Articles Index Spitting in the Face of Everyone Murdered on 9/11
A $100 million, 13-story “Community Center” only 600 feet from Ground Zero - complete with library, public conference rooms, fitness center, basketball courts, swimming pool, a 500-seat performing arts theater and restaurants - passed a major hurdle Wednesday night.
Well, its official, we have all lost our minds.
I read about this last December – plans for a mosque at Ground Zero. But like a fool, I assumed that New Yorkers would never let this come to pass. A mosque just 600 feet from where the World Trade Center towers once stood. I thought to myself; no way will New York or anyone with a heart or soul, not to mention, just plain common sense ever allow a mosque to be built anywhere near Ground Zero. But, as I said, I am a fool.
The project of a community center /mosque is being proposed by two organizations, the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA) and their sister organization, the Cordoba Initiative. This past Wednesday night they made their presentation to the Community Board of lower Manhattan (CB1). Twelve people sit on the board and would you like to guess what the final vote was? Get ready to grab a barf bag … The 12 members voted unanimously to support the project. Yes, it’s not a typo, it was unanimous, all were in favor and to give you an idea of how excited the board members were, they applauded during the presentation.
In an article in the New York Daily News on Thursday, retired FDNY Deputy Chief Jim Richessaid,
"I realize it's not all of them, but I don't want to have to go down to a memorial where my son died on 9/11 and look at a mosque. If you ask me, it's a religion of hate." Deputy Chief Richessaid lost his son Jim, a Firefighter, on 9/11.
Also quoted in the article was Rosemary Cain of Massapequa, L.I., whose son, Firefighter George Cain, 35, was killed in the 2001 attacks, she called the project,
"a slap in the face. I think it's despicable. That's sacred ground," said Cain, "How could anybody give them permission to build a mosque there? It tarnishes the area."
The mosque would be located in a former Burlington Coat Factory outlet which is just two blocks, or 600 feet, from where the World Trade Towers once stood. I find it rather ironic that the building has been mostly abandoned since 9/11 because the landing gear of one of the hijacked airplanes crashed through its roof.
The leader and co-founder of the project, imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, paid $4.85 million for the building in December last year.
In a Fox NY channel 5 interview on Thursday, a 9/11 firefighter Tim Brown described the mosque project as,
"a Trojan horse being rolled into our most sacred ground." He asked the mosque's imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf, where did Rauf get the reported $4.85 million in cash to purchase the building? Needless to say, that question was never answered in full; Rauf would only say that the cash came from members of the community.
Tim Brown is a former NY Firefighter and one of the few 9/11 survivors to survive the collapse of both WTC towers. He was also a first responder to the 1993 WTC bombing also by a group of Islamic terrorists. He is the founder of the website thebravest.com.
I spoke with Matt Dunning, the Associate Editor of the Tribeca Trib newspaper on the telephone on Sunday. The Tribeca Trib is a monthly newspaper that covers lower Manhattan. Unlike most publications today, they actually report the news. Mr. Dunning explained to me that they “do not even do editorials for that reason,” they report on facts. He was at the CB1 board meeting Wednesday night. We spoke about his article on the meeting and I must say I was shocked when Dunning told me that “not one person from the community came to the meeting was in opposition, if someone had been, we would have reported it.”
This was a public board meeting and no who lives or works in this area even showed up to voice their opinion that they opposed the mosque? Have we actually gotten to the point in this country where forgiveness overrides sense?
Back on December 16, 2009, in an article written shortly after the purchase of the building, Youssef M. Ibrahim wrote the following in Hudson NY,
“As a former New York Times and Wall Street Journal correspondent, and as a New York Sun columnist who covered Islamic Fundamentalism extensively overseas and in the USA, I find the facts oddly lacking. The story as reported fails to answer, and avoids asking, so many pertinent questions.
The source of money matters as a significant part of the hundreds of mosques being built and already erected in this country double up as cultural Islamic centers for distributing literature-- Islamist propaganda in fact—from Bay Ridge Brooklyn to Detroit, and for schooling growing Muslim minorities. They house Imams of unknown origin and education, many of whom do not speak a word of English but preach in Arabic and Urdu -- radical messages, it often turns out.
