{"id":1009,"date":"2011-08-25T12:51:22","date_gmt":"2011-08-25T16:51:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/faithandjustice\/?p=1009"},"modified":"2011-08-25T12:59:48","modified_gmt":"2011-08-25T16:59:48","slug":"jay-sekulow-new-evidence-ground-zero-is-sacred-ground-but-no-prayer-permitted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/08\/jay-sekulow-new-evidence-ground-zero-is-sacred-ground-but-no-prayer-permitted.html","title":{"rendered":"Jay Sekulow: New Evidence – Ground Zero is Still Sacred Ground, But No Prayer Permitted"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ten years after the horrific attacks of 9\/11, the remains of those murdered that day are still being identified.<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Thanks to the use of DNA, authorities have now identified another victim from Ground Zero. Ernest James worked with professional services company Marsh & McLennan on the upper levels of the North Tower. The company lost more than 360 employees and consultants that day. The New York City medical examiner’s office says the identification work will continue.<\/a> “As long as there is technology available, doctors have made a promise that we would continue to try to identify people,” said Ellen S. Borakove, a spokeswoman with the office.<\/p>\n

That underscores what we have said all along – Ground Zero is hallowed ground. Sacred ground. And that’s exactly why we’re appealing a decision by a state court in our challenge to prevent an Islamic mosque from being built at Ground Zero. On that fateful day a decade ago, the landing gear of one of the hijacked planes crashed into the building where the mosque is to be built.<\/p>\n

The announcement that remains were found near Ground Zero recently is a stark reminder of the carnage of that day and the need to preserve standing monuments to those events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It also a reminder of the fact that a complete government inventory of remains has yet to be completed. This fact was raised in our lawsuit against the City of New York on behalf of Timothy Brown to preserve 45-47 Park Place, the planned site for the mosque.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Brown, a 9\/11 first responder who lost nearly 100 friends that day, was denied standing to sue the City by Judge Paul Feinman, who wrote that claims that body remains were found as late as 2010 were “unsubstantiated.” We’re in the process of preparing our appeal in that case.<\/a>\u00a0This news today, though, clearly demonstrates the fact that human remains at Ground Zero have not been fully accounted for.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At a time when family members of the thousands murdered at Ground Zero prepare for the 10th anniversary marking this tragedy, many are no doubt still grieving, still grappling with the loss. And for many who are facing that pain, prayer provides a tremendous comfort. Their religious beliefs – a source of strength during a very difficult time.<\/p>\n

Mayor Michael Bloomberg apparently doesn’t get it. Instead of permitting religious leaders to take part in what is a very traumatic and emotionally-charged event, he has decided to ban the clergy<\/a>. The City says the ceremonies on 9\/11 have never started with prayer, and this year will be the same.<\/p>\n

As you might expect, that decision has touched a raw nerve with New York clergy<\/a>. “During times like this, government does not have the answer, because people are looking for meaning,” said City Councilman and Pastor, Fernando Cabrera. “What’s wrong with prayer?”\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The City’s position on banning clergy from the 9\/11 event is about as absurd as the lawsuit filed recently attempting to remove a symbolic cross from a new museum at Ground Zero.<\/p>\n

As you may recall, the group, American Atheists, went to court to get this symbol – two steel beams that survived the devastation of 9\/11 – removed from the museum claiming the mere sight of the cross made them ill.<\/a> We’re preparing an amicus brief backing this historic symbol on behalf of more than 100,000 Americans.<\/p>\n

As the 10th anniversary of 9-11 draws near, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the thousands who were murdered that day – at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

