{"id":303,"date":"2010-08-27T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-27T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lynnvsekulow\/2010\/08\/a-question-of-location-not-tol.html"},"modified":"2010-08-27T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-08-27T15:00:00","slug":"a-question-of-location-not-tol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lynnvsekulow\/2010\/08\/a-question-of-location-not-tol.html","title":{"rendered":"A Question of Location, Not Tolerance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barry,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

The fact is that a growing number of Americans – now 71% according to the latest CBS News poll <\/a>– simply don’t believe the Ground Zero site is an appropriate site for the mosque.  I hope you’re not suggesting that nearly three-out-of-four Americans are intolerant because they don’t want a mosque built on that site?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

No matter how you try, this isn’t about religious discrimination or intolerance.  This is about constructing a mosque on the very spot where the landing gear of one of the hijacked planes crashed into the building on this site.  Certainly you can understand the feelings of the families and victims of 9-11 – including our client – NYC firefighter and first responder Tim Brown – who survived the attack but lost nearly 100 colleagues that day.  For them, the pain never ends.  They consider this site hallowed ground and, like most Americans, don’t believe this is the place to build a mosque.  To them, it’s insensitive.  To them, it should be a memorial – not a mosque.  It really is as simple as that.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And it’s not just the families and friends of 9-11 victims who oppose the location.  <\/span>The opposition crosses the political spectrum.  <\/span>One of the nation’s most liberal Democrats, Howard Dean<\/a>, says the site should not house a mosque.  <\/font><\/span>Calling the project “a real affront to people who lost their lives,” Dean says the site “belongs to all Americans and all faiths.”    <\/span>And, a growing number of Muslims don’t think it’s a good idea either – including a former Pakistani Ambassador to Britain<\/a> who says building a mosque there is “like rubbing salt in open wounds.”  <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/font><\/span> <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

By the way, we will be amending our legal challenge <\/a>in the weeks ahead adding additional parties and causes of action.  Important information was not previously disclosed about the ownership of the site.  It turns out that a public utility, Con Edison, actually owns one-half of the site.  We will argue that the mosque developers do not possess the legal right to proceed with demolition or construction.  In addition to urging the court to put any demolition\/construction on hold, we’ll request that the New York State Public Service Commission, which has regulatory authority of any disposition of land owned by a public utility, conduct a required review detailing the impact of this project.   <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span>As we learn more about the project, we also learn more about Imam Rauf – the man behind the proposed mosque – a man who touts himself as a bridge builder.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

This is the Imam who’s on a taxpayer funded goodwill trip <\/a>about Islam to the Middle East.  By the way, it appears the federal government has been using millions in taxpayer funds for some time to fund restoration of mosques and minarets in dozens of nations around the globe.  A little reported story that I thought you might be interested in, Barry.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s not forget that it was Imam Rauf <\/a>who told 60 minutes days after the 9-11 attacks that that U.S. was “an accessory to the crimes” that occurred that day.  This is the same Imam who has refused to label Hamas a terrorist organization.  Hamas<\/a>, by the way, wasted no time in backing Imam Rauf’s plans for the Ground Zero mosque.  <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

This is the same Imam<\/a> who said “that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims” – alleging that US-led sanctions against Iraq led to the death of Iraqi children.  The facts don’t support that allegation.  President Clinton<\/a> clearly stated: “If any child is without food or medicine or a roof over his or her head in Iraq, it’s because he [Saddam] is claiming sanctions are doing it and sticking it to his own children.”  And, it’s important to remember that al Qaeda actually targets<\/i> the innocent – including children – with its acts of terrorism.  The comparison is absurd. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

And where will the $100 million dollars come from to build this mosque?  <\/span>Backers of the project <\/a>haven’t ruled out taking money from countries like Iran which has been designated a sponsor of terrorism by the U.S. government.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

Barry, there’s still a lot of unanswered questions about all of this.  <\/span>But, here’s a suggestion that would go a long way in promoting tolerance in this situation.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

Why not move the mosque?  Why don’t the mosque developers and Imam Rauf – who proclaims to be a bridge-builder – step forward with the ultimate bridge-building gesture?  Build the mosque somewhere else – not at Ground Zero – not at this site.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span>To subscribe to “Lynn v. Sekulow” click <\/font>here<\/font><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/font><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/font><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Barry,   The fact is that a growing number of Americans – now 71% according to the latest CBS News poll – simply don’t believe the Ground Zero site is an appropriate site for the mosque.  I hope you’re not suggesting that nearly three-out-of-four Americans are intolerant because they don’t want a mosque built on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":163,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346,358],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-303","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ground-zero-mosque","category-zoning-and-land-use"],"yoast_head":"\nA Question of Location, Not Tolerance - Lynn v. 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FEC, Sekulow ensured that the constitutional rights of young people remain protected with a unanimous decision by the high court guaranteeing that minors can participate in political campaigns. A nationally recognized and respected defender of religious freedom, Sekulow has assembled one of the most prestigious law firms in the nation.  Founded in 1990, the American Center for Law and Justice focuses in constitutional law.  The ACLJ, under Sekulow's direction, is involved in public interest and public policy issues working to protect religious and constitutional liberties. In 2007, the Chicago Tribune concluded that the ACLJ has \"led the way\" in Christian legal advocacy.  In 2005, TIME Magazine named Sekulow one of the \"25 Most Influential Evangelicals\" in America and called the ACLJ \"a powerful counterweight\" to the ACLU.  Business Week said the ACLJ is \"the leading advocacy group for religious freedom.\"  Sekulow's work on the issue of judicial nominees - including possible vacancies at the Supreme Court - has received extensive news coverage including a front page story in The Wall Street Journal.  In addition, The National Law Journal has twice named Sekulow one of the \"100 Most Influential Lawyers\" in the United States (1994, 1997).  He is also among a distinguished group of attorneys known as \"The Public Sector 45\" named by The American Lawyer (January\/February 1997).  The magazine said the designation represents \"45 young lawyers outside the private sector whose vision and commitment are changing lives.\" Sekulow brings insight and education to listeners daily with his national call-in radio program, Jay Sekulow Live!, which is broadcast throughout the country on nearly 850 radio stations.  Sekulow also hosts a weekly television program, ACLJ This Week, which tackles the tough issues of the day and is broadcast on a number of networks nationwide including the Trinity Broadcasting Network and FamilyNet.  Sekulow is also a popular guest on nationally televised news programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC, and PBS.  He frequently contributes articles and commentary to national publications and is often quoted in the nation's leading newspapers including USA Today, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and Washington Times. A graduate of Mercer University, Sekulow graduated cum laude receiving both a bachelor's degree and doctor of jurisprudence from Mercer University where he served on the Mercer Law Review as an editorial staff member.  Following graduation, Sekulow served as a tax trial attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service.  In that capacity, Sekulow prepared and brought to trial tax cases on behalf of the United States Department of Treasury in United States Tax Court. He also received a Ph.D. from Regent University, with a dissertation on American Legal History, and is the author of numerous publications and law articles. 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