As a reporter familiar with the Arab communities of the USA, I doubt the faithful fork out all that money for mega mosques, and if they did, the mayor’s office should prove it, not merely accept someone’s say so. It is an established fact that a significant percentage of the mosques built in the USA in the past two decades are receiving a disproportionate amount of their funds not only from the Saudis, but also the UAE, Qatar and Iran -- all problematic Islamists activist nations. The government just discontinued work on a major Iranian-funded mosque and center in New York City, which had operated under the radar since the days of the good old Shah of Iran under the auspices of the Pahlavi Foundation, and has been owned since 1979 by the Mullahs of Iran.
The context here is that 15 of the 19 perpetrators of the attacks -- on the very site where this new mosque shall rise – came from Saudi Arabia.”
He ended his article with “One would hope for a follow-up story or stories, and that New York City and its citizens at least ask harder questions, rather than submit to being mislead in the interest of political correctness.”
The estimated cost for the 13 story building is $100 million. According to page 8 of the ASMA website financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009 they have “temporarily restricted net assets” as follows:
UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) $ 53,664
MDG3 Fund (Millennium Development Goals) $481,942
Hunt Alternatives Fund $15,000
Carnegie Corporation of N.Y. $ 144,752
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund $50,000
Qatar government fund $576,312
Interestingly, I had no trouble locating all of the groups as linked above, except for the Qatar government fund, who donated over half a million dollars to ASMA in 2009.
The fact the UN has a hand in this really comes as no surprise or shock to me given that just last week they embraced the Islamic Republic of Iran by allowing them to become a member of The Commission on the Status of Women, as I wrote about in my article “Even if it were a joke, it wouldn’t be funny”.
Also, according to the same financial statement, on page 10 of the report they list their “Expenditure report for the period October 13, 2008 to June 30, 2009” leaving ASMA with a balance of $988,586.00 when converted from Euros to Dollars using the conversion noted on the same page.
So, assuming this “independent” audit is correct they ended their fiscal year on June 30, 2009 with a balance of almost $1 million. I wonder then, where is the money for a $100 million mosque coming from?
As Youssef M. Ibrahim wrote in his article, “It is an established fact that a significant percentage of the mosques built in the USA in the past two decades are receiving a disproportionate amount of their funds not only from the Saudis, but also the UAE, Qatar and Iran – all problematic Islamists activist nations.”
Does anyone have the sense to connect the dots and follow the money trail? Is it not enough that the terrorists who were responsible for 9/11 are from the same country that is funding mosques all over country, that we have to allow them to fund the building of a mosque in the very location where they committed the most heinous act in American history?
Using this analogy, had the bomb last week in Times Square actually gone off, we would be planning a mosque there right now.
Currently, in the U.S. there are over 1,200 mosques with at least one in each state. I don’t see the need to have one at the same location where nearly 3,000 people were murdered by terrorists who were following an Islamic ideology that is being preached inside them.
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2010-05-10 12:48:53 |207.200.116.xxx| Lisa B.
Thank you, Gadi, for writing this thoughtful commentary on what is an abhorrent situation. Our enemy continues to use our freedoms and liberty to creep into every aspect of our lives. Mayor Bloomberg should be ashammed of himself. Lisa B.
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2010-05-10 14:19:40 |24.108.83.xxx| gymgal
Well there is a backlash now.
Whoever is on the city planning dept. or the zoning dept. needs to answer for this. It should have been shot down (pardon the pun) as soon as it was suggested.
The audacity is astounding.
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2010-05-10 16:29:15 |131.107.0.xxx| Fritz - Private property, guys
They bought the property. This is what happens when people are allowed to own land. They might put something on THEIR land that you don't like.
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2010-05-10 17:59:12 |71.50.188.xxx| Concerned Reader - Yes, private property
I have to second Fritz on this one. If we believe in a Republic where even the unpopular people are able to own property (and the Founders certainly did), then one cannot make the rational argument that a place of worship (of whatever religion) may not be built in this or that place with respect to properly zoned property. To suggest something of that nature begins to harken back to some rather dark days in the world's history.
Do I like that they would place a mosque in that area? Not really, but thats Ok. I do lots of things that others don't like, too. The Republic is strong enough to survive a bit of contention and disagreement.
