Palin: Ground Zero mosque an 'unnecessary provocation'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/07/19/art.palin.0515r4.gi.jpg caption ="Sarah Palin said Sunday that plans to build a mosque at Ground Zero are an ‘unnecessary provocation.’"] (CNN) - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the proposed construction of a mosque and community center near "Ground Zero," the site of the 9/11 terror attack in New York City, calling it an "unnecessary provocation."
"Peace-seeking Muslims, pls understand, Ground Zero mosque is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts," Palin wrote in a Twitter post Sunday. "Pls reject it in interest of healing."
The former Republican vice presidential nominee also posted a plea to "peaceful New Yorkers," asking them to "pls refute the Ground Zero mosque plan if you believe catastrophic pain caused @ Twin Towers site is too raw, too real."
Plans to build a $100 million, 13-story center - focused on what backers describe as Islamic, interfaith and secular programming - has sparked an emotional debate.
New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled to hold a key vote in August on whether an 1850s structure currently on the site of the proposed center should be granted landmark status. Even if landmark status is approved, however, it may not necessarily halt construction of the center.
Voices opposing the mosque dominated a hearing on the subject last week.
"It would be a terrible mistake to destroy a 154-year-old building in order to build a monument to terrorism," one woman said.
The heckling and intense nature of the hearing got to be too much for some participants.
"I'm ashamed to be an American today," said Rakif Gathwari, a Muslim-American, who reminded the crowd that people from many countries and religions died in the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
"I want to prove to this hall that I am a citizen," Gathwari said, holding up his passport.
Some Muslim community leaders say the mosque could provide an opportunity for improving interfaith relations.
The project, according to a Muslim outreach group called the Cordoba Initiative, calls for the construction of a mosque, a performing arts center, a gym, a swimming pool and other public spaces.
- CNN's Deb Feyerick, Julian Cummings, Ed Payne and Alan Silverleib contributed to this report
While I understand that the 9/11 attacks were in no way indicative of the Islamic Faith, nor of the majority Muslim viewpoint – rather that of an extremist group, I also think that the choice to propose to build a structure in any way related to those who perpetrated the attacks is inappropriate at best. No matter how loose the association may or may not be.
Regardless of how fair or unfair, accurate or inaccurate anyone's perception of this may be, the fact is that by proceeding with a project of this nature in that particular location WILL inflame many people – right or wrong. There have to be other locations that could benefit from all that is being proposed, that could serve the muslim community of New York equally well that would not stir up such controversy nor incite such an emotional response.
In a perfect world, it wouldn't matter, but in reality, it does, and as such, not only would it be insensitive, but wrong to proceed with this project.
I am not a muslim, but one thing is clear that people like palin are the ones who want to keep controversies live for their benefits. People wake up otherwise palin like will squeeze what ever is left of us. I may not support the idea of a mosque over there but these people don;t care about these thinks, all they are looking for is some controversies on which they can capitalize.
Uh, the woman who quit as governor of Alaska might want to keep her pie hole shut about mosques in New York City.
I find it hard to believe that I actually agree with something Sarah Palin said!
Does this woman know how to do anything except "tweet" her opinion? Can you imagine her as President? Think she could run the country from Facebook? LOL!!!!!
What does it matter what Palin thinks. Everything she says gets posted on most major news sites like it makes some knod of difference. She was a nobody before being picked as a running mate in the last election. I feel she was picked only because she WAS a female. Stop wasting news space. What she thinksdoesn't amount to a pile of B.S.
Twitter is the perfect forum for this woman. It allows her to write like a moron without question.
I hope NO religious buildings of any kind are built at that site. Religion creates these artificial human devisions. All religion is to blame.
I think if Sarah Palin took the time to check some facts she would find that there were many Muslim-Americans and international Muslims killed on 9/11 who were not terrorists. It was not a nice little homogeneous group of white christian Republicans that were killed....were should honor all groups that lost loved ones....not just people that look and talk like Sarah Palin
You know what's an unnecessary provocation? Choosing an unqualified nitwit as your running mate because she's good looking.
