At a Friday the 13th White House observance of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month marked by fasting and prayer, President Barack Hussein Obama endorsed building a mosque near New York's ground zero.The area is a war memorial in lower Manhattan that marks
where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood.
The President had remained silent for many months on the issue. His press secretary insisted it is a "local issue,"
one that is inapporopriate for White House involvement.
Mr. Obama changed all that yesterday by saying "...time and
again, the American people have demonstrated that we can
work through these issues, and stay true to our core values
and emerge stronger for it. So it must be and will be
today."
The remarks came at an annual state dinner attended by more
than 100 dignitaries observing the Islamic holiday in the ceremon-
ial East Room of the White House.
The President emphasized that the mosque is to be built on
private property "in accordance with local law."
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg applauded the President's
remarks. Representative Peter King, (R-NY), did not. "It is
insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a
mosque in the shadow of ground zero. While the Muslim
community has the right to build the mosque they are abusing
that right by needlessly offending so many people," he said.
The Jewish Anti-Defamation League has joined top Republicans
such as Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich in condemning the $100
million Islamic Center, which is to be built near the site
of the 9/11 attack on buildings which primarily housed
financial services providers at the time.
A majority of the more than 3,000 who died in the attack
were of the Jewish faith.
The President emphasized that the mosque is to be built on
private property "in accordance with local law."
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg applauded the President's
remarks. Representative Peter King, (R-NY), did not. "It is
insensitive and uncaring for the Muslim community to build a
mosque in the shadow of ground zero. While the Muslim
community has the right to build the mosque they are abusing
that right by needlessly offending so many people," he said.
The Jewish Anti-Defamation League has joined top Republicans
such as Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich in condemning the $100
million Islamic Center, which is to be built near the site
of the 9/11 attack on buildings which primarily housed
financial services providers at the time.
A majority of the more than 3,000 who died in the attack
were of the Jewish faith.
For many months prior to the attack, Muslim holy men had at-
tacked America as "the great Satan" of the world, urging holy
"jihad" against the U.S.
The sleek aluminum-sheathed towers were built by the Port
Authority of New York and New Jersey during the Republican
Administration of Governor Nelson Rockefeller. When first
completed in the 1960's, they housed State of New York
administrative offices and bureaus of the City of New York.
The family trust of Standard Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller do-
nated the land upon which the United Nations complex was
erected in Manhattan.
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