 02:22 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ “We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands that al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims. . ."
Why can't you make statement like that??
The fact is he comes from a different worldview and culture than you do and his views reflect Arab frustrations with America. There's nothing wrong with criticizing the US.
This reminds me of when R Ovadia Yosef called chilonim snakes and the whole country wanted to cut his head off.
The fact is..he is a pragmatic person..if you read through the whole interview and many other speeches he's given.
He's someone we should be embracing and having dialogue with in the Muslim world.
Imagine if it were 1933 and there was a battle between the Nazis and some other more moderate German nationalist group..and we had an opportunity to bolster their support and we wouldnt because of some nationalistic views that they have that rubs us the wrong way.
We're in a war with Al Qaida..and we should be aligning ourselves with moderate Muslims even if sometimes they things that might seem a little outlandish to us.. ”
#5, it looks like you fell for this "moderate" farce; hook line and sinker. There are no moderates in Islam. It is the religion that reqires it; read the Koran please. Yes, we had it relatively good under the Muslims (not the Arab Muslims) - because we agreed to be stepped on and adjust to their whims. Talk yourself into believing this farce at your own peril. It's not common sense but nonsense.
10
Aug 24, 2010 at 02:39 PM US Jew Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ “We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands that al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims. . ."
Why can't you make statement like that??
The fact is he comes from a different worldview and culture than you do and his views reflect Arab frustrations with America. There's nothing wrong with criticizing the US.
This reminds me of when R Ovadia Yosef called chilonim snakes and the whole country wanted to cut his head off.
The fact is..he is a pragmatic person..if you read through the whole interview and many other speeches he's given.
He's someone we should be embracing and having dialogue with in the Muslim world.
Imagine if it were 1933 and there was a battle between the Nazis and some other more moderate German nationalist group..and we had an opportunity to bolster their support and we wouldnt because of some nationalistic views that they have that rubs us the wrong way.
We're in a war with Al Qaida..and we should be aligning ourselves with moderate Muslims even if sometimes they things that might seem a little outlandish to us.. ”
Yes you got a point to have a dialog is important if he agrres to build it in Uptown. Not near Grand zero.
11
Aug 24, 2010 at 02:54 PM charliehall Says:Report as Inappropriate
#2,
It is a historical fact that the Turks accepted Islam peacefully. The same is true for the majority of residents of the Middle East (who were fed up with the lousy treatment they had received from their fellow Byzantine Christians).
12
Aug 24, 2010 at 03:09 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
Askupeh Says:
Reply to #5 Show Quote
#5, it looks like you fell for this "moderate" farce; hook line and sinker. There are no moderates in Islam. It is the religion that reqires it; read the Koran please. Yes, we had it relatively good under the Muslims (not the Arab Muslims) - because we agreed to be stepped on and adjust to their whims. Talk yourself into believing this farce at your own peril. It's not common sense but nonsense.
Are you telling me that the Muslims that Rabbeinu Bachya and the Rambam and his R' Avraham..Ibn Rashid and others were not moderates?
First learn some history before spewing ignorance.
Have you even heard of Sufism (the type of Islam this imam is part of)?
If there are no moderates..then why does Al Qaida attack other Muslims as well?
Every religions texts can be read in an extreme way (including ours).
13
Aug 24, 2010 at 03:42 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Yes you got a point to have a dialog is important if he agrres to build it in Uptown. Not near Grand zero. ”
I guarantee you that if this Mosque were planned for a plot right across the street and in view of ground zero...you'd be pointing to the current plot and saying..why can't you build it here a few blocks away so that visitors don't have to see it....?
Basically...the issue is deeper than just location..it's opened a disturbing pandoras box..
15
Aug 24, 2010 at 04:15 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
What you are talking is about the "Golden age in Spain" where the Moslems were very good to the Jews. That was an exception, not the rule, and if you read history it wasn't that good either, Jews were second or third class citizens but didn't get their heads chopped off left and right and for that they considered it a golden age.
