Building a Mosque near ground zero is irreverent! Why don"t these Muslims have a little bit of sensitivity and realize that it is way too close to the place where thousands of people lost their lives. Enough said--it is plain to see that they are the ones that are insensitive and to think that over 130 million American tax dollars will be used in the building of this----utterly ridiculous!
Frank D' Amato - 14 years ago
I am glad the mosque in Midland Beach was voted down. People have a right to protect their neighborhood. The big question is WHY IS ALL THESE MOSQUES GOING UP IN AMERICA ALL OF A SUDDEN???????
That tells me the Islamic extremists are lookin to take over our wonderful country. Before you know they will impose SHARIA LAW on us. You people need to get your heads out of the sand and wake up. The Midland Beach residents who were against the mosque are not racist, it has nothing to do with race at all. It's all about location and protecting the neighborhood.
Mohammad - 14 years ago
Mosque is just like church. Are you not building church in oklahoma. are you not building church in jerusalem where crusaders killed thousands that rivers of blood were flowing.
the threat is from terrorist not from worshippers. the terrorists who are trying to harm innocents are not tolerated in the mosques.
We need to make sure we dont hate the good muslims for the fear of bad muslims.
Pamela - 14 years ago
The people against the mosque are not racists, they are Americans. The same Americans that appreciate the life we have in America. The same Americans that are willing to fight to keep the freedom that others don't have. If we bow to every country that wants to bomb us and then slap us in the face with their own form of government representation, then we deserve the loss of freedom that would eventually result from this. Whoever wanted to look the other way and allow this mosque to be built in the USA needs to visit muslims in their own countries and see how they were raised to hate all Americans, French, Spanish, and any other race, religion or group of people not a muslim. You obviously haven't done your research of their history or beliefs. You have a responsibility to gain all the knowledge you can before allowing another countries beliefs to tread on American soil. God Bless America and may he expose all those who rise up against us in sneaky ways like this.
fajko - 14 years ago
Posted by Just bit_me! on July 24th 2010, 8:44am
This is a perfect example of how stupid and ignorant some ppl are. Go get laid, it might help you relax a little. The sad part is, anti-Islamists don't even know how racist they are.
Momo - 14 years ago
bp - "The battle was first and foremost between parishoners, the community and our church heirarchy."
No, the "battle" was first and foremost between a small gaggle of bigoted parishioners, an even smaller percentage of the community,
and our entire nation's Constitutionally protected right to religious freedom which the gaggle and the small percentage of the community took issue with.
"No one else has a say in what happens to any property belonging to the Catholic Church except Catholics."
But you just said the community was involved, beyond the parishioners. So that would mean some non-Catholics. So if no one has a say in any property belonging to the Church except Catholics, how do you justify those community members who aren't Catholics having a say? Does this not sound contradictory? You can't have it both ways, can you?
"The objections to having a mosque directly across the street from the Catholic Church took 4 basic forms - a) MAS (the buyer) is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, the first terrorist organization - there is no doubt about this. It's the Muslim Brotherhood that spawns all terrorist organizations. All Muslim terrorists have been mentored by an Imam, and that occurs within a mosque"
But as Rep. McMahon noted, the FBI themselves characterize MAS as "harmless". Do you somehow have nformation that the Federal Bureau of Investigations doesn't? If so, perhaps you should contact them immeditately and fill them in on the results of your exhaustive investigation. I'm sure they'd be interested to know where they dropped the ball.
"There is no Muslim population in the area to warrant a mosque being built there."
How do you know how many Muslims are in the area? Who made you the arbiter of how many there are? And should that be a determining factor in property sale ahd house of worhip location? There aren't a whole lot of Jews in the Texas town my brother lives in, but aren't the ones that do live there entitled to have a synagogue of their own? Or should they ask permission of the townsfolk first before they're allowed to worship in the community?
"The goal of Islam as stated by their leaders is to take over America and impose Sharia law upon all of us"
Says who? Says you? Glenn Beck? Bill O'Reilly? John Hagee? Sarah Geller? Have ever actually spoken to someone qualified to speak on behalf of Islam?
"A symbol of Islam's conquest is to take Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu property and build a mosque on top of it, rename if and hold it out to all Muslims as eveidence of conquest. We weren't going to let that happen at St. Margaret Mary's Church."
