USA: More than forty New York organizations come out in support of a proposed Muslim center near Ground Zero

Record ID: 784931

  • Title: USA: More than forty New York organizations come out in support of a proposed Muslim center near Ground Zero
  • Date: 26th August 2010
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN STREET WHERE THE PROPOSED MUSLIM CENTER IS TO BE BUILT
  • Embargoed: 10th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVAESHHMR3FA3TLZOLJPPTZDZTIV
  • Story Text: More than forty organizations in New York join forces to announce the creation of a coalition in support of religious freedom and diversity. The move is fueled by an ongoing controversy surrounding a planned Muslim cultural center and mosque in New York, just two blocks from Ground Zero.
    Muslim, Jewish, Christian and civic groups formed a coalition on Wednesday (August 25) to back a controversial plan for a Muslim cultural center near the site of the World Trade Center attacks.
    The cultural center and mosque face fierce opposition from conservative politicians and people who consider its location insensitive to families of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the Sept. 11 attacks by al Qaeda militants in 2001. But the newly formed New York Neighbors for American Values made up of more than 40 religious and civic groups said the debate was creating fear and division and the organization would fight for U.S. constitutional freedoms to be upheld.
    "We will not allow anyone to sow fear and division or condemn the warm embrace we've always offered to all people of all lands. We call on our country's politicians, pundits and leaders to live up to the freedoms enshrined in our constitution," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director, Common Cause New York, at the beginning of a news conference held in Manhattan to announce the coalition.
    Donna O'Connor, spokeswoman for September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is one of the supporters of the proposed Muslim center and mosque. O'Connor's pregnant daughter was killed in the World Trade Center attacks
    "There are many 9/11 family members who while we understand the pain caused by some family members speaking against this, that we one hundred percent fully support the Islamic Cultural Center in New York City two and half blocks and around the corner from Ground Zero," said O'Connor.
    The debate over the mosque turned national ahead of November elections -- as Republicans seek to wrest control of Congress from Democrats -- and in New York the city's many Muslim taxi drivers linked the controversy to an attack on a colleague. Polls have found at least 60 percent of Americans are against building the center near the World Trade Center site.
    Muslim Americans who were present at the Wednesday news conference said that it was important for the Muslim community in the country to strongly stand against any opposition to the proposed mosque.
    "One of the main concerns or one of the main issues is that Muslims were also attacked on that day. I'm a native New Yorker and I remember that day like anyone else. And so the notion that American Muslims are somehow the other, that we should be treated as second class citizens, is something that's ludicrous and should be rejected by all people," said Faiza Ali, Community Affairs Director, Council on American-Islam Relations.
    While Imam Abdur-Rashid of the Islamic and Leadership Council of New York City Metropolitan Area thinks that there is a rise of Islamophobia in America.
    "There have been attacks on masjids, there have been vandalizations, there have been physical assaults on individuals. This thing is escalating because of the dialogue and because somber minds are not prevailing in this country. And so we're concerned about it but our silence for so long has been our consent that they can do whatever they want. But we're not going to be silent no more," he said.
    The plan is to build a 13-story building which will house an auditorium, swimming pool, meeting rooms and prayer space.
    The structure is architecturally plain and does not include a minaret, dome or other motifs often associated with mosques.
    The building currently at the site is already being used as a prayer space.
    New York is home to some 800,000 Muslims, about 10 percent of the city's population, and there are about 100 mosques throughout the city's five boroughs.
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