Ground Zero Irish families say no to Mosque

What about the Muslims that were working in the Trade Center and lost their lives that day, maybe you might want to hear what their families have to say. I'm really tired of so-called Christians that are so filled with hate, they need to go back and relearn their religion! Remember forgiveness? besides the Muslims that want this Community Center had nothing to do with 9/11. I also think that all the Americans that are against the Community Center need to reread their Constitution, remember that piece of paper that guarantees everyone the right to freedom of religion? We cannot pick and choose who has the right to worship and where they worship, it's their right as Americans, just like it is yours. Do any of you realize that there has been a Mosque, within a few blocks of Ground Zero already, and has been there since before the Trade Center was built? These Muslims are Americans too, they love their country and wish to worship, just like the rest of you.

The building is a cultural center that contains, among other things, a cooking school and a basketball court, as well as a space for prayer. As New York Times columnist Clyde Haberman has written, calling it a mosque is like calling a hospital that includes a chapel a church. The U.S. has always stood for freedom of religion; are we now going to erase that from our Constitution? Unlike most people who are raising a ruckus about this building, I lived in New York on 9/11; I watched the building collapse. I went to my share of funerals. I lived with the fear in our city for months and years afterward. But it's a victory for terrorism if you allow our Constitution to be subverted and block this building's construction.

The best way to teach understanding is to show some. As an American I support their right to practice their faith, as a family member of someone who was killed on 9/11, A fine Irish American, who would have also supported the Muslim's freedom of religon, I believe the true intention of building a mosque at/near ground zero is an "UP YOURS"

If a group of radical Christians blew up a mosque and killed a lot of Muslims, just how enthusiastic do you think the Muslim community would be about a Christian church being erected near the site? NOT VERY! They'd be screaming their heads off about how "insensitive" the Christians are and how they were trying to "kill" Islam.

resisting the mosque is Anti-American and against everything that once made this country great. this 'I got mine, to hell with you' attitude is shameful.

This Mosque instead of bringing healing will only be a reminder of how evil Islam can be not how good it could be. Every Islamic Terrorist event in the future will be a reflection on this Mosque. I can still see Muslims dancing in the streets when the twin-towers went down.

I've seen no indications that Muslims are willing to keep their faith a private matter, accept secular government and law or show tolerance to those not wishing to be Muslims. How long will it be before this sinks in? Duh!

To show how ridiculous the media has become trying to refute those calling for the Imam to do the right thing I cite last nights report on New York's NBC station. The reporter pointed out that there are three strip clubs not far from the site and why they were acceptable and the Mosque is not. I can think of two things off the top of my head: There were no reports of Strippers flying the planes into the WTC and these clubs were probably there already. If strippers had been the terrorists, I am sure everyone would be up in arms if someone wanted to open a new strip club. The news media, especially NBC, is way over the top trying to characterize ordinary Americans as racist bigots. We Americans are a people used to decency, etiquette, concern for others and hard work.

In the beginning this Imam said he wanted to build it there to promote understanding. Yet when Governor Patterson offers a meeting to discuss the possibility of moving it to another location in the area that the State of New York would provide this Imam refuses to take part in the meeting. If he had shown some concern for the feelings of the victims' families he could have now come forward and offer to move is a couple or so blocks farther away. Then even though there would be some who would still object he would really look like he wanted to promote understanding and peace. His stubbornness causes one to think he has other goals than those stated. It's not a matter of racism or bigotry but rather a matter of doing the right thing.

The building chosen for the mosque was hit by one of the parts of a plane, so to me, that makes it an even more chilling aspect, of this whole controversy. I think another place will be chosen. We need peace for all concerned, not more controversy.

Why do Muslims always want to do something that upsets every other religion. If they truly belive they can build it somewhere else that doesn't affect some many people who were devasted by the events that happend on September llth

Story that will forever stay with me is that of a family not far from where I am.The husband managed to escape from the towers with his life.His wife and little girl were on one of the planes that struck the twin towers.It seems to me that beauracracy has gone mad.Common sense and a respect for the dead should be shown.Ya know what..build the damn mosque,,invite the wrath of the Irish..see what happens.

There are claims made everywhere I read that there are 100 mosques in New York. But is that true? Cityscape indicates that there are only 47 Islamic facilities in the entire New York Metropolitan Area, and Verizon reports telephone listing for only 29 mosques in all of New York City. Where did this "100" number come from? I also would like to ask the critics of The Cordoba Institute this: if the center is too close to Ground Zero, how far away would it need to be to satisty your concerns?

I ask again - how much of NY City is to be 'sacred ground?' Now it extends in a 2-3 block radius from the actual towers. But why not 5 blocks - or 10? Or all of Manhattan? After all, it is the financial center of the nation, right? So would building a bank be too profane in such a sacred place? For heaven's sake, this is basically a church, and if they can't build it there, no one else should either.

Too many people are missing the point. Freedom of religion is a right. But with a 100 mosques in NY, freedom of religion is not being denied. And if the nuslims have 100 million dollars to build it, why don't they use the money to build hospitals and schools in the war torn regions of the middle east, instead of the USA spending our tax dollars to build them.