Again, says who? Beck? O'Reilly? Hagee? Geller? The vast majority of the American people don't consider mainstream Muslim-Americans to be "the enemy". They understand the difference "terroriist" and those who want only to worship peacefully.. Why don't you? Heck, even Bush and Cheney understood the difference and warned against stereotyping all Muslims as terrorits. And ESPECIALLY, community-minded Muslim-Americans, These are our neighbors in the community as we speak. Have you never known an American Muslim?
"Some of you have forgotten 9/11."
What does 9/11 have to do with Muslim-Americans, as American citizens, being accorded the same Constitutionally protected rights and religious freedoms the rest of us take for granted?
"Staten Island and this Midland Beach community lost far too many loved ones on 9/11"
I lost loved ones and far too many friends on 9/11 as well. I'm a 5th generation Staten Island Catholic.
But why in the world would I think that my best tribute to those loved ones and friends would be to deny Muslim-Americans, as American citizens, their Constitutionally protected right to religious freedom?
How can any rational persons response to 9/11 be to bend the Bill of Rights, the very document our country is based on, to account for discrimination against Muslim-Americans, who obviously had nothing to d
Adnan Elcharfa - 14 years ago
I belive that there should be a mosque in Staten Island because all Islamic children, tweens, teens, and adults always need to follow their religon without the mosque in Staten Island Islamic kids can inherite bad things that they can not do in their religon like taking drugs getting drunk and smoking and much more. The good thing why we should have a mosque is because parents can know where their children are , in the mosque they do activeties, play with friends, and more importantly know our religon. This is why we should have this in this country.
Just bit_me! - 14 years ago
I don't know about people who bow down to Islam's deviants. The terrorists ALL ISLAMICS fly airplanes into the WTC Towers, then want to build a mosque 2 blocks from where 3000 plus people"NEW YORKERS" died. What's wrong with this picture. Now some schmuck wants to sell a convent for $700,000 plus to be used as a mosque. HOW DUMB AND STUPID IS THAT? All of the pathetic apathetic who agree with the sale need their heads examined and STUPIDITY OUGHT TO BE PAINFUL.
IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM
bpaolucci - 14 years ago
I find it hard to believe that The Advance's poll was structured by someone who didn't know exactly what they were aiming to stir up. As one of the people who fought hard to oppose the sale I'd like to state the following, which should be obvious, but obviously isn't:
1 - The battle was first and foremost between parishoners, the community and our church heirarchy. Its Catholics who paid for the building to be built with their hard earned money - they have a say in what happens to the property and expected it to be sold to people who would put the property to use in accordance with the tenents of Catholic teachings. THAT, to all detractors IS THEIR RIGHT! No one else has a say in what happens to any property belonging to the Catholic Church except Catholics.
2 - The objections to having a mosque directly across the street from the Catholic Church took 4 basic forms - a) MAS (the buyer) is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, the first terrorist organization - there is no doubt about this. It's the Muslim Brotherhood that spawns all terrorist organizations. All Muslim terrorists have been mentored by an Imam, and that occurs within a mosque. b) Catholics do not exist to foster the aims of Muslims. No Muslim would ever sell thier property to a Christian, there's a fatwah against it and the punishment is death. c) There is no Muslim population in the area to warrant a mosque being built there. Those opposed to the sale have stated these reasons repeatedly and asked that MAS buld its mosque in an area with a Muslim population. d) parking and traffic are serious issues in the community as it is, there are 4 schools and the Church in the immediate area and its a favorite area to travel through on the way to the beach, highways and bridges. The people who live there struggle to find parking now.
Not one protestor has ever hurled nasty invectives at the Muslims. Everyone throughout this process has been respectful and peaceful. Only Muslims and those pro Islam/the mosque (including press coverage) have hurled these vile charges against us. We did not dignify them thoughout the process and won't now.
Many people are making the same fight in communities across this nation. Ground Zero and Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn are the two most visible fights for New Yorkers. The goal of Islam as stated by their leaders is to take over America and impose Sharia law upon all of us and we have a President who calls himself a Christian but supports Islamwith taxpayer dollars in spite of the fact that our government is not permitted to foster any religion. Imam Rauf, a supporter of terrorists is on a tour of the Middle East at taxpayer expense via our State Department and Obama - his stated goal is to foster interfaith communication - in the Middle East! A symbol of Islam's conquest is to take Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu property and build a mosque on top of it, rename if and hold it out to all Muslims as eveidence of conquest. We weren't going to let that happen at St. Margaret Mary's Church.
