Ground Zero Mosque
<youtube align="right" size="tiny" caption="NRTPac Ad: 'Kill the Ground Zero Mosque'">mjGJPPRD3u0</youtube>The 'Ground Zero Mosque' controversy was sparked by Israel Lobby activist Pamela Geller.[1] It centers on the planned construction of the Cordoba House, an Islamic community centre, two blocks away from where the World Trade Center once stood. Construction of the centre, which will include a swimming pool, gym, theatre, sports and prayer facilities, was approved by a New York City community board by a vote 29-1 in favour with 10 abstentions.
Origins of Controversy
The campaign against the Cordoba House, which has been deliberately mislabelled the 'Ground Zero Mosque', was started by far-right Zionist activist Pamela Geller.[2] It has since been joined by some members of the families of 9/11 victims, a campaign has been waged mainly by the right wing Tea Party movement and Israel lobby-affiliated neoconservative groups to inflame passions in a series of ads, articles and public pronouncements. In the latest episode, former Republican governor of Alaska Sarah Palin has asked 'peace-seeking' Muslims to 'refudiate'[sic] the mosque. As of 21 July 2010, the campaign's Facebook page (which is promoted by the English Defence League) has over 51,000 members. In late July 2010 the Anti-Defamation League drew sharp condemnation after it endorsed the campaign's demands.[3][4][5][6] ADL's action prompted influential columnist Fareed Zakaria to return an award and the $10,000 honorarium he received from the organization in 2005.[7] Despite intense lobby pressure, Barack Obama has supported the project.[8]
Following the hysteria successfully sparked by the rightwing campaign, public opinion has strongly turned against the mosque, and politicians of even liberal persuasion have started backtracking, expressing scepticism, or outright opposing the project. Barack Obama backtracked from his endorsement the very next day, and the project has been opposed by the likes of Howard Dean and David Paterson.[9]
Key Opponents
- American Jewish Committee [10]
- Anti-Defamation League - [11]
- Freedom Defense Initiative - one of Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller's projects.
- English Defence League
- American Family Association
- Charles Krauthammer
- Michael Steinhardt[12]
- Dan Senor
- Sarah Palin
- Newt Gingrich
- Stephen Schwartz
- M. Zuhdi Jasser
- Mark Williams - chairman of Tea Party Express has called Cordoba House 'a monument to 9/11 attacker.'
- Youssef M. Ibrahim
- Robert Spencer
- Pamela Geller
- Middle East Forum - Raymond Ibrahim of MEF denounces the centre by drawing parallels with his own unique interpretation of Cordoba's history[13]
- Scott Wheeler - runs the one man National Republican Trust Political Action Committee
Resources
- Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/no911mosque
Media Coverage
- Matthew Price, 'Controversy over Ground Zero mosque plans', BBC, 19 May 2010
- Harris Zafar, Ground Zero Mosque: A Muslim's Perspective, Huffington Post, 19 July 2010
References
- ↑ Justin Elliot, Ground Zero Mosque Origins, Salon, 16 August 2010
- ↑ Justin Elliot, Ground Zero Mosque Origins, Salon, 16 August 2010
- ↑ Philip Weiss, ‘ADL’ statement rationalizing bigotry draws wide scorn, Mondoweiss.net, 30 July 2010
- ↑ Jim Lobe, Foxman Really Outdoes Himself on Mosque Issue, Lobelog.com, 30 July 2010
- ↑ Ali Gharib, ADL and Downtown Islamic Center: What about the Pentagon?, Lobelog.com, 31 July 2010
- ↑ Philip Weiss, Foxman plays Holocaust card, Mondoweiss.net, 31 July 2010
- ↑ Danny Shea, Fareed Zakaria Returns Anti-Defamation League Award Over Ground Zero Mosque, Huffington Post, 6 August 2010
- ↑ Glenn Greenwald, 'Obama defends "Ground Zero mosque",' Salon, 13 August 2010
- ↑ Glenn Greenwald, Howard Dean: "Mosque" should move, Salon, 18 August 2010
- ↑ MJ Rosenberg, UPDATE American Jewish Committee Opposes Mosque And A Strong Sign That AIPAC Does Too, TPM Cafe, 3 August 2010
- ↑ Statement On Islamic Community Center Near Ground Zero, ADL Press Release, 28 July 2010
- ↑ Michael Barbaro, Mayor’s Stance on Muslim Center Has Deep Roots, New York Times, 13 August 2010
- ↑ Raymond Ibrahim, The Two Faces of the Ground Zero Mosque, Pajamas Media, 22 June 2010
