Dozens of opponents and some supporters of a mosque planned near ground zero attended a raucous hearing Tuesday about whether the building where the Muslim place of worship would be created warrants designation as a city landmark and should be protected from development.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio, who has sought an investigation into the funding of the mosque, was among the witnesses who testified in support of giving the building landmark status, which could complicate plans by Muslim groups to develop a community center and mosque there.

After noting the lower Manhattan building's history and architectural significance, Lazio said it also warranted landmark designation because on Sept. 11, 2001, it was struck by airplane debris from the terror attacks against the nearby World Trade Center. That connection to the attacks, he said, made it "a place of deep historical significance and a reminder of just what happened on New York's darkest day."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/13/dozens-speak-planned-mosque-near-ground-zero-nyc-hearing-landmark-status/

I think this is not right, How would family of victims view this seeing a symbol of those who killed their people standing exactly where they were killed.

Your opinions about this.

why is their a fascination to build a mosque on this particular site? Is there no other land elsewhere?

I think this is a deliberate attempt to provoke the populace The authorities might be taking this liberal "Land of freedom" thing too far.

dayokanu:

I think this is a deliberate attempt to provoke the populace The authorities might be taking this liberal "Land of freedom" thing too far.

Actually i think it is a deliberate monument to their secret pleasure at what occured on 9-11.

To relive the momentary victory over the pagan and Kafir?

dayokanu:

To relive the momentary victory over the pagan and Kafir?

its nothing new. As soon as the muslims overthrew Jerusalem they built a mosque over the temple mount. A mosque now stands over the tomb of the patriachs in Jericho, a mosque stands over old medieval churches in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Old churches in Spain where converted to mosques following the muslim invasion of Spain . . .

this is not some pattern that started today.

Why is this turning into a political issue? Is that piece of land the only one available to build a mosque (if this was merely about getting a mosque to pray)? Are they indicating they are not aware of how sensitive the issue is to families who lost loved ones in such a violent attack?

The question I would ask is if the people planning to build the mosque have followed the required laws and regulations. If yes, then what really is the reason for stopping them from building. I understand that some people may feel uncomfortable about having a mosque there but they will need a more concrete reason than simple discomfort.

Montelik,

This goes beyond Laws and regulation, This involves peoples lives and emotions.

Not everything can be encapsulated in laws and regulations. If Xtians choose to do religious crusade beside the Kano Central mosques. It has not violated any law or regulation but it surely goes beyond that.

In India Hindus rever Cows, If you are living in a Hindu area and you chose to kill cows, you havent defied any government law and regulation but it surely goes beyond that.

Nothing stops you from shouting Allahu Akbar in a plane, but you have to consider the impact it might have on you and other people

Another Daft post from a slowpoke cause if the us gorvernment can allow it i do not know what is the problem of fanatical NIGERIAN XTIANS.

So, what? Muslims have been meeting there at least once a week for prayer and the building owners (the building already stands, so this isn't an issue of erecting an actual edifice) allow it. This is a case of bigotry, plain and simple. Besides, how close is Park Place from Ground Zero in the first place? They're arguing that the building should have landmark designation because it was hit by debris. . .to be honest, they're pushing things here.

You known the world is full of comedy and this is one of it
If they must have mosque there then so be it. But I think this
is discrediting Ahmadinejab's effort to prove that 9/11 wasn't
the whole duty of men of many cloths
Let the hilarious fun begin.

Holla!

Its an insult to the families of the victims. They should build it elsewhere. With the recent attempt to blow up timesquare I find it amazing that American government will even allow this to be happening.

We are in the era of political correctness

Clearly a case of deliberate provocation.

^^ But you know this era of political correctness.

Is it illegal? Do they have permit? blah blah blah. I wonder why ppl cant build churches everywhere in Saudi, Iran and even Kano

Maaad fanatics are taking ober NL na wao this is shear madness these fanatics are crying more than the bereaved yet they claim they went to school but can not reason reasonbly Na wao fanatics!
fanatic!! fanatics!!!
Na wetin
Na wetin be your own sef
the Us citizens are not borthered yet this morons are crying and weeping and turning all over the floor becoz of this ou guys( ) are not sane enough to be in a normal society bunch of creep fools with no form common sense
A lot of mental people are in Nigeria, their country they there they face e own wahala yet these fools are crying over a matter that hardly affects them.

Explosive madman -----> vedaxcool

I hope this is not true and if true the authorities should reject it outright eg burn their petition near the site. How many churches or hindu or buddha sites are in mecca? They are too many mosques in NY already. These arab idiots never cease to amaze me. I hope america christians and muslims reject this trashy proposal. These arabs are using the black muslims as fronts for their actions. May thunder fire their domination ideas bloody arabs.

naijaway:

I hope this is not true and if true the authorities should reject it outright eg burn their petition near the site. How many churches or hindu or buddha sites are in mecca? They are too many mosques in NY already. These arab idiots never cease to amaze me. I hope america christians and muslims reject this trashy proposal. These arabs are using the black muslims as fronts for their actions. May thunder fire their domination ideas bloody arabs.