Some of you have forgotten 9/11. Many if not most of us have not. Staten Island and this Midland Beach community lost far too many loved ones on 9/11 and there are still many who will live shorter lives, suffering with diseases that can't be cured because of 9/11. Some of these men are memorialized by street signs proclaiming their names. Their loved ones are in this area. They must be honored, to have a mosque, owned and operated by MAS in this location would be to spit in the faces of those who have fallen, as well as their loved ones and that was not going to happen.
The parishioner's prayers have been answered. Enough said.
M.Haque - 14 years ago
To -Mr. Ultimate Warrior you have posted saying quote... " That's why this about people protecting their community from a perceived threat."... What threat are you refering to? so you are judging all muslims and saying in advance that they are this so called perceived threat is a bunch of radical islamic group is that what you are referring to the muslims that were trying to build a worship place as? Please just take a look at what you are stating before posting. This make it seem like you are actually labeling the muslims as "terrorist" and judging by what extremist who are troubled by their own hate and have the nerves to call themself muslim after killing innocents. Everyone has the right to protest for their community that is true. But have the muslim community ever denied the Christians from building their place of worship or any others religions in advance in NY ? I don't believe so, so why is it Muslims are being denied their place of worship ? isn't that just injustice.And the perceived threat you are refferring to, what threat ? threat that we are spreading our faith and providing a place of worship for those muslims in that community or just your ignorance in believing muslims as quote you reffered to "perceived threat".
nayla - 14 years ago
we realy nead the mosque for our children ,this is a freddom religion country
pepole can be aginst peple but it can not be aginst religion (or religion place)
Amer - 14 years ago
I am a Muslim Resident in Staten Island, even though the news really saddened me, but i am full of hope, I strongly believe that the muslim community will grow and will continue to be positive and outreaching to our neighbors. I also think that instead of this location, multiple locations and bigger mosques will be built through out Staten Island and the rest of New York and the nation. People are accepting islam, they love the peace they get from this religion and strong bond with God, without dropping their love to Jesus, Moses, Ibrahim and the rest of Prophets.
Peace be upon the guided
Ultimate Warrior - 14 years ago
No one is protesting their right. No one protested to throw them out of the country, nobody advocated outlawing Islam. There are already mosques on Staten Island, and no one advocated shutting them down. Muslims that would've used the mosque are free to go worship elsewhere. That's why this about people protecting their community from a perceived threat.
Islam Allan - 14 years ago
There's obviously no problem with them protesting, but the reason as to WHY they are protesting is just ridiculous. And to try to deny a group of people THEIR right, is beyond low.
Ultimate Warrior - 14 years ago
Oh my god, ISLAM is not a RACE it is a RELIGION, so to use the word "racism" in relation to this smacks of ignorance. There are White Muslims. BIGOTRY would be a more appropriate word, although I don't see bigotry in this fiasco. This is about Americans exercising their God-given right to protest and freedom of association. If people don't want a certain element in their neighborhood, they have a right to protest against it.
sarish - 14 years ago
u guys r pathetic and against muslims u guys charged 90,000 dollars on the mosque near my house and we payed. everyones hating on muslims an jus trying 2 get people 2 hate them " U R RACIST" jus because of the 9/11 everyones getting the blame thats jus wrong let us jus make the mosque please :)
Donna - 14 years ago
Have we all forgotten the fundamental freedoms that brought most of our ancestors to this country? I didn't see a whole lot of Native Americans (read: None) out in the streets protesting the mosque, which leads me to believe that most, if not all, of the people protesting had an ancestor come to this country for a better life, which I believe included religious freedom. Would the masses have protested if it had been a church? I doubt it. I am ashamed for my fellow Staten Islanders, who can't get past their own ignorance and small-minded beliefs to believe that a religion as a whole does not promote violence and hate.
