I understand what he's trying to do, but why Democrats tripping over themselves on this thing?
N.Y. Gov Offers 'State Property' If Mosque Moves Farther From Ground Zero
Published August 11, 2010
FoxNews.com
New York Gov. David Paterson is offering to provide state property if the developers of the so-called Ground Zero mosque agree to move their project farther away from where the twin towers once stood, raising questions over how such a deal would be arranged and who might pay for it.
In an effort to appease disputing parties, Paterson said in a press conference Tuesday that he would provide state help to the group sponsoring the Cordoba House if the developers opt to move it elsewhere.
"Frankly, if the sponsors were looking for property anywhere at a distance that would be such that it would accommodate a better feeling among the people who are frustrated, I would look into trying to provide them with the state property they would need," Paterson said.
While Paterson has "no objection" to the mosque being built a few blocks away from Ground Zero, he said he’s "very sensitive to the desire of those who are adamant against it to see something else worked out."
The building of the $100 million Islamic center and mosque has led to a firestorm of criticism over its proposed location – just a few blocks away from the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks by Islamic terrorists that left nearly 3,000 dead.
A handful of Republicans, like former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, have blasted the project’s location, while others, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have forcefully defended it as a symbol of America's religious tolerance.
Religious leaders from various denominations also have supported the group's plans, arguing that critics' attacks amount to "religious bigotry."
"It’s simply wrong for Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin, public figures who frequently reference their Christian values, to malign all Muslims by comparing this cultural center and mosque with a radical ideology that led to the horrific attacks of 9-11," said Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a national lobbying group that advocates Catholic social justice. "We fail to honor those killed by terrorists when we betray the bedrock principle of religious freedom that has guided our democracy for centuries."
Details surrounding Paterson’s offer to provide state property remain elusive. Phone calls to his office were not returned Wednesday. The Cordoba Initiative, meanwhile, did not respond to questions over whether it would accept such a proposal.
On Wednesday, the group leading the opposition against the mosque's planned location called the governor's "willingness to engage this issue” a “positive development."
"We’re pleased that he realizes the sensitive nature of this issue," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, adding that he supports "having other land available to the mosque."
But Sekulow raised questions over how such a deal would be arranged, saying, "he can’t give a religious institution land owned by the state of New York."
"Under no circumstances should the taxpayers of New York have to subsidize this," he said.
Many state governments have access to inventory land that is not utilized and Paterson could potentially sell state land to the mosque, legal experts say, though no details on such a scenario have been disclosed.
The American Center for Law and Justice is fighting the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee over the mosque plans -- the group filed suit against the committee after it declined to grant landmark status to the proposed site. The tower could span up to 15 stories and will house a mosque, a 500-seat auditorium and a pool.
The group also is calling on the State Department to back off plans to sponsor the imam of that controversial mosque on an upcoming trip to the Middle East.
The department confirmed Tuesday that the administration is sponsoring Feisal Abdul Rauf's trip to Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which is described as part of a program to send Muslims abroad to educate other countries about the role of religion in the United States. Rauf made similar trips during the Bush administration. Rauf has become a controversial figure because of his refusal to acknowledge Hamas as a terrorist organization, which is how the U.S. government classifies the group.
The State Department, meanwhile, has defended Rauf and his planned visit to the Middle East.
"He is a distinguished Muslim cleric," said State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley. "We do have a program whereby, through our Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau here at the State Department, we send people from Muslim communities here in this country around the world to help people overseas understand our society and the role of religion within our society."
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/
