Simon Wiesenthal Center not opposed in principle to 'ground zero mosque'

The controversy over a planned Islamic mosque and cultural center near the site of the former World Trade Center has stirred a lot of impassioned voices in opposition to the facility, which some see as an affront to those who died in the 9/11 attacks.

But one organization that is not opposed to the new structure -- at least not in principle -- is the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Jewish human rights group based in Los Angeles.

The Wiesenthal Center is the organization behind the Museum of Tolerance, which has locations in L.A. and a new branch in New York. Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Wiesenthal Center, said in an interview that his organization is not going to oppose the Cordoba House, which is the name of the planned Islamic cultural facility.

"The families of the victims, they should have the dominant say in this," said Hier. "If they develop a consensus that this is a good idea, then we don't oppose that at all. Rather than have political leaders decide on this, the most important voice should be the families of victims."

Hier, however, expressed some personal reservations about the location of the planned Cordoba House.

"If after World War II, the German government had created a German cultural center across the street from Auschwitz, it would have been vehemently opposed by families of victims because it would be too much to bear," he said.

"Ground zero is the site of one of the greatest atrocities ever committed on U.S. soil. It may be too much to bear for families of those who were murdered."

The Wiesenthal Center's official position differs somewhat from quotes attributed to its executive director, Rabbi Meyer May, in a recent article in Crain's New York Business. 

The article quotes May as saying that the designated location is "insensitive," and implies that the center is opposed to the Cordoba House.

A spokeswoman for the Simon Wiesenthal Center said May was sick and unavailable for comment.

The backers of the Cordoba House are billing it as a gathering place of inter-community meetings and other cultural events. Nicknamed by some of its detractors as the "ground zero mosque," the facility is expected to contain a 500-seat auditorium, swimming pool, art exhibition spaces, bookstores and more.

Last week, the backers of the Cordoba House won a crucial victory when New York's Landmarks Preservation Committee voted against granting historic protection to the facility where the Islamic center is expected to be built. (The structure was once a Burlington Coat Factory.)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York has publicly supported the construction of the new center. In a speech given shortly after the committee's decision, he emphasized that "Muslims were among those murdered on 9/11 and that our Muslim neighbors grieved with us as New Yorkers and as Americans."

He said that it "would betray our values – and play into our enemies’ hands – if we were to treat Muslims differently than anyone else."

Organizers of the Cordoba House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Among the key backers are Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, of the Cordoba Initiative, and Sharif El-Gamal, the head of New York's Soho Properties.

Rick Lazio, a Republican candidate for mayor, has publicly opposed the project and has called for more clarity surrounding the group's intentions.

-- David Ng

Photo: the site for the proposed Islamic cultural center near ground zero in downtown Manhattan. Credit: Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Comments

[Jon Mitchell]

Saying that, "The families of the victims, they should have the dominant say in this," is like saying let's vote on people's basic rights based on our personal prejudices and make them live as second class citizens.... oh wait. That is the new American way, isn't it?

New York belongs to all New Yorkers, not just those who lost loved ones on 9/11. How long do we have to run our construction plans past this group? How much will that cost us in money, integrity as a nation of laws.

[Trencherbone]

The Ground Zero Victory Mosque is a well publicized example of a general phenomenon: Mosques bring trouble!

In Europe (and soon in America), wherever Mosques are built, the locals can say goodbye to their homes, streets, neighborhoods and eventually their towns: http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/mosque-blight.html

[Jeffrey Imm]

We believe that this issue is a vital subject for Americans to take a public stand, especially considering the growing protests against mosques throughout California, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut, that seem to be growing every week. This is not just about NYC, and not just about the Park Place Islamic Center, but we have seen at least eight mosques that have recently been protested, one that was attacked with a pipe bomb in Florida, efforts to vandalize and destroy mosques and mosque signs in Tennessee, and vandals smearing feces on mosque vans in Washington state. So we believe that those who think this just about NYC are missing what is going on in America today.

We are deeply troubled by those who seem to be abandoning freedom of religion and freedom of worship as rights for all Americans, whether we agree or disagree with their views. For that reason, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) is going to hold an interfaith public event on September 11, 2010 in Washington DC to promote our shared religious freedom, freedom of worship, and freedom of conscience at Freedom Plaza in DC - see:
http://www.realcourage.org/choose-love/

[Lou Bricano]

Do Jews have some special super-vote that is determinative? Why does anyone care what the Simon Wiesenthal center has to say about the placement of the mosque? Why am I not seeing what the Catholic church or some GLBT organization has to say about it?

[Daniel Sieradski]

David Ng fails to mention that the Simon Wiesenthal Center is responsible for building a "Museum of Tolerance" atop a Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem, despite the repeated protests of the family members of those buried there. Marvin Hier is thusly a humongous hypocrite and appears to be blatantly racist against Muslims. As a non-New Yorker, his opinion on this matter is not only irrelevant, but insidious.

[Osservatore]

Trencherbone is absolutely right. Europe is way ahead of America in islamization, and we in America will have the benefit of seeing what happens when society yields to this fascist ideology called Islam. This is going to be a very tumultuous decade in Europe, thanks to the "religion of peace".
With this Victory Mosque, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has, in his arrogance, unintentionally mobilized the resistance against Islam in America, and I thank him for it... Only those among us who are so "intelligent" they can see clothes on a naked emperor, can see peace and tolerance in Islam.

[canary2010]

I decided to learn what Cordoba meant (as that is the name of the Islamic center proposed for NYC near ground zero)…

Straight from Wikipedia….

…DRUMROLLL…

It’s a city in Spain BUT…

“in the Middle Ages it was capital of an Islamic caliphate.”

“It was captured in 711[3] by a Muslim army: in 716 it became a provincial capital, depending from the Caliphate of Damascus”

“The Caliphate enjoyed immense prosperity throughout the 10th century. Abd-ar-Rahman III not only united al-Andalus, but brought the Christian kingdoms of the north, through force and diplomacy, under control.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%B3rdoba,_Spain

The stated goal of many Islamic sects (especially al Qaeda-Sunni) is to establish a global caliphate, this is also the stated goal of Ahmadinejad (Shia) whenever he refers to the hidden Iman (who will return and establish a global caliphate). A caliphate is a system of governance based on Islamic law (sharia), it is almost democratic in the election of its leaders… except only Muslims are allowed to vote.

So is building this ‘cultural center’ next to the graves of 3000 civilians an attempt at reconciliation and integration?

Or should we listen to what our enemies say when they insist Islam will engulf the globe?

Or should we selectively listen to the softer elements; who say they only want peace and acceptance…?

For a period Cordoba was the front line in the advance of Muslims into Europe (then representing the western world). Now the western world is equated with the United States and where lies its center?

Under a thinly veiled veneer of multiculturalism, the Islamic machine is quietly claiming the center of the modern world as a spoil of war, and their capital.

[andy andrews]

No reasonable person is opposed to Islamic cultural center "in principle". The problem is the location. And showing some sensitivity to victims' families would not be a bad idea.