Republican State Senator, Andrew Harris, who is seeking a rematch with Democrat Frank Kratovil in the race for Maryland’s 1st District Congressional seat, is criticizing President Obama’s remarks on the proposed mosque in New York. The mosque would be housed in a building near the site of the World Trade Center, a proximity that has drawn fire from many sides. Congressman Kratovil believes it is a New York issue that local officials and residents need to decide for themselves.
“I don’t know how the federal government could be involved in that,” he says.
Keith Thompson says
As a Republican running for Congress, its really not out of line that Andy Harris would criticize President Obama’s remarks about the proposed mosque near the World Trade Center and would not want the mosque to be built. Its a Populist issue that would earn him some political points for his campaign. However, Kratovil so eloquently stated “I don’t know how the federal government could be involved in that” which should make this a moot point in terms of actual policy positions for the 1st Congressional District race. That may change if Congressional Republicans decide to abandon their small government mantra and push for federal involvement in the issue much as they attempted to do in the Terri Schiavo case several years ago. We shall see.
Chestertownie says
For the benefit of the Spy’s readers, here is Senator Andy Harris’ statement:
“The proposal to build an Islamic mosque and community center near Ground Zero is blatantly disrespectful to the sacred ground that is a memorial to the 3,000 Americans who died on September 11th. The president is once again trying to have it both ways; publicly supporting the project while saying he won’t get involved in local politics. He is thinking like a lawyer and not like an American, making declarations without America’s best interest in mind. I lost a very close friend in the terrorist attack on the Towers and consider Ground Zero a place to remember my friend and how she lost her life trying to save others on that day. The area around Ground Zero is a special place where Americans should feel comfortable to visit, mourn, and remember what happened on 9/11. That will be impossible if this project is allowed to continue. One of America’s founding principles is freedom of religion, but that does not mean you should practice your religion without a sense of respect for others.”
I think Ralph Peters’ column on RealClearPolitics.com represents my views (which are closely aligned with those of Senator Harris):
“But no one has questioned the legal right to construct this mosque complex. Far more than a First Amendment issue, this is a question of wise judgment, of good citizenship, of calculated insult and deep emotion.
Social peace requires reciprocity. Each day, each one of us chooses not to do many things that would be legal but offensive to those around us. Even in our permissive society, restraint keeps the peace.
Imam Rauf is not being a good citizen. He is not ‘building bridges,’ but exploiting the arrogance of our cultural elite toward their fellow citizens. He is an exuberantly divisive figure, not a healer.”
Cooky McClong says
With all the furor over the misguided and insensitive construction of an Islamic Mosque just steps away from the 9/11 murders, why hasn’t one single syllable been printed about the importance of rebuilding St. Nicholas, a lovely old Greek Orthodox church destroyed when the second World Trade Tower fell on it? Is it not equally important to replace this place of worship?
Cooky McClung
Candidius says
For once I agree with Kratovil, and ::cringe:: Obama ::cringe::, this is local zoning issue that has been blow way out of proportion. America’s founding principals demand that if all requirements for building are met, they be allowed to do so (I’m making no judgement on wether or not its is a “good idea” for the group to want to build there). The proposed mosque is not *AT* ground zero, its three blocks away. Its not like NYC is allowing them to build a mosque in the giant crater that was the WTC. This is a cheap attempt by Harris and other GOP’ers to score some points with neo-con types. This is not an issue for the Feds to get involved in, and any attempt by them to infringe on the State of New York or NYC is unconstitutional at best, treasonous at worst.
sheila says
It’s not a mosque, it’s a community center. It’s also not at ground zero. I guess they should tear down any YMCAs near ground zero in Oklahoma City since Timothy McVeigh was a Christian bomber. Freedom of religion is for all religions, not just Christianity.
Keith Thompson says
For Cooky.
There’s a marked difference between the mosque/cultural center and with the St. Nicholas church. In the case of the Islamic Center, it is not located on property deemed of historical importance by the city and the building plans comply with the restrictions placed by the city for the proposed 9/11 memorial. In other words, there are no zoning or building preservation restrictions affecting the project.
In the case of St. Nicholas Church, their plans to rebuild run afoul of the zoning restrictions placed on property in the area because their plans call for rebuilding the church with a dome that would be higher than the planned 9/11 memorial; which is not allowed by code. If the church was rebuilding at the exact site of their former location, it might be argued that their plans would be grandfathered in, but their original site was purchased by the city with help from business investors. The rebuilding of St. Nicholas hasn’t been approved because their plan doesn’t meet the building and development requirements for the area. As far as I’m concerned, I’d have no problem with the church being rebuilt however they want to rebuild it, but the restrictions in place affect all property owners in the area around Ground Zero equally.
wb says
I find it sad that by Mr. Harris’ logic he feels so little respect for the families of the American soldiers lost in Iraq. In fact I would call it a cold hearted insult. You don’t follow me with this?
The last time I looked most of Iraq was Muslim. Mr. Harris, are you saying that the American and allied lives and the Iraqi lives lost in this war are in vain?? Were we not there to give the good people of Iraq (Muslims) a chance to be free from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein? That’s what we were told. Suddenly you must not believe this or you would not be raising your xenophobic flag on this issue. And to cloak it in a hallowed respect for the tragedy of 9/1, well that’s downright Rudy Gulliani.
By Harris’ tainted logic Catholic churches should not built next to boy’s schools or next to the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (McVeigh was a Catholic who embraced the Christian Identity Movement).
Alas, this is not a public issue, it’s a Constitutional right and if the politicians who feel so self-righteous about this would take care of the 9/11 first-responders maybe their credibility would rise, but instead they look at this kind of funding as an “entitlement.” Maybe Mr. Harris would consider VA services an entitlement. After all, it’s socialized medicine.
Let’s make a deal. The 1st Amendment guarantees the free exercise of religion—but by all means let your idea of “sensitivity about the 9/11 site” trump the Constitution—while I respect the 2nd Amendment but request that there be no gun shops within two block of any living thing anywhere in the U.S. (There were close to 17,000 homicides by firearrns in 2006). Would that work for you?
I’m surprised Johns Hopkins graduates aren’t more adept at critical thinking. and less willing to pander to the Glen Beck mindset.