Do I expect, no, DEMAND that the police-state loving, collectivist authoritarian punks who run NYC actually do their jobs and keep a close eye (and ear) on this location? Certainly, absolutely, yes. Let 'em build. It just makes it easier to keep an eye on what they are up to.
Freedom means just what it says. Thats why its price is eternal vigilance.
Concerned Reader
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2010-05-10 21:44:45 |75.9.40.xxx| Adeline - Safety first
If a mosque is built there, will it make the area around it safer? I mean, would they bomb their own mosque?
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2010-05-10 22:55:50 |99.153.2.xxx| Lisa VanderLeest
Why support the monsters? What is so special about New York? With the crime, cost of living and taxes; I'd get out of dodge! If that had happened in the city where I live; my loyalty would be more than gone and I would move. Its obvious what they are doing. We need to realize the threat will be carried out. Read their 'good book'. Its spelled out in the koran.
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2010-05-11 01:35:00 |68.43.57.xxx| Geoff - Whats wrong with it?
I don't understan? What are you are all complaining about? I know I'm a little behind, but I never seem to get things done on time anymoe, anyway I had planned to put in for grant money to build a museum for Ultra Conservative Skinhead Militia's to be built on the site( or near the site) of the Edward R Morrow building there in OK on the anniversiry of the bombing and fully expected either Barak or Hillary to hand me the Money personaly. Is MY thinking incorrect?
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2010-05-11 02:19:40 |67.142.162.xxx| Michelle Barkman
This was a really good article. I hate it but I think the people where paid off to vote all in favor not one to say No. And I really Hate that the UN money aka our money had any part in it. What is wrong with people today ?? It is like it s to much to Stand up of something let it is just going to go away if they do not notice it. Wake up and soon. I rant and cry everyday about This Trogan horse (Muslims) coming here and just doing as they please with no accounting for anything. I wish I knew what I could do other than hold on for the disstruction that is gong to happen to us. Thanks Gadi again fir helping us understand a little more.
Michelle
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2010-05-11 11:03:20 |75.171.181.xxx| fedup - ummmm hello
ok some one ased if they would bombor destroy their own property.... thats a silly question. they have suicide bombers and ppl flying planes in to buildings. ummmm i reall dont think they would think twice about it if thats what they decide to do...(just my personal opinion) and i agree with some of the people that commented yes it is a discrace.
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2010-05-11 11:20:48 |75.57.203.xxx| William Hodges - The epitome of audacity...
As if Islam hasn't insulted and attacked Western culture and heritage enough, it insists upon rubbing salt into our wounds! When will Western Society decide it has had far enough of this nonsence and begin to fight back with a real intent to defeat this cancerous plague upon the Earth we know to be Islam? Even the Far Eastern culture and heritage is under the same attack. It is past time that the world begins to purge this sick cult from existence.
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2010-05-11 15:52:58 |98.71.94.xxx| FISH - WHAT IF IT WHERE SKINHEADS
IF THIS WAS A MILITIA GROUP OR A WHITE SUPREMACY GROUP THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE ALL OVER THIS. THIS WOULD BE ON EVERY NEWS CHANEL IN THE COUNTRY. IS OUR SOCIETY SO POLITICALLY CORRECT THAT WE WILL LET THE COUNTRY BE TORN TO SHREDS TO NOT AFFEND ANYONE. WE WON'T TO FIX BIG BUSINESS, YOU CAN'T EVEN JOIN A MILITIA IN OKLAHOMA, YET IN NEW YORK THE IS AN UNRESTRICTED, UNCHECKED GROUP OF MUSLIM EXTREMISTS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN CAMP IN THE MOUNTAINS.
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2010-05-11 18:08:59 |71.50.188.xxx| Concerned Reader - C'mon kids.....
While we may all be disgusted by the zoning boards actions, lets look at it another way.
If this property is zoned for this purpose (and I am guessing it is), imagine the lawsuit that would be filed, and almost certainly won, against the city should they have decided against this project. Then the mosque would be built and the owners would have a war chest of taxpayer cash to boot.
Gotta change the zoning, all else just puts you on the wrong side of history. Unless you just enjoy repeating it. Will we break the windows next?
