Noise in connection with the proposed mosque led to a debate of religious tolerance in the post-September 11 society. Some relatives of victims of Sept. 11 were against the mosque, as well as prominent politicians. Republic of Republican Peter T. King of New York said Friday that Obama was wrong.
"It is insensitive and uncaring to the Muslim community to build a mosque in the shadow of zero," King said in a statement. "While the Muslim community has a right to build mosques, they have abused that right in vain to offend so many people who are suffering so much. ... Unfortunately, the president gave in to political correctness."
The majority does not want a mosque built, national polls show. CNN / poll on public opinion earlier this month showed 68% oppose the planned construction of a mosque, with 29% in favor. Graf, as part of the minority New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who recently gave a speech protection will be an Islamic center.
In a statement released Friday night, Bloomberg said: "As I said last week, the proposed mosque and community center in Lower Manhattan is just as important, the test of separation of church and state, as we see in our lifetime, and I welcome the President of the Clarion Obama's defense of freedom of religion today.
As the debate raged, Obama stayed on the sidelines. As recently as last week, his spokesman, Robert Gibbs, described the situation in 1 "for New York and local communities to decide."
But the celebration of Ramadan in the White House, held in the State Dining Room around 90 guests, presented a unique moment for Obama to make his position known.
"Now we must all recognize and respect the feelings surrounding the development of Lower Manhattan," he said, according to a transcript of the White House. "9 / 11 attacks were deeply traumatic event for our country. And the pain experience and suffering of those who lost loved ones, simply inconceivable. So I understand the feelings that this issue generates.
He added: "This is America. And our commitment to freedom of religion must be inflexible."
Support mosque risky proposal Obama. Polls have shown a certain percentage of Americans who erroneously considered it as a Muslim. He is a Christian. Protection of the mosque offers a suspicion that he was overly sympathetic to the Muslim faith. At the same time, Obama makes every effort to reach out to the Muslim world. He gave a major speech in Cairo last year, calling for "new beginning" between the U.S. and Muslims.