M. Haque - 14 years ago
I can't believe how low some people would go, it just not the fact that it was racist but how there is no human values no more, human hope is failing. Society is falling apart to what human are becoming more compared to an animal. We are suppose to intelluctual beings to able to think and learn from mistakes but yet some yet to fail to recognize this part of us. By ignoring muslims and by judging them by others action does not prove anything, it only proves that some are blinded by their own ignorance have too much pride for thier own kind to welcome those that are from a different culture or religion. By doing this it only create hate and hate drive certain types of motives which aren't fit for society. By welcoming hate you only hurt yourself and those around you in return you destroy human peace to co-exist. Its hurts to see human aren't what god intended us to be like, we are becoming more like animals day and day then human beings.
Addie Corn - 14 years ago
It's a disgrace that the people of Midland Beach can't open their minds and see that all these Muslim people want is to have a place to worship, just like they do! They should ALL be ashamed of themselves and I'm disgusted that hey have no clue. They aren't trying to find out that what they think and say is SO WRONG! Not very Christian if you ask me!
Islam Allan - 14 years ago
I'm astounded at the amount of ignorance there is in Staten Island. That whole community isn't bad of course.. but those who protested and argued against the mosque, went against their own constitution. I hope you all know, that you didn't prevent a bad thing from happening. You prevented something that could've benefited SO many muslims in Staten Island, including myself. You attempted to deny American citizens their natural rights. Should a citizen have to be denied equal rights simply because of their faith? Last time I checked, we're living in America. It's the 21st century and Islam is the fastest growing relgion in the WORLD. Why would it be the fastest growing religion if it was based on terror? The thing is, it's not. This community feared a Muslim Community Center in their neighborhood, because they feared terror. Fearing terror makes sense, I mean who isn't afraid of it? The only problem was that they had fear in the wrong group of people, an innocent group of people who want nothing more than a house of worship, a place to teach their children of their beliefs, and just as this right is given to every other group.. We wanted the same, and we were denied it. I'm extremely disappointed in the ignorant people who influenced the sale not to go through. All we can hope for now, is for more optimism and less ignorance in the future of America.
ED - 14 years ago
Its amazing how pathetic people can be. Who cares if there was a mosque, its where people pray to god. You would rather have a bar or perhaps a gay club instead? People are so racist, have the muslims i know in staten island can hardly read but if they knew bout this poll, believe me there would be triple the amount of votes against the racist votes!! good luck people
A.J. Mercedes - 14 years ago
Well ladies and gentlemen, once again, we have seen that people throughout the whole so called "free country" still live in the dark ages of racism. It is sad to accept that the minority still surrounded by those who consider they are unique or superior, because we have to understand that behind racism, there are feelings as such. I cannot believe that 520 out of 699 votes so far have been for the "I'm glad! I didn't want it there anyway." choice. It really makes me feel bad to know that I form part of a borough where people are arrogant, ignorant, and closed-minded. I hope we take a second to analyze our decisions, and ask ourselves, why would we choose to stop other people to have their freedom of religion, because, if we think about it, we are being intolerable towards the Muslim community. Let them be, because if a church was to be built where a mosque was before, there would be no problems at all. So think about it, and ask yourself why you are saying no to this, when it could be you.
Mike Alkhatan - 14 years ago
its pathetic that even to this day, staten island residents have racist thoughts towards certain a religion. it makes no sense whatsoever to withdraw the sale. it just proves that there are still residents in midland who are arrogant and not tolerant towards other communities.
There's a saying "because you judge someone on the street, first judge your own household. And before you judge your own household, first judge yourself" .... a little quote that any racist must consider
Bruce - 14 years ago
The poll is worded in such a way as to strongly imply that this is primarily a local neighborhood issue, a "NIMBY" issue, and not an important social and political issue that might have national and worldwide ramifications.
Blatant examples of this leading wording, which is supposed to be removed from poll questions, include "...the vote against the *mosque*..." and "...I didn't want it *there*..." [emphasis added].
In turn, that NIMBY spin that is "hard-wired" into the poll fuels the contntion, often repeated but not supported by any evidence, that NIMBY-type neighborhood opposition is at base an insular, bigoted, xenophobic phenomenon. It's no coincidence that the word "racist" is hurled at opponents of the Muslim American Society more often than the word "anti-Muslim."
