Construction continues in and around Ground Zero more than eight years after the events of September Eleventh. And one of the newest construction projects could be a mosque two blocks away.
A former Burlington Coat Factory building on Park Place is being eyed as the future home of the Cordoba House, sponsored by the American Society for Muslim Advancement, in partnership with the Cordoba Initiative. Community Board 1 has reportedly already passed a resolution in favor of the proposal.
In addition to a mosque, the Cordoba House would have rooms for community events, a performance space, fitness facilities and classrooms. It would cost about $100 million to build, and fundraising efforts are just now underway. The mosque could be open in three years.
But before construction even begins, there’s already opposition from a group on Facebook. The page is called “1,000,000+ people who disapprove of building a mosque at Ground Zero!” and just days after launching, there are already over 20,000 members.
The page’s administrator spoke with NBCNewYork by telephone from his home upstate. He asked that we not name him, because of “security concerns.”
He said the idea behind the page is “not to bash Muslims or tell them they can’t practice their faith”, but to express his belief that the location is an “inappropriate place”. He added that the page is “growing at a rate of 200 people an hour.”
Supporters though say the mosque’s location is ideal because it would address the growing number of Muslims downtown.
Nooh Al-Arcon, who lives in Brooklyn but works near Ground Zero, told us, “there’s a very small amount of mosques throughout New York”, and added, “I think it’s better to definitely have more mosques in more places because this is the best way to integrate into society.”
As for opponents of the planned mosque, Al-Arcon says “I would hope that people would have an open heart and mind to the dignity and respect that Islam portrays.”
i sure hope he isnt!
13 are u serious?
This is the second holiest site in Islam after Al Aqsa in Al Quds. This is the place where the holiest martyrs of Islam Religion of Peace accomplished the greatest accomplishments of Islam. This is the site that makes every Muslim proud. How can you deny a Mosque here?!?!
Let those in gov. know your opinion!!
And by the way…………………the same applies to Cowardly decisions made by the gov. of Israel!!
The 911 Terrorists were groomed in a Mosque.
THAT IS WHERE THEY GET THEIR INSPIRATIONS.
Having such a structure built there would be REWARDING Terrorism.
i agree with 1,5,6,7… IT IS SO TRUE!!!
you have to sign in to facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116877921678256&v=info
To honor the terrorists who created 9/11?
if they build such a massive mosque, they won’t be blowing up any bombs near there.
omg this is the funniest thing i heard,…so sad yet so humorous… american ppl have been destroyed and mourned the lives of thousands of loved ones all in the name of allah and now they want to pay tribute to him for their murders??? ha ha may the goyim all end up murdering eachother.. this is what they deserve
its must for any half normal american that dosent want to be scared to go on a subway in 5 years!! No jokes…
Let Chabad of Wall Street bid higher for the space and build a Beis Chabad there!
Basically, they destroyed the twin towers and build a mosque in it’s place…
If this goes forward, the Jews won’t be the only ones who’s sacred place is harboring one of these buildings.
I can just see the middle-east hate-mongers laughing at the irony of a mosque being erected here.
May Hashem bless our “cousins” that they should learn peaceful ways so they will be so changed that we won’t even recognize them, and will no longer fear and detest them, nor they us. In other words, Moshiach NOW!