NYC Panel Clears Way for Ground Zero Mosque

A New York City panel sponsored by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will allow a mosque to be built near Ground Zero.


The 9-0 vote Tuesday by the Landmarks Preservation Commission permits the existing building to be torn down and paves the way for a group called the Cordoba Initiative to begin construction on a 13-story Islamic center.

According to the commissioners, the 152-year-old building does not meet historic criteria to qualify as a landmark.

"We really stand for peace, and peace is what matters the most," said Daisy Khan, executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement. "And we believe the symbolism of being close to the site that had so much tragedy emanating from it is the very site that we believe will bring about much healing."

However, the American Center for Law and Justice, which is representing a New York City firefighter who survived the 9/11 terror attacks, expressed a different view.

"The actions taken by the City of New York represent a blatant disregard for the city's own procedures, while ignoring the fact that this is a historic and hallowed site that should not be destroyed to build an Islamic mosque," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ.

"It has been clear from the beginning that the city has engaged in a rush to push this project through - ignoring proper procedure and ignoring a growing number of New Yorkers and Americans who don't believe this site is the place to build a mosque," Sekulow continued.

Sekulow said his organization would be filing a legal challenge to the panel's "flawed" decision on behalf their client.

Former New York Mayor Rudi Giuliani also didn't mince words when he called the mosque a "desecration," while talking to conservative talk radio host Jeff Katz. He added that "decent Muslims" would take no offense at opposition to the Islamic center since they too desired peace.

"Nobody would allow something like that at Pearl Harbor. Let's have some respect for who died there and why they died there," Giuliani said. "Let's not put this off on some kind of politically correct theory."

Meanwhile, a prominent Jewish group has also spoken out against the mosque. The Anti-Defamation League said the mosque would be disrespectful to the victims and families of Sept. 11 and that the location was "counterproductive to the healing process."
source:http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2010/August/NYC-Panel-Clears-Way-for-Ground-Zero-Mosque/