Why couldn't the question read, "How do you feel about the vote against the Muslim American Society's purchase?"; even, "how do you feel about the vote against the MAS mosque?" would have been a vast improvement. "I'm glad! I didn't want it there anyway." could very easily have been posed more neutrally with respect to motivation as "I'm glad! I didn't want the MAS there anyway." or even still more fairly as "I'm glad! I didn't want the MAS to have a venue."
Newspapers should not offer biased polls. This is taught in intro journalism courses. Where was the Advance?
Building a Mosque near ground zero is irreverent! Why don"t these Muslims have a little bit of sensitivity and realize that it is way too close to the place where thousands of people lost their lives. Enough said--it is plain to see that they are the ones that are insensitive and to think that over 130 million American tax dollars will be used in the building of this----utterly ridiculous!
I am glad the mosque in Midland Beach was voted down. People have a right to protect their neighborhood. The big question is WHY IS ALL THESE MOSQUES GOING UP IN AMERICA ALL OF A SUDDEN???????
That tells me the Islamic extremists are lookin to take over our wonderful country. Before you know they will impose SHARIA LAW on us. You people need to get your heads out of the sand and wake up. The Midland Beach residents who were against the mosque are not racist, it has nothing to do with race at all. It's all about location and protecting the neighborhood.
Mosque is just like church. Are you not building church in oklahoma. are you not building church in jerusalem where crusaders killed thousands that rivers of blood were flowing.
the threat is from terrorist not from worshippers. the terrorists who are trying to harm innocents are not tolerated in the mosques.
We need to make sure we dont hate the good muslims for the fear of bad muslims.
The people against the mosque are not racists, they are Americans. The same Americans that appreciate the life we have in America. The same Americans that are willing to fight to keep the freedom that others don't have. If we bow to every country that wants to bomb us and then slap us in the face with their own form of government representation, then we deserve the loss of freedom that would eventually result from this. Whoever wanted to look the other way and allow this mosque to be built in the USA needs to visit muslims in their own countries and see how they were raised to hate all Americans, French, Spanish, and any other race, religion or group of people not a muslim. You obviously haven't done your research of their history or beliefs. You have a responsibility to gain all the knowledge you can before allowing another countries beliefs to tread on American soil. God Bless America and may he expose all those who rise up against us in sneaky ways like this.
Posted by Just bit_me! on July 24th 2010, 8:44am
This is a perfect example of how stupid and ignorant some ppl are. Go get laid, it might help you relax a little. The sad part is, anti-Islamists don't even know how racist they are.
bp - "The battle was first and foremost between parishoners, the community and our church heirarchy."
No, the "battle" was first and foremost between a small gaggle of bigoted parishioners, an even smaller percentage of the community,
and our entire nation's Constitutionally protected right to religious freedom which the gaggle and the small percentage of the community took issue with.
"No one else has a say in what happens to any property belonging to the Catholic Church except Catholics."
But you just said the community was involved, beyond the parishioners. So that would mean some non-Catholics. So if no one has a say in any property belonging to the Church except Catholics, how do you justify those community members who aren't Catholics having a say? Does this not sound contradictory? You can't have it both ways, can you?
"The objections to having a mosque directly across the street from the Catholic Church took 4 basic forms - a) MAS (the buyer) is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, the first terrorist organization - there is no doubt about this. It's the Muslim Brotherhood that spawns all terrorist organizations. All Muslim terrorists have been mentored by an Imam, and that occurs within a mosque"
But as Rep. McMahon noted, the FBI themselves characterize MAS as "harmless". Do you somehow have nformation that the Federal Bureau of Investigations doesn't? If so, perhaps you should contact them immeditately and fill them in on the results of your exhaustive investigation. I'm sure they'd be interested to know where they dropped the ball.
"There is no Muslim population in the area to warrant a mosque being built there."
How do you know how many Muslims are in the area? Who made you the arbiter of how many there are? And should that be a determining factor in property sale ahd house of worhip location? There aren't a whole lot of Jews in the Texas town my brother lives in, but aren't the ones that do live there entitled to have a synagogue of their own? Or should they ask permission of the townsfolk first before they're allowed to worship in the community?
"The goal of Islam as stated by their leaders is to take over America and impose Sharia law upon all of us"
Says who? Says you? Glenn Beck? Bill O'Reilly? John Hagee? Sarah Geller? Have ever actually spoken to someone qualified to speak on behalf of Islam?
