Originally posted by hadriana
A sense of reverence and sadness and desire to keep that site sacred.

But the community center will not be at the WTC site.

Not that I understand how building some new corporate office buildings with a mall in them will "keep that site sacred". But we went through that debate once already -- some people didn't want anything rebuilt there other than a memorial park of some sort and were told in no uncertain terms that that wouldn't be happening.

But I just don't see anything "sacred" in how the actual WTC site development has been carried out (including the fact that nine years later it's just a construction site). So now property owners blocks away have to keep that site "sacred" too -- and they can only do that by not erecting a building that will include space for prayer?

Yes, the building they will demolish was hit by debris on 9/11, including part of one of the planes. So was most of Lower Manhattan. Rebuilding does not negate that -- it is still the site of one of the worst atrocities that has ever happened on U.S. soil. It is also Lower Manhattan, home to some 300,000 people and uncountable businesses and non-profit organizations. In my opinion, it should be honored by allowing that community to rebuild, including the portion of that community who happen to follow the Quran instead of the almighty dollar.

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I don't understand the comparison between the book-burning pastor and the Park51 project. I see them both as free speech issues, yes, and I think the pastor should have been allowed to go ahead with his burning and ignored.

But his action is clearly designed to provoke, whereas the community center is clearly designed to be an asset to the Tribeca neighborhood and to interfaith relationships in the New York City area.

I don't think that Gen. Petraeus, Pres. Obama, or the FBI should have pressured Pastor Jones to cancel. I doubt that it will have any national security effect (I think any damage that could be done has already been done), and I don't like the idea of the government pressuring protesters not to express themselves because it might make things harder for them.

But spinning it to imply that burning books and building a community center are the same thing is absurd.

Look, I don't know WHERE the site is really going to be, and I don't really CARE.
No way you are going to get me willingly anywhere NEAR NYC again.
I don't want any tickets to the middle east either- or any huge great big city.

I just know that Americans PERCEIVE that there is going to be a mosque built on the site, and they don't like it one darn bit. Muslims have been offered good money to give up the place, but they have their heels dug in.

Two bullheaded teams in one hot button stadium.

The clash is coming and no one can stop it.

Originally posted by burdman30ott6
To those who are trying to argue that they don't "get" the comparison and the GZ mosque isn't incendiary, I think you're experiencing tunnel vision.

And there's the crux, there is no "GZ mosque"; so the tunnel vision isn't from this side of the fence. There's a community center being planned a few blocks away from GZ that would contain a mosque. There's also an existing mosque 800 ft from the planned community center that doesn't appear to be bothering anyone.

Perhaps you've never been to a big city, but a few blocks can be worlds apart; the difference between multi-million dollar condos, and absolute slums where you'd never want to walk alone at night.

In short, her comparison is no more valid that comparing the Jones' event to the Easter Bunny. The notion of a "GZ mosque" in an imaginary perception.

Regardless of her nonsensical comparison, I'm still glad to see her come out against Jones' poorly considered event.

Originally posted by hadriana
Look, I don't know WHERE the site is really going to be, and I don't really CARE.
No way you are going to get me willingly anywhere NEAR NYC again.
I don't want any tickets to the middle east either- or any huge great big city.

Oddly, I think a lot of the people protesting the Park51 project feel just like you do about NYC. Which makes me wonder why they care what we do here.

I just know that Americans PERCEIVE that there is going to be a mosque built on the site, and they don't like it one darn bit. Muslims have been offered good money to give up the place, but they have their heels dug in.

So because the perception that has been fed the American public is incorrect, the planners should cancel their plans?

There have been offers to buy the land from the Park51 group, but at least the one that has been publicized (Trump's offer of 25% over the purchase price) will not cover the purchase of a similar parcel of land in Lower Manhattan further away from the WTC site.

Why shouldn't they have their heels dug in? If you were told that the place you choose to practice your religion (on your own private property) is offensive wouldn't you dig in your heels?

Remember that these are American Muslims who have been practicing their faith in the neighborhood of the WTC site for decades. It's not some group from outside the neighborhood who chose the site for its proximity to "Ground Zero", it's a group that chose the site because it was an affordable piece of land in their own neighborhood.

Only that stupid ignoramus, Sarah [ the pale horse Palin] could equate the two.

Originally posted by cindyremains
Call me crazy but I do not see the correlation. Could someone please explain to me how these two completely different things are the same?

They are both provocations.

To compare an action [burning someone’s holy book TO DENIGRATE IT] to the mosque in NY [which BTW IS NOT ON GROUND ZERO!] and done by peaceful Muslims [ who the builder works for the American State department machine] to the bigoted Jones [ whose daughter said is mentally ill and was thrown out of Germany for cult activity and prayed for Obamas death] makes no logical sense.

It all boils down to the intention of the acts and the history and difference of the two people in question.
Also no one sane supports Jones's act, but all kinds of people support the Mosque, including the mayor of NY.

Therfore to equate the two has no logical or moral sense.

That is typical of Palin who lacks moral and logical sense!

I can't believe the people that are falling for the mosque @ GZ business...
just like WMDs in Iraq I guess
At least the Koran burning guy is real.
Has anyone bought his new book?
No?
Well he certainly has gotten more free publicity than most authors ever get when they publish such an insignificant piece of race baiting.