Also the Moslems in Spain as later in Turkey (Don Yosef Nosi, Duke of Naxis) needed the Jews badly and true they were relatively good to the Jews, but that is because they put more focus on the parts of the Koran where it speaks well of the Jews and says to convert them, then the present time where they put more emphasis on the parts of the Koran where it says to kill all infidels. The Moslems you think of are vanishing fast and the most extreme fanatics have taken over. Also since the establishment of the State of Israel the age of friendly Moslem States is totally over. You cannot measure Moslem attitudes by the ones that are here. They will behave until…
You might be reading the New York Times (a paper I have boycotted for the past 20 years) but please listen to the sermons the Muslims give in their Mosques and you will be shocked.
16
Aug 24, 2010 at 05:00 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
If you would read the NY Times you might see that there are in fact more moderate Moslems, especially in the United States..and there is dialogue..
There is a whole movement in Islam called Sufism which is a lot like chassidus in which emphasis is placed on joy and the soul..and their far from extremism.
But if you rely on the Post or the jewish press for your information of course..you will never know any of this.
17
Aug 24, 2010 at 05:07 PM mendel from 37 st Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Bravo!
Straight Forward! Welcome Back Dov! from Auschwitz. You are 100 Percent right! it has nothing to do about religious freedom its about Who is the person behind this mask!
To The people supporting this mask I have a question. would they support this mask if he would of announced it on 9/12/2001 ??? I guess not!!. So why is it ok now 10 years latter? What has changed? ”
Yes I would support the right of that mosque to be build 9 12 2001 I am a jew and if I want to be giving all rights I will need to believe all mankind have rights even if they have terrorists in their faith
18
Aug 24, 2010 at 05:44 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ #5, it looks like you fell for this "moderate" farce; hook line and sinker. There are no moderates in Islam. It is the religion that reqires it; read the Koran please. Yes, we had it relatively good under the Muslims (not the Arab Muslims) - because we agreed to be stepped on and adjust to their whims. Talk yourself into believing this farce at your own peril. It's not common sense but nonsense. ”
#9 -- you are a fool -- what do you think a goy reading the Torah would come away with?? And Jews did much much much better under Moslem rule then Xian -- Cordoba? -- perhaps the most freedom and equality Jews (eg the the Rambam!) had until post-war America.
Before we jump in bed with a bunch of right wing bigots who hate all of us, probably worth taking a moment to realize that there's a reason for the staggering success of Jews in America -- its called the US Constitution and the first amendment in particular. And, more importantly, the willingness of presidents and judges (beginning with Washington) to uphold these provisions often in the face of extreme bi
Won't it be interesting next time there's a permit in to build a shul in Midwood and the residents of the Irish catholic and Italian communities on which it encroaches start talking about the noise, and the weird prayers and the strange clothes and some minister appears and says that Judaism is a false religion and Jews are all going to hell. And when we demand our rights be enforced, we'll be rightly accused of seeking universal rights we actively sought to deny American Muslims.
19
Aug 24, 2010 at 06:02 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ #9 -- you are a fool -- what do you think a goy reading the Torah would come away with?? And Jews did much much much better under Moslem rule then Xian -- Cordoba? -- perhaps the most freedom and equality Jews (eg the the Rambam!) had until post-war America.
Before we jump in bed with a bunch of right wing bigots who hate all of us, probably worth taking a moment to realize that there's a reason for the staggering success of Jews in America -- its called the US Constitution and the first amendment in particular. And, more importantly, the willingness of presidents and judges (beginning with Washington) to uphold these provisions often in the face of extreme bi
Won't it be interesting next time there's a permit in to build a shul in Midwood and the residents of the Irish catholic and Italian communities on which it encroaches start talking about the noise, and the weird prayers and the strange clothes and some minister appears and says that Judaism is a false religion and Jews are all going to hell. And when we demand our rights be enforced, we'll be rightly accused of seeking universal rights we actively sought to deny American Muslims. ”
#9, If you are going to compare the Am HaTorah to the Moslems and you think that our Torah is the SAME like the Koran then I recommend that you go to the nearest Mosque and convert. You and me do not have the same Torah. My Torah is Derocheyo Darkei Noam, Vechol Nesivosyo Sholom; not cruel like you have talked yourself into believing. Fech.