"A symbol of Islam's conquest is to take Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu property and build a mosque on top of it, rename if and hold it out to all Muslims as eveidence of conquest. We weren't going to let that happen at St. Margaret Mary's Church."
Again, says who? Beck? O'Reilly? Hagee? Geller? The vast majority of the American people don't consider mainstream Muslim-Americans to be "the enemy". They understand the difference "terroriist" and those who want only to worship peacefully.. Why don't you? Heck, even Bush and Cheney understood the difference and warned against stereotyping all Muslims as terrorits. And ESPECIALLY, community-minded Muslim-Americans, These are our neighbors in the community as we speak. Have you never known an American Muslim?
"Some of you have forgotten 9/11."
What does 9/11 have to do with Muslim-Americans, as American citizens, being accorded the same Constitutionally protected rights and religious freedoms the rest of us take for granted?
"Staten Island and this Midland Beach community lost far too many loved ones on 9/11"
I lost loved ones and far too many friends on 9/11 as well. I'm a 5th generation Staten Island Catholic.
But why in the world would I think that my best tribute to those loved ones and friends would be to deny Muslim-Americans, as American citizens, their Constitutionally protected right to religious freedom?
How can any rational persons response to 9/11 be to bend the Bill of Rights, the very document our country is based on, to account for discrimination against Muslim-Americans, who obviously had nothing to d
I belive that there should be a mosque in Staten Island because all Islamic children, tweens, teens, and adults always need to follow their religon without the mosque in Staten Island Islamic kids can inherite bad things that they can not do in their religon like taking drugs getting drunk and smoking and much more. The good thing why we should have a mosque is because parents can know where their children are , in the mosque they do activeties, play with friends, and more importantly know our religon. This is why we should have this in this country.
I don't know about people who bow down to Islam's deviants. The terrorists ALL ISLAMICS fly airplanes into the WTC Towers, then want to build a mosque 2 blocks from where 3000 plus people"NEW YORKERS" died. What's wrong with this picture. Now some schmuck wants to sell a convent for $700,000 plus to be used as a mosque. HOW DUMB AND STUPID IS THAT? All of the pathetic apathetic who agree with the sale need their heads examined and STUPIDITY OUGHT TO BE PAINFUL.
IF YOU'RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM
I find it hard to believe that The Advance's poll was structured by someone who didn't know exactly what they were aiming to stir up. As one of the people who fought hard to oppose the sale I'd like to state the following, which should be obvious, but obviously isn't:
1 - The battle was first and foremost between parishoners, the community and our church heirarchy. Its Catholics who paid for the building to be built with their hard earned money - they have a say in what happens to the property and expected it to be sold to people who would put the property to use in accordance with the tenents of Catholic teachings. THAT, to all detractors IS THEIR RIGHT! No one else has a say in what happens to any property belonging to the Catholic Church except Catholics.
2 - The objections to having a mosque directly across the street from the Catholic Church took 4 basic forms - a) MAS (the buyer) is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, the first terrorist organization - there is no doubt about this. It's the Muslim Brotherhood that spawns all terrorist organizations. All Muslim terrorists have been mentored by an Imam, and that occurs within a mosque. b) Catholics do not exist to foster the aims of Muslims. No Muslim would ever sell thier property to a Christian, there's a fatwah against it and the punishment is death. c) There is no Muslim population in the area to warrant a mosque being built there. Those opposed to the sale have stated these reasons repeatedly and asked that MAS buld its mosque in an area with a Muslim population. d) parking and traffic are serious issues in the community as it is, there are 4 schools and the Church in the immediate area and its a favorite area to travel through on the way to the beach, highways and bridges. The people who live there struggle to find parking now.
Not one protestor has ever hurled nasty invectives at the Muslims. Everyone throughout this process has been respectful and peaceful. Only Muslims and those pro Islam/the mosque (including press coverage) have hurled these vile charges against us. We did not dignify them thoughout the process and won't now.