Well, now that this NUT from the NORTH has weighed in on this issue I suspect the mosque will be built by next week. "Too raw?" "Pls?" Wow, what a statement from someone who "thinks" she should have been a stateswoman. I guess since you resigned after two fun-filled years as a Governor from Alaska you should give your opinion on what happens in New York City. And how many minutes have you spent in NYC? Here is a hint...you cannot see Russia from New York.
Please stop talking...go back to school...stay in Alaska...and you and your daughter can raise your children together...and stare at Russia all day long...
The fact that this is a debate is a sad display of how far we have strayed from the idea of religious freedom. Islam is not illegal in this country and as far as I know, the leaders trying to build this Mosque hold no respect for the September 11th attack. Arguments against these peoples freedom to build their religious establishment in that location are ill-based.
Oh no! Interfaith programming....purely a terrorist ploy to get people from different religions talking to each other instead of fighting this much needed holy war the Great George W and D. Rumsfeld sold us.
Who cares what the Wild Alaskan Dingbat thinks?
Remember folks, this lady is part of the Tea Party Express.
Acting as if all Muslims are terrorists is unnecessary provocation.
Are all Germans Hitler? Are all Christians Timothy McVeigh? It's such a ridiculous debate that shows how weakly Americans actually support the freedoms which supposedly are the foundation of our country.
She is absolutely right! You people would disagree with her if she said the sun comes up in the east. Your hatred is showing!
The GOP owns 9-11. How dare anyone else have opinions? Oh well, at least Dumbo gives lip service to the concept of non-terrorist Islam. Lady, we are up against the perception that the US is engaged in a Crusade against all Islam, not just the radicals. Things like this make it easier for them to kill our soldiers, so get a clue. The Quitter on Twitter is not good for her party or country.
I believe that there should not be a Mosque put at Ground Zero. We need to build our new towers or tower, whatever the final decision was for our Country, not for interfaith. Our country was devastated after the 9/11 attacks, how can you ask the American people to support a Mosque.
Much as it pains me to agree with Sarahcuda Piranha about anything, I also think building an Islamic center close to Ground Zero would be a mistake. It would be a violence magnet and pose a constant threat to public safety.
Ah Sarah... the voice of intolerence. Most muslims want peace and prosperity. A lunatic fringe wants war.
Too bad Sarah cant tell the difference between the mainstream and the lunatic fringe... Food for thought.
What does a Mosque or the thousands of peaceful worshipping Muslims have to do with the Ground Zero. The ONLY REASON people are protesting is because of the religion practiced by those fanatics who murdered so many innocent people 9 years ago. Christians, Muslims, Jews and, I am sure, a few atheists died that day. Would these opponents have the same view if the terrorists were Christian or Jewish and one of those houses of worship were being contemplated in the same location? I think not! Fanatics come in every strip and religion, anyone remember Timothy McVey or Waco, Tx? Let's call this what it really is. PREJUDICE. Yes Prejudice!! Prejudging something or someone foreign to you. Do something revelutionary America. Show the world that we really do stand by our creed by accepting everyone no matter what their race, creed or religious background happens to be!!!!!!!!
REMINDER TO SP
THE right to assembly is in the FIRST AMENDMENT-
You know what you and your cronies are ALWAYS lauding-
Then has the gall to bellow "catastrophic pain" -like when you deny coverage to innocent children and adults without affordable medial insurance while simultaneously cashing your million $$ checks-
Which hand did you have to refer to for those two big words- "UNNECESSARY provocation"-
must have either looked it up or had a speech writer write it on her palm.
What an uneducated, unadulterated, hypocritical asshole.
Wondering why CNN has chosen to ignore the fact that Palin made 3 posts. This was just the last one.
Actually in her first post she asked New Yorkers to "REFUDIATE" the mosque... Yes – refudiate. You can't make this stuff up 🙂
Sarah who? Look, CNN, stop posting the rantings of an ill-informed, loony-brained moron who apparently has nothing better to do with her time. Post comments from someone who matters instead. Like Bozo the Clown.
Of course Palin is against this – when it comes to problems, she's a runner and a quitter:
She quit her job as Governor of Alaska and she's not raising her special-needs son.
The concept of actually engaging a situation, growing and learning from it are completely unknown concepts for this light-weight wannabe.