This Freedom thing, Jefferson didn't refer to it as an "animating contest" for nothing. Those who choose to ignore the Constitution and specifically ignore private property rights - for ANY reason - are on the wrong side here.
I took an oath to protect and defend said document. I do not view it as optional. I do not view it as something that can be ignored when we feel like it. Sometimes it helps people I don't necessarily like, but that's the price we pay for Liberty. If we ignore it, we become that which we struggle against.
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2010-06-13 06:17:46 |216.37.67.xxx| Teealc de ElCid - the Constitution does not apply to barbarians who
the Foundling Fathers were Christians and the document was endorsed by and crafted by men and a very important person present via invitation for events leading up to and including The Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional Convention. That person is none other than CHrist Jesus, COmmander In Chief, Universe - seen and unseen, of all Creation. In a military chain of command He is the Sovereign Commander, there are no others above Him. The dogs of islam, the barbaric enfant terribles of satan, wish to utterly destroy this country and the Document. They are joined by the progressivist totalitarians, strange bed fellows until one realizes that they are united by hate, the hate of the Jews and the Christians - and who is the architect of this? Whose hand is seen throughout recorded time as standing opposed? the pigs of islam are just throwaway pawns. They - like the original orcs of morgath are fell creatures motivated and energized by hate - they hate with his hate The Woman and Her CHild. If you do not grasp this or understand it, then read your bible, follow from sin's entrance through the prophetic books. It is as clear as rain. silly man-made arbitrary rules that change like the weather on a mountain top hold no weight against these truths. I do not think those men would argue your case. They would be horrified to see satan's counterfeit running like a horde of filthy pigs over this country and the Constitution. that is what they are, the excrement visually espressed of satan's hate. there is only one hope for them but they do not see it. only One Person who can save them but they reject Him, preferring to cast Him in the role of a subservient prophet to the last majid. and if you are concerned about 'freedom of religion', this is not a religion as we understand it. the state religion here is but one facet of a three pronged assault on mankind. The Constitution does not provide for an enemy coming in and destroying us. If the Fathers would resist the British who were their kin, how much more so would they resist the filty excrement form the bowels of hell??
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2010-05-22 20:28:47 |64.12.117.xxx| ms2020 - wouldn't it be a shame
Wouldn't it be a shame if after investing all that time, effort and expense into this building it happened to go the way of the WTC? Or maybe that would start to level the playing field a bit.
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2010-06-02 10:24:53 |24.88.238.xxx| j
i agree 100% with ms2020, and for everyone out there that thinks america is a country where anyone can do anything, you are absolutely right, but let it be known, there are too many proud americans, REAL americans, that if pushed too far from america's foundations, would not hesitate to take action against these everyday threats to the red, white and blue.
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2010-06-10 20:27:06 |24.144.36.xxx| Aligail Castleberry
Many of the preceding comments talk of America losing its sense or smarts by allowing this to happen. What I want to know is when America lost it courage and valor? Remember that all religions has some violent aspect to them, usually not because of the religion but from the humans that control the religion. You people should realize that radical muslims aren't representative of muslims or Islam as a religion. The Prophet himself always respected all other people be they muslim or not and dealt with them with the utmost respect and fairness. In my opinion, terrorists aren't even real muslims. Every act of violence they commit are against the real teachings of Islam. But of course, most of you don't care to look up the difference yourselves. No courage or valor.
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2010-06-13 04:55:00 |76.6.231.xxx| Matt - Matt
Aligail you are the misinformed one. Have you EVER researched what and who Mohamed was? REALLY? Shariah law applies to all Muslims (this includes honor killings, stoning to death etc.) you are a fooled FOOL! Why not just give the heads of the Cordoba Initiative the thousands of body parts salvaged from the rubble and let these animals take them to a taxidermist so they can hang a head on the wall to go with the "kill trophy" they are building?
I believe that one of the mega-farms (hog farm to be specific) should be implemented on the same block. By raising swine in a multi-story building (with proper watering, feeding and ventilation) constantly washed down and flushed into the sewage system to be treated as the rest of the sewage would be perfect!
This is disgusting, repulsive, insulting and foul. Islam is NOT a religion of peace, if it was the majority of the violence on this planet would not have its foothold in Islamic roots. This is not freedom of religion. This is a radical faction flipping off the USA with a 13 story finger. It is BLASPHEMY against the very foundation of America. The "panel" that unanimously approved this should be tried for treason!