Many people are making the same fight in communities across this nation. Ground Zero and Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn are the two most visible fights for New Yorkers. The goal of Islam as stated by their leaders is to take over America and impose Sharia law upon all of us and we have a President who calls himself a Christian but supports Islamwith taxpayer dollars in spite of the fact that our government is not permitted to foster any religion. Imam Rauf, a supporter of terrorists is on a tour of the Middle East at taxpayer expense via our State Department and Obama - his stated goal is to foster interfaith communication - in the Middle East! A symbol of Islam's conquest is to take Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu property and build a mosque on top of it, rename if and hold it out to all Muslims as eveidence of conquest. We weren't going to let that happen at St. Margaret Mary's Church.
Some of you have forgotten 9/11. Many if not most of us have not. Staten Island and this Midland Beach community lost far too many loved ones on 9/11 and there are still many who will live shorter lives, suffering with diseases that can't be cured because of 9/11. Some of these men are memorialized by street signs proclaiming their names. Their loved ones are in this area. They must be honored, to have a mosque, owned and operated by MAS in this location would be to spit in the faces of those who have fallen, as well as their loved ones and that was not going to happen.
The parishioner's prayers have been answered. Enough said.
To -Mr. Ultimate Warrior you have posted saying quote... " That's why this about people protecting their community from a perceived threat."... What threat are you refering to? so you are judging all muslims and saying in advance that they are this so called perceived threat is a bunch of radical islamic group is that what you are referring to the muslims that were trying to build a worship place as? Please just take a look at what you are stating before posting. This make it seem like you are actually labeling the muslims as "terrorist" and judging by what extremist who are troubled by their own hate and have the nerves to call themself muslim after killing innocents. Everyone has the right to protest for their community that is true. But have the muslim community ever denied the Christians from building their place of worship or any others religions in advance in NY ? I don't believe so, so why is it Muslims are being denied their place of worship ? isn't that just injustice.And the perceived threat you are refferring to, what threat ? threat that we are spreading our faith and providing a place of worship for those muslims in that community or just your ignorance in believing muslims as quote you reffered to "perceived threat".
we realy nead the mosque for our children ,this is a freddom religion country
pepole can be aginst peple but it can not be aginst religion (or religion place)
I am a Muslim Resident in Staten Island, even though the news really saddened me, but i am full of hope, I strongly believe that the muslim community will grow and will continue to be positive and outreaching to our neighbors. I also think that instead of this location, multiple locations and bigger mosques will be built through out Staten Island and the rest of New York and the nation. People are accepting islam, they love the peace they get from this religion and strong bond with God, without dropping their love to Jesus, Moses, Ibrahim and the rest of Prophets.
Peace be upon the guided
No one is protesting their right. No one protested to throw them out of the country, nobody advocated outlawing Islam. There are already mosques on Staten Island, and no one advocated shutting them down. Muslims that would've used the mosque are free to go worship elsewhere. That's why this about people protecting their community from a perceived threat.
There's obviously no problem with them protesting, but the reason as to WHY they are protesting is just ridiculous. And to try to deny a group of people THEIR right, is beyond low.
Oh my god, ISLAM is not a RACE it is a RELIGION, so to use the word "racism" in relation to this smacks of ignorance. There are White Muslims. BIGOTRY would be a more appropriate word, although I don't see bigotry in this fiasco. This is about Americans exercising their God-given right to protest and freedom of association. If people don't want a certain element in their neighborhood, they have a right to protest against it.
u guys r pathetic and against muslims u guys charged 90,000 dollars on the mosque near my house and we payed. everyones hating on muslims an jus trying 2 get people 2 hate them " U R RACIST" jus because of the 9/11 everyones getting the blame thats jus wrong let us jus make the mosque please :)
Have we all forgotten the fundamental freedoms that brought most of our ancestors to this country? I didn't see a whole lot of Native Americans (read: None) out in the streets protesting the mosque, which leads me to believe that most, if not all, of the people protesting had an ancestor come to this country for a better life, which I believe included religious freedom. Would the masses have protested if it had been a church? I doubt it. I am ashamed for my fellow Staten Islanders, who can't get past their own ignorance and small-minded beliefs to believe that a religion as a whole does not promote violence and hate.
