Feisal Rauf Mosque Controversy Bigger Than Danish Cartoon

The Ground Zero mosque imam Feisal Rauf speaks of the "radical discourse" coming from those in opposition to the mosque being built, yet threatens us with the "very dangerous" retaliation we can expect from the radicals in the Muslim world, and says this can be "bigger than the Danish cartoon crisis. See videos below.

Imam Feisal Rauf

Ironic