For additional information about this story and the ongoing work of the ACLJ, visit the Jay Sekulow<\/a> page on our website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ten years after the horrific attacks of 9\/11, the remains of those murdered that day are still being identified. Thanks to the use of DNA, authorities have now identified another victim from Ground Zero. Ernest James worked with professional services company Marsh & McLennan on the upper levels of the North Tower. The company lost…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":401,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38,40,45],"tags":[316,314,743,317,754,315,791,221,756,748,318,206],"class_list":["post-1009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-11","category-ground-zero","category-new-york-city","tag-10th-anniversary-9-11","tag-911-remains","tag-aclj","tag-clergy","tag-ground-zero","tag-ground-zero-mosque","tag-jay-sekulow","tag-mayor-bloomberg","tag-new-york-city","tag-prayer","tag-prayer-ban","tag-sacred-ground"],"yoast_head":"\nJay Sekulow: New Evidence - Ground Zero is Still Sacred Ground, But No Prayer Permitted - Faith & Justice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/2011\/08\/jay-sekulow-new-evidence-ground-zero-is-sacred-ground-but-no-prayer-permitted.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jay Sekulow: New Evidence - Ground Zero is Still Sacred Ground, But No Prayer Permitted - Faith & Justice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ten years after the horrific attacks of 9\/11, the remains of those murdered that day are still being identified. 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He is also Chief Counsel of the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ). Jay Sekulow is one of the leading defenders of constitutional rights and religious liberties in the United States. Over the past 25 years, Jay Sekulow has amassed an unparalleled record of accomplishment, arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on 12 occasions. His aggressive litigation strategy before the Supreme Court has led to many landmark First Amendment victories. In his first case before the Supreme Court, Jews for Jesus, Jay Sekulow secured the right of religious groups to pass out tracks in airports. In Mergens, Jay Sekulow successfully protected the right of students to form Bible clubs and prayer groups on public school campuses. In Lamb\u2019s Chapel, Jay Sekulow cleared the way for churches to have equal access to public facilities in the same way that other groups are permitted to utilize those facilities. In the Bray and Operation Rescue cases, Jay Sekulow protected the free speech rights of pro-life advocates to be free from criminal prosecution for conveying their pro-life message. In McConnell v. FEC, Jay Sekulow protected the right of young people to engage in the political process by donating to the campaign of their choice. In Pleasant Grove, Jay Sekulow paved the way for governments to be able to display Ten Commandments monuments, and other monuments of their choosing, in public parks. Through the ACLJ, Jay Sekulow engages the political, legal, and cultural battles facing America today. He routinely works with Members of Congress, advising them on proposed legislation and representing them in critical legal matters. Jay Sekulow has also testified before Congress on the constitutionality of proposed legislation. Also, in addition to being a successful Supreme Court advocate, Jay Sekulow is a highly respected broadcaster. Jay Sekulow is the host of Jay Sekulow Live! which airs each weekday on over 850 radio stations nationwide, in addition Sirius and XM satellite radio. He brings insight and education to listeners daily through this national call-in radio program. He is also the host of the ACLJ This Week, the ACLJ\u2019s weekly television program. Jay Sekulow regularly appears on major media outlets, including FOX News, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC, where he is sought out for his vast experience in constitutional law and his unique insight into many of the pressing legal and political issues facing America today. He is frequently quoted in the nation's leading newspapers and often contributes opinion editorials to national publications. Jay Sekulow has also published numerous law review and other scholarly articles. Jay Sekulow has received numerous honors for his groundbreaking legal work in the area of free speech and religious liberties. The Legal Times has named Sekulow one of \u201cThe 90 Greatest Washington Lawyers of the Last 30 Years\u201d and the National Law Journal has twice named Sekulow one of the \u201c100 Most Influential Lawyers\u201d in the United States. In addition, TIME Magazine listed Jay Sekulow as one of the \"25 Most Influential Evangelicals\" in America. Jay Sekulow\u2019s legal work in defense of religious liberties and human rights extends beyond the United States, having founded the ECLJ in Strasbourg, France, which maintains consultative status with the United Nations. He has also opened offices in Pakistan, Africa, and Jerusalem, Israel. Jay Sekulow is a staunch defender of Israel, presenting arguments before the International Criminal Court at the Hague. His efforts in support of Israel\u2019s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks have been commended by Israeli government officials, one official stating, \"Jay was instrumentally-involved in projects that the President of Israel and the Prime Minister put on our national agenda.\" Jay Sekulow also has a passion for educating the next generation of religious liberty advocates. He is a member of the Regent University Law School Faculty as a Distinguished Professor of Law and routinely teaches courses on constitutional law and presents guest lectures. Jay Sekulow has also started educational programs in international human rights law in Strasbourg, France and at Handong University in South Korea. Jay Sekulow is a graduate of Mercer University, earning both a bachelor\u2019s degree and doctor of jurisprudence. Sekulow served on the editorial staff of the Mercer Law Review and graduated cum laude. He later earned a Ph.D. from Regent University, writing his dissertation on American Legal History. Jay Sekulow also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Supreme Court Historical Society in Washington, D.C. Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsels full biography and video. Jay Sekulow on Facebook. Jay Sekulow on Twitter. Jay Sekulow on YouTube.","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/author\/jay_sekulow"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1009"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1022,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1009\/revisions\/1022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithandjustice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}