I can't believe how low some people would go, it just not the fact that it was racist but how there is no human values no more, human hope is failing. Society is falling apart to what human are becoming more compared to an animal. We are suppose to intelluctual beings to able to think and learn from mistakes but yet some yet to fail to recognize this part of us. By ignoring muslims and by judging them by others action does not prove anything, it only proves that some are blinded by their own ignorance have too much pride for thier own kind to welcome those that are from a different culture or religion. By doing this it only create hate and hate drive certain types of motives which aren't fit for society. By welcoming hate you only hurt yourself and those around you in return you destroy human peace to co-exist. Its hurts to see human aren't what god intended us to be like, we are becoming more like animals day and day then human beings.
It's a disgrace that the people of Midland Beach can't open their minds and see that all these Muslim people want is to have a place to worship, just like they do! They should ALL be ashamed of themselves and I'm disgusted that hey have no clue. They aren't trying to find out that what they think and say is SO WRONG! Not very Christian if you ask me!
I'm astounded at the amount of ignorance there is in Staten Island. That whole community isn't bad of course.. but those who protested and argued against the mosque, went against their own constitution. I hope you all know, that you didn't prevent a bad thing from happening. You prevented something that could've benefited SO many muslims in Staten Island, including myself. You attempted to deny American citizens their natural rights. Should a citizen have to be denied equal rights simply because of their faith? Last time I checked, we're living in America. It's the 21st century and Islam is the fastest growing relgion in the WORLD. Why would it be the fastest growing religion if it was based on terror? The thing is, it's not. This community feared a Muslim Community Center in their neighborhood, because they feared terror. Fearing terror makes sense, I mean who isn't afraid of it? The only problem was that they had fear in the wrong group of people, an innocent group of people who want nothing more than a house of worship, a place to teach their children of their beliefs, and just as this right is given to every other group.. We wanted the same, and we were denied it. I'm extremely disappointed in the ignorant people who influenced the sale not to go through. All we can hope for now, is for more optimism and less ignorance in the future of America.
Its amazing how pathetic people can be. Who cares if there was a mosque, its where people pray to god. You would rather have a bar or perhaps a gay club instead? People are so racist, have the muslims i know in staten island can hardly read but if they knew bout this poll, believe me there would be triple the amount of votes against the racist votes!! good luck people
Well ladies and gentlemen, once again, we have seen that people throughout the whole so called "free country" still live in the dark ages of racism. It is sad to accept that the minority still surrounded by those who consider they are unique or superior, because we have to understand that behind racism, there are feelings as such. I cannot believe that 520 out of 699 votes so far have been for the "I'm glad! I didn't want it there anyway." choice. It really makes me feel bad to know that I form part of a borough where people are arrogant, ignorant, and closed-minded. I hope we take a second to analyze our decisions, and ask ourselves, why would we choose to stop other people to have their freedom of religion, because, if we think about it, we are being intolerable towards the Muslim community. Let them be, because if a church was to be built where a mosque was before, there would be no problems at all. So think about it, and ask yourself why you are saying no to this, when it could be you.
its pathetic that even to this day, staten island residents have racist thoughts towards certain a religion. it makes no sense whatsoever to withdraw the sale. it just proves that there are still residents in midland who are arrogant and not tolerant towards other communities.
There's a saying "because you judge someone on the street, first judge your own household. And before you judge your own household, first judge yourself" .... a little quote that any racist must consider
The poll is worded in such a way as to strongly imply that this is primarily a local neighborhood issue, a "NIMBY" issue, and not an important social and political issue that might have national and worldwide ramifications.
Blatant examples of this leading wording, which is supposed to be removed from poll questions, include "...the vote against the *mosque*..." and "...I didn't want it *there*..." [emphasis added].
In turn, that NIMBY spin that is "hard-wired" into the poll fuels the contntion, often repeated but not supported by any evidence, that NIMBY-type neighborhood opposition is at base an insular, bigoted, xenophobic phenomenon. It's no coincidence that the word "racist" is hurled at opponents of the Muslim American Society more often than the word "anti-Muslim."
Why couldn't the question read, "How do you feel about the vote against the Muslim American Society's purchase?"; even, "how do you feel about the vote against the MAS mosque?" would have been a vast improvement. "I'm glad! I didn't want it there anyway." could very easily have been posed more neutrally with respect to motivation as "I'm glad! I didn't want the MAS there anyway." or even still more fairly as "I'm glad! I didn't want the MAS to have a venue."
Newspapers should not offer biased polls. This is taught in intro journalism courses. Where was the Advance?