20
Aug 24, 2010 at 05:56 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ If you would read the NY Times you might see that there are in fact more moderate Moslems, especially in the United States..and there is dialogue..
There is a whole movement in Islam called Sufism which is a lot like chassidus in which emphasis is placed on joy and the soul..and their far from extremism.
But if you rely on the Post or the jewish press for your information of course..you will never know any of this. ”
You're taking the exception and making it the rule.
21
Aug 24, 2010 at 06:06 PM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Yes I would support the right of that mosque to be build 9 12 2001 I am a jew and if I want to be giving all rights I will need to believe all mankind have rights even if they have terrorists in their faith ”
#17, You might be a Jew but you surely don't think like one. If rights are absolute then Germany should remove hate laws from their books, because a person should have a RIGHT to hate. Agree? If not, where do you draw the line?
22
Aug 24, 2010 at 06:34 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ #9, If you are going to compare the Am HaTorah to the Moslems and you think that our Torah is the SAME like the Koran then I recommend that you go to the nearest Mosque and convert. You and me do not have the same Torah. My Torah is Derocheyo Darkei Noam, Vechol Nesivosyo Sholom; not cruel like you have talked yourself into believing. Fech. ”
But that is exactly the other poster's point! It's not fair to generaliz about all Muslims based on a plain reading of their Koran. Is it possible that certain muslims interpret the Koran in ways that do not require conversion, killing of all infidels etc? Unless you're an expert on Muslim theology (which I doubt any of us are) you cannot just dismiss this possibility because it doesnt fit your preconceived notions.
23
Aug 24, 2010 at 06:56 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ #9, If you are going to compare the Am HaTorah to the Moslems and you think that our Torah is the SAME like the Koran then I recommend that you go to the nearest Mosque and convert. You and me do not have the same Torah. My Torah is Derocheyo Darkei Noam, Vechol Nesivosyo Sholom; not cruel like you have talked yourself into believing. Fech. ”
#19 -- I think you missed his point. He's not saying the Torah is cruel, he's saying what would a non-Jew reading the Torah think?
24
Aug 24, 2010 at 07:11 PM CommonSense Says:Report as Inappropriate
You're taking the exception and making it the rule.
No..I'm taking the possible exception and encouraging them not to be discouraged by bigots like you..who would stereotype them and perhaps radicalize them...
And commenter #18 said..How goyim might perceive our Torah...not how we know the truth to be..
25
Aug 25, 2010 at 11:30 AM Askupeh Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ You're taking the exception and making it the rule.
No..I'm taking the possible exception and encouraging them not to be discouraged by bigots like you..who would stereotype them and perhaps radicalize them...
And commenter #18 said..How goyim might perceive our Torah...not how we know the truth to be.. ”
The rest needs no answer because we are Jews, not others, and we should know the difference between our Torah and the Koran without being necessarily an expert on Islamic theology. It is the name calling that I will address. Usually when someone degenerates to name calling it means that they have no case.
Let me tell you something about me. Miyoim Omdi Al Daati I have been extra polite with Muslims, both in Eretz Yisroel and in the United States. I have tipped them generously and Shmoozed with them politely all for the purpose of “Shlach Lachmeco Al Pnei Hamoyim” that maybe oh maybe I will save a Jew sometime somewhere (e.g. when a Jew makes a wrong turn into a refugee camp, etc.). In my line of business I work and deal with many Arabs and Muslims. I am anything but a bigot; but how would you know. Liberalism (the opposite of common sense) Uber Alles.
But when you see their reaction when Jews get murdered and they dare tell me that we deserve it, don’t I have a right to point it out? Would I be a bigot if I said that the Germans were wicked even though there were good Germans too?
Lastly I am knowledgeable in Islamic theology; are you?