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Ground Zero mosque plan backed
A New York City community board has voted for a plan to build a mosque and cultural centre near Ground Zero. The vote, 29-1 in favour with 10 abstentions, came after hours of contentious public comment.The board vote, while not necessary for the building's owners to move forward with the project, was seen as key to obtaining residents' support. On Tuesday night a top Manhattan politician backed the plans, which have angered some conservative activists and families of the victims of the September 11 2001 terror attacks. But standing in front of the ragged building at the centre of the proposal, Manhattan borough president Scott Stringer, who has been the target of disparaging remarks by Tea Party Express chairman Mark Williams for supporting the plans, defended his position and condemned offensive speech directed at him or Muslims. "What I want people to do is to take a look at the totality of what they are proposing," Mr Stringer said. "What we're rejecting here is outright bigotry and hatred."
The American Society for Muslim Advancement and the Cordoba Initiative, the organisations sponsoring the project, say they are trying to meet a growing need for prayer space in Lower Manhattan as well as provide a venue for the dissemination of mainstream Islam, to counter extremism. Posted by: ryuge 2010-05-26 |
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