Build Islamic center on Ground Zero, says Michael Moore

[Turborama]

Source: CNN

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore is weighing in on the proposed Islamic Community Center in New York City, stirring the the pot by saying he doesn't want it to be built near Ground Zero but rather on Ground Zero.

"I want it built on Ground Zero. Why? Because I believe in an America that protects those who are the victims of hate and prejudice," Moore writes in an open letter on his website. "I believe in an America that says you have the right to worship whatever God you have, wherever you want to worship.

"And I believe in an America that says to the world that we are a loving and generous people and if a bunch of murderers steal your religion from you and use it as their excuse to kill 3,000 souls, then I want to help you get your religion back. And I want to put it at the spot where it was stolen from you," he added.

The filmmaker is also urging his supporters to contribute money to help fund the controversial project and is pledging to match up to $10,000 in donations. "C'mon everyone, let's pitch in and help those who are being debased for simply wanting to do something good. We could all make a huge statement of love on this solemn day," Moore writes.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/11/moore-build-islamic-center-on-ground-zero/

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Moore's interview with Blitzer in the videos forum... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=504400&mesg_id=504400">Michael Moore: 'We Should Always Stand Up Against the Angry Mob'

Article by Moore in GD... http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9129177">Michael Moore: Thousands of True Americans Respond to Call for Donations to Islamic Center


http://www.michaelmoore.com/

[kestrel91316]

1. He said what I have been saying to myself for quite a while.

[applegrove]

2. Good for Michael. He is staking out the other extreme by saying a mosque should be built exactly at

ground zero instead of the other extreme of 'no mosque near ground zero'. Here's hoping that the middle option becomes a mosque 4 blocks away from Ground Zero.

[SusanaMontana41]

9. Didn't one of the Trade Center towers

have a mosque within? Heard that last night on MSNBC.

I don't see what the big deal is about building a mosque two blocks from ground zero. A city block in NYC equals three city blocks where I live.

[No Elephants]

11. Yes, and there always has been--still is--a mosque 4 blocks away.

Rethugs have done a great job ginning this up.

[No Elephants]

10. A mosque has been 4 blocks from Ground Zero for years. The current issue is an Islamic Center 2.5

blocks away, on the same "hallowed" block as a strip joint and an offtrack betting parlor. So, a mosque 4 blocks away is ancient history, a deal done long before 911, not a compromise of the current ginned up farce.

[klook]

3. I'd prefer a religion-free memorial

to remind us all of the death and destruction that can result from religious zealotry.

[No Elephants]

12. Too bad. Port Authority is giving a Greek Orthodox Church land to build there. IIRC, at least one

other faith is or will be represented there as well. They are not memorials, which is a separate issue entirely.

I have no idea why your preference (or mine, or Moore's) would have anything to do with it. We're talking private property and NYC land use law.

Also, I'm not sure religious zealotry is all that different from any other kind of power grabbing extremism, the Communist Russia of, say Josef Stalin, being an example. More convenient for some to blame religion than things like "us them" I guess, but I'm not sure it's the reality. I don't think certain behaviors would disappear if religion was wiped out.

[ihavenobias]

13. Interesting

As a nontheist I'm not sure I can argue much.

[Turborama]

14. Is that similar to agnosticism?

I've never heard of nontheism before.

[pansypoo53219]

4. no no.

ust move it ONE block closer. see, i'm not touching you.

[pansypoo53219]

5. no no.

ust move it ONE block closer. see, i'm not touching you.

[meowomon]

6. I want my America back!

The one that was founded on freedom of religion and a right to privacy! I want the America back that let ME decide what is best for my body. I want the America where threats of a violent coup were never used in political campaigns. I want the America that started to really change, but the Reagan de-evolution slammed us into this corporate takeover. Didn't anyone watch Robocop? The corporation is the evil bad guy.

[Scurrilous]

7. K & R

:thumbsup:

[John Kerry VonErich]

8. Lets do one better.

How about a mosque in Shanksville?

[uppityperson]

15. There was one 17th floor S Tower WTC, before they fell

http://iraqimojo.blogspot.com/2010/09/there-was-mosque-in-wtc.html
Over the next few days, noticing some fellow Muslims on the job, Mr. Abdus-Salaam voiced an equally essential question: “So where do you pray at?” And so he learned about the Muslim prayer room on the 17th floor of the south tower.

He went there regularly in the months to come, first doing the ablution known as wudu in a washroom fitted for cleansing hands, face and feet, and then facing toward Mecca to intone the salat prayer.

On any given day, Mr. Abdus-Salaam’s companions in the prayer room might include financial analysts, carpenters, receptionists, secretaries and ironworkers. There were American natives, immigrants who had earned citizenship, visitors conducting international business — the whole Muslim spectrum of nationality and race.'