Ground Zero Irish families say no to Mosque

Families feel it will be built too close to sacred ground

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9/11 victim Damian Meehan and his baby son Damian Jr.

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Irish families who lost loved ones on 9/11 have spoken out against the proposed building of a mosque and community center near Ground Zero.

The family of Damian Meehan, who died at the World Trade Center while working for finance firm Carr Futures, feels that a mosque only two blocks from Ground Zero would be “disrespectful” to those who died during the biggest terrorist attack ever launched on U.S. soil.

Damien’s sister Janine Meehan, whose parents are from Co. Donegal, spoke to the Irish Voice on behalf of the Meehan family.

The Meehans feel erecting a mosque so close to Ground Zero, “a sacred ground,” would be utterly wrong.

“Ground Zero is the resting place of all the poor souls that have not been identified,” said Meehan.

The Meehans feel that if the proposed mosque is really “about praying and healing” then the religion of Islam could agree to “move elsewhere” to allow the families affected by 9/11 to heal properly.

“The truth is, this mosque is not about healing. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf that leads this mosque stated that this horrible event was America’s doing 19 days after 9/11,” said Meehan angrily.

She recalls only too well the bitter days following 9/11.

“As we waited to hear that our loved ones were safe, the soldiers of Islam celebrated this great victory and the cowardly terrorists were now in heaven enjoying their time with their promised virgins,” said Meehan. 

Instead of building a mosque, the Meehan family suggests building a place where the people of America can begin to heal.

“Build a place where the families can visit to be close to their loved ones.  Build a memorial that we can visit and fulfill our promise that we would never forget,” Meehan said.

The Meehans maintain that the focus should be on keeping the memory alive of “our fallen heroes.”

The family of Brendan Dolan, only 37 when he perished at Ground Zero on 9/11 while also working as a broker and senior vice president for Carr Futures, shares the same sentiments as the Meehans.

Brendan’s brother Thomas Dolan spoke to the Irish Voice from his vacation in Nantucket on Tuesday on behalf of the Dolan family.
“We think it is very, very insensitive to open up a mosque so close to Ground Zero,” said Dolan, whose mother hails from Co. Roscommon and father from Co. Cavan.

“We are not at all opposed to Muslims, and people have the right to practice their religion and open mosques wherever they might want to, but in this particular case to open a mosque a couple of blocks away from Ground Zero is very insensitive to all the people who died there, including my brother.”

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