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2010-06-14 19:32:21 |24.144.38.xxx| Aligail - re: MattMatt wrote:Aligail you are the misinformed one. Have you EVER researched what and who Mohamed was? REALLY?
Yes. I am a Muslim convert living in good ole Arkansas, USA. Actually, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), was a great, fair man. He fought for his freedom of religion. He was a military leader, who only took up arms after his life and the life of his family was threatened by the Quraysh, a tribe from Mecca, his birthplace. After Muhammad defeated them, he exiled them, instead of killing them which was the culturally accepted thing and what most expected him to do, but he knew that it would only produce more violence. Allah (SWT) and Muhammad are anti-violence. If you were to actually read about Muhammad from trustworthy sources you would know that he was actually a great man who was fair and forgiving despite what religion someone followed. In fact some of his closest friends where Christians and Jews, who never embraced his religion (Abu Talib, Muhammad's own uncle) Shariah law is violent. But it originated in a violent culture. Islam changed the face of its culture from one where infant girls could be buried alive to a forgiving, loving, hardworking religious people. If you are going to argue with me, you need to state facts. Here's one: Most muslims today in the west don't want Shariah implemented in America! We like it the way it is. Want proof? Here: http://www.reformislam.org/
The foundations of Islam state nothing of Shariah law; its a completely man made atrocity.Matt wrote:Islam is NOT a religion of peace, if it was the majority of the violence on this planet would not have its foothold in Islamic roots. This is not freedom of religion. This is a radical faction flipping off the USA with a 13 story finger. It is BLASPHEMY against the very foundation of America. The "panel" that unanimously approved this should be tried for treason!Ahh, no. Most of the violence in the world does not come from Islam. You must be watching too much Fox News. Actually, most, no all the violence in the world has it foothold in blind hate, which is part of the human condition. But I'm sure you know all about that. Well, since we are talking about violence and religion, why don't we talk about other religions as well. What about, oh I don't know, Christianity. First of all, there are the Crusades. . . . . Which by the way, were almost completely politically motivated and killed thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people. Then to add to that, there was the Children's Crusades. Those were the expeditions where children were led into battle because the leaders thought that in order to win a "religious war" then soldiers must be completely innocent. But fast foward to present day. Lets talk about The Oklahoma City Bomber, Timothy McVeigh. He bombed the Oklahoma City Federal Building. He believed that by doing this he could bring about a government ruled by Christian Law. Then what about Micheal Bray and his membership in Army of God. He is suspected in several bombings of abortion clinics. Reverend Paul Hill has killed at least one abortion doctor. What about all the Catholic priests who molest little children who are supposed to be in their physical and spiritual care? What this comes down to is that you (and everyone else to arrogant to think for themselves) are looking an easy way out, a scapegoat, because its easier blaming someone than actually thinking for yourself.
Hey Matt. This is Adam Ali's fiance. I am a christian and not Muslim like Ali. Writer's like Gadi Adelman have no respect with me. All he is doing is writing what people like to read. The Muslims that are trying to open up a mosque near ground zero have every right too. how do we know that Muslims were not killed in 9/11. That is right we don't. Think if a group of Christians opened up a church in a Muslim community after they killed some Muslims. How do you think they would feel? you don't but there is nothing that anyone can do. Just because a certain type of Muslims made a type of terrorist act against the U.S. does not mean that all Muslims are violent. Why don't we all just grow up and accept people for who they are. Ali is very intelligent and she knows what she is talking about. She majors in religion and has made her decision. A lot of people are converting and I might not be one of them but I do respect other peoples decisions. That is what America is about is it not? Freedom, so why don't we give people freedom? Good luck with everything else and hope all is well.
Am I nuts or is the rest of the world going batty? Are we all going to have to put out our prayer rugs and bow to the East three times daily? What is wrong with our American way of life and our independence and our SMARTS!!!!! I can't believe that this story is an actual fact ridden one! How is it that these Arab countries and their people can get their buildings built and their ideas put into motion? Again, where is our AMERICAN spirit? I am mortified and terribly troubled by this story and would like to hear from others who feel the same way! Thank you, Gadi, for your article!