Are you sane? How on earth are you and others able to compare a country like Saudi Arabia that has a state religion with the US, where it's illegal for the government to side or endorse ANY religion? Banning the Muslims from having a mosque in Manhattan (the building is even owned by a Muslim, go figure) is at the very least unconstitutional; if the government wants to push it, the Muslims will sue and most likely win. 'Burn their petition' indeed.

Travelista:

Are you sane? How on earth are you and others able to compare a country like Saudi Arabia that has a state religion with the US, where it's illegal for the government to side or endorse ANY religion? Banning the Muslims from having a mosque in Manhattan (the building is even owned by a Muslim, go figure) is at the very least unconstitutional; if the government wants to push it, the Muslims will sue and most likely win. 'Burn their petition' indeed.

Sometimes politics and the consideration of general good override laws.
Have you considered general good in this case?

Holla!

precap2:

Sometimes politics and the consideration of general good override laws.
Have you considered general good in this case?

Holla!

No, NOTHING overrides the law. There are hundreds of thousands of sick perverts that molest children over and over and over again, and these monsters have RIGHTS under the Bill of Rights; a parent that seeks revenge against one of these miscreants is the one that would be thrown in jail before the police even began to investigate the charges against the molester. There are people that have killed and the police and prosecutors KNOW they committed these crimes but because of reasonable doubt, these criminals roam the streets as free men and women. If the 'general good' was considered more than the process of law, there would be pedos and murderers that would have been long dead or, at the very least, plucked off the streets and locked away.

If the government decides to condemn the actions of non-American Muslims for the 9/11 attacks, they head down a slippery slope. If you can blame an entire ethnic/religious group for the actions of a few, what does that do for others? Wouldn't Christians be able to persecute Jews because they killed Jesus? How about Black Americans seizing the property of Whites that are the descendants of slave owners as a way of gaining reparations for slave labor? If anyone actually believes such rantings and ravings from the political far right will gain traction in a court of law (let alone liberal NYC), then they are far more short-sighted than previously believed.

Travelista:

Are you sane? How on earth are you and others able to compare[b] a country like Saudi Arabia that has a state religion[/b] with the US, where it's illegal for the government to side or endorse ANY religion? Banning the Muslims from having a mosque in Manhattan (the building is even owned by a Muslim, go figure) is at the very least unconstitutional; if the government wants to push it, the Muslims will sue and most likely win. 'Burn their petition' indeed.

Ah the standard untenable excuse folks use to excuse islamic intolerance while forcing other nations to be open to muslims. The muslims are not banned from building ANYWHERE . . . New yorkers have a right to be wonder why these muslims have chosen a sensitive site OF ALL PLACES to build their mosque BY FORCE. I'm sure they would have had no problem if these folks decided to place 20 mosques in desolate Albany.

I'm sure you'd also be ok if they built this mosque at the gates of the white house, afterall its unconstitutional for the government to say no.

Travelista:

No, NOTHING overrides the law. There are hundreds of thousands of sick perverts that molest children over and over and over again, and these monsters have RIGHTS under the Bill of Rights; a parent that seeks revenge against one of these miscreants is the one that would be thrown in jail before the police even began to investigate the charges against the molester. There are people that have killed and the police and prosecutors KNOW they committed these crimes but because of reasonable doubt, these criminals roam the streets as free men and women. If the 'general good' was considered more than the process of law, there would be pedos and murderers that would have been long dead or, at the very least, plucked off the streets and locked away.

If the government decides to condemn the actions of non-American Muslims for the 9/11 attacks, they head down a slippery slope. If you can blame an entire ethnic/religious group for the actions of a few, what does that do for others? Wouldn't Christians be able to persecute Jews because they killed Jesus? How about Black Americans seizing the property of Whites that are the descendants of slave owners as a way of gaining reparations for slave labor? If anyone actually believes such rantings and ravings from the political far right will gain traction in a court of law (let alone liberal NYC), then they are far more short-sighted than previously believed.

lol the usual rush to empty moral equivalencies to excuse islamic violence and intolerance. Christians have no reason to persecute jews for killing Jesus . . . Christians are not interested, consider Christ's killing as a fulfillment of prophecy and the cornerstone of the christian faith . . . besides . . . Jesus was a JEW! Why do you expect Pakistanis to persecute Indians for killing an Indian?

davidylan:

Ah the standard untenable excuse folks use to excuse islamic intolerance while forcing other nations to be open to muslims. The muslims are not banned from building ANYWHERE . . . New yorkers have a right to be wonder why these muslims have chosen a sensitive site OF ALL PLACES to build their mosque BY FORCE. I'm sure they would have had no problem if these folks decided to place 20 mosques in desolate Albany.

I'm sure you'd also be ok if they built this mosque at the gates of the white house, afterall its unconstitutional for the government to say no.

lol the usual rush to empty moral equivalencies to excuse islamic violence and intolerance. Christians have no reason to persecute jews for killing Jesus . . . Christians are not interested, consider Christ's killing as a fulfillment of prophecy and the cornerstone of the christian faith . . . besides . . . Jesus was a JEW! Why do you expect Pakistanis to persecute Indians for killing an Indian?

David, leave your religious intolerance at the door and use the logic I KNOW you have in abundance. The article says that the Muslims have been meeting for prayer in that building for YEARS; they just want to make the building a permanent mosque site. There is no building that will be erected and the owner of said building is also in support of the Muslims and their quest. Don't you realize that Muslims also make their living on Wall Street (pause for a second and look up the distance between Park Pl. and the WTC. . .they are nowhere near each other when you consider the one way traffic that exists; if there is another Park Place that is closer to Wall St., then the argument about proximity makes even less sense).

Your remark about building a mosque near the White House doesn't hold water; NOTHING can be built on Pennsylvania Ave. because of security reasons. You can't even drive down the street anymore, so try again with another example. If they want to ascertain where a religious group can and cannot build a house of worship, then they need to make it a law but they should also get ready for a battalion of lawsuits. If you enforce the law solely against one group of people, you breed contempt and create levels of citizenship.

You hate Muslims (I know it's a strong word but I can't think of any other way to describe your. . .hostility towards them) but they have rights as well. In this country, we have given everyone rights to the point that the citizens are placed in a quagmire. Whether it's the issue of gay marriage, religious intolerance or even the question of what to do with illegal immigrants that refuse to learn the language and insist that you print EVERY government document in their native tongue, they all have rights and those rights must be protected. I mentioned Christians persecuting Jews for a reason; I also mentioned Black Americans confiscating White property but you ignored that example. Go figure, right?

Travelista:

No, NOTHING overrides the law. There are hundreds of thousands of sick perverts that molest children over and over and over again, and these monsters have RIGHTS under the Bill of Rights; a parent that seeks revenge against one of these miscreants is the one that would be thrown in jail before the police even began to investigate the charges against the molester. There are people that have killed and the police and prosecutors KNOW they committed these crimes but because of reasonable doubt, these criminals roam the streets as free men and women. If the 'general good' was considered more than the process of law, there would be pedos and murderers that would have been long dead or, at the very least, plucked off the streets and locked away.

If the government decides to condemn the actions of non-American Muslims for the 9/11 attacks, they head down a slippery slope. If you can blame an entire ethnic/religious group for the actions of a few, what does that do for others? Wouldn't Christians be able to persecute Jews because they killed Jesus? How about Black Americans seizing the property of Whites that are the descendants of slave owners as a way of gaining reparations for slave labor? If anyone actually believes such rantings and ravings from the political far right will gain traction in a court of law (let alone liberal NYC), then they are far more short-sighted than previously believed.

You just answered the most important question: The laws and the application of laws are not the same. The laws say something about molestation, another law say something about fundamental right. ONE LAW OVERRIDES ANOTHER. The laws say something about freedom of association and to own property, another law says something about breach of the peace. ONE LAW OVERRIDES ANOTHER.
Oh. . . The law is always an a**hole. Proof is always nuisance. I'll watch the outcome of this with undivided attention.

Holla!

Again I ask why are this people moaning more than the american people. I find this quite funny are this people a product of mental schisms or just individuals that have no use for their brains.

precap2:

You just answered the most important question: The laws and the application of laws are not the same. The laws say something about molestation, another law say something about fundamental right. ONE LAW OVERRIDES ANOTHER. The laws say something about freedom of association and to own property, another law says something about breach of the peace. ONE LAW OVERRIDES ANOTHER.
Oh. . . The law is always an a**hole. Proof is always nuisance. I'll watch the outcome of this with undivided attention.

Holla!

No, try again. YOU mentioned the 'general good' being more important than the law. I said otherwise. 'General good' is separating known criminals from the rest of society; following the law, means these same criminals are entitled to due process. Again, where is the 'general good' considered a law? What makes you think this situation falls under your unenforceable 'general good'?

If you make a life of deliberate misunderstanding, how can I help you?
You can as well misunderstand everything. Go and re-read what I wrote and stop making a mess of things.

Holla!

With just a little common sense, only small is even required, all this frictions can be easily avoided.
That area is a very sensitive place for millions of people and understandably so.
Is there no other site to build the mosque

If they followed the laws of new York then they should be allowed to build their mosque and we can change he topic. There are better things to discuss. The right wing just wants to rev up their base.

The greatest enemy of he 9-11 families is the bush administration which didn't do its duty at the time to prevent an attack by readingthe securityreports and acting accordingly.

Why not, kini big deal, Are all muslims terrorist ni, Abeg o free them jo,

[tr]With just a little common sense, only small is even required, all this frictions can be easily avoided.
That area is a very sensitive place for millions of people and understandably so.
Is there no other site to build the mosque[/tr]
Read cause you are very ignorant, cause a news report clearly says" says they used to meet there before the attack" Allah is really saving Muslims in Nigeria for if we were a minority we would all have been given Hitlers treatment.

Its silly, even if its "legal" it's silly.

No country on earth will legislate its own destruction, hence building a mosque on 9-11 territory will never be. Americans need to wake up