Manhattan, NY – Construction continues in and around Ground Zero more than eight years after the events of September Eleventh. And one of the newest construction projects could be a mosque two blocks away.
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A former Burlington Coat Factory building on Park Place is being eyed as the future home of the Cordoba House, sponsored by the American Society for Muslim Advancement, in partnership with the Cordoba Initiative. Community Board 1 has reportedly already passed a resolution in favor of the proposal.
In addition to a mosque, the Cordoba House would have rooms for community events, a performance space, fitness facilities and classrooms. It would cost about $100 million to build, and fundraising efforts are just now underway. The mosque could be open in three years.
But before construction even begins, there’s already opposition from a group on Facebook. The page is called “1,000,000+ people who disapprove of building a mosque at Ground Zero!” and just days after launching, there are already over 20,000 members.
The page’s administrator spoke with NBCNewYork by telephone from his home upstate. He asked that we not name him, because of “security concerns.”
He said the idea behind the page is “not to bash Muslims or tell them they can’t practice their faith”, but to express his belief that the location is an “inappropriate place”. He added that the page is “growing at a rate of 200 people an hour.”
Supporters though say the mosque’s location is ideal because it would address the growing number of Muslims downtown.
Nooh Al-Arcon, who lives in Brooklyn but works near Ground Zero, told us, “there’s a very small amount of mosques throughout New York”, and added, “I think it’s better to definitely have more mosques in more places because this is the best way to integrate into society.”
As for opponents of the planned mosque, Al-Arcon says “I would hope that people would have an open heart and mind to the dignity and respect that Islam portrays.”
its so funny.
We are debating if a Mosque should or shouldn’t be built accross of Ground zero.
But should one of us, or any American happen to walk the streets of Saudia Arabia. He would be shot to death, yet we have to welcome them, and let then build however whatever they want..
I think the opposition should be dropped. Denying a mosque just because it’s near “Ground Zero” is basically admitting that the terrorists are winning.
Just like standing up to a bully as a child, the best way to irritate is to pretend the slight never happened. All the drama surrounding 9/11 is exactly what they want.
Disagree. It would become a monument to the perpertrators of this horrific event. And remember, in the eyes of Islam, any land-ownership by a Muslim remains Muslim forever. The Muslims believe that Spain still belongs to them.
I agree with the first poster. Who cares if there’s a place of religion three blocks from where radical members of that religion killed a bunch of people? It’s better than putting a McDonald’s or a movie theater there.
Will it also have a room for terrorist training like how to fly planes in to buildings?
Are these people opposing the mosque totally out of their minds? Do they want another terrorist attack at ground zero ch”v? Don’t they realize that if there is mosque there no islamic terrorist is going to blow it up?
If this muslim group want to portray any of the “open heart,” “open mind,” “dignity,” and “respect” they laughably attribute to their religion, then instead of building a mosque just blocks away from the world’s largest symbol of Islamic barbarity, they should build a hospital or a soup kitchen.
By the way, the typical bully is an un-evolved apes who uses violence to overcompensate for his or her insecurities.
On the other hand, muslims have no insecurities. They believe they are right, that you (yes, you) are evil, and that any means is justified if it advances their cause, which is to destroy yours.
The only way the terrorists win is when softheaded dupes like you completely misunderstand their motivations and tactics, and “pretend the slight never happened.”
Its an old saying, if u don’t want to get blown up on a plane, then take a bomb with u on board, as the likely hood of 2 bombs being smuggled on a plane is almost impossible same here- if u have a mosque right next to ground zero its most likely not going to be blow up.
i just signed a petition on petitionspot against the mosque.
These meshugaim oppoposing a mosque on emotional and symbolic grounds should be and will be ignored by decisionmakers. They have every legal right to build there and the permits will be authorized in the near-term. At some point, we need to move beyond delaying and deferring to the 9/11 families. Their pain and suffering is very real but the new york community has moved on and is losing patience with their constant efforts to delay the rebuilding of the ground zero site and neighboring sites.
according to statistics 9/11 americans do not want a mosque built on ground zero
lets build a giant mosque on ground efess .
i mean so people will be allways remembered who did it .
i know that they say that it was bush together with the mossad , but we should let them do what they want with the goyishe land.
bubemaisses nebech , should better learn my daf yomi
Absolutely no mosque at ground zero, no way–no how. Here’s why: Guilt by association is real, and should be respected by all, even peace loving muslims who live anywhere on this planet, but especially here in the United States. Almost 20 years ago I spoke with many LAPD officers and civilian personnel who were honorable employees and on the job at the time of the Rodney King incident. They all understood, to a person, their own reputations were tarnished as was the reputation of the department. It would take a generation or more to heal and gain/earn back trust and respect. The argument for a mosque at ground zero smacks of a colossal lack of empathy, sympathy and responsibility. To the muslim population in general: You have a very long way to go before you earn back the right to request almost anything, let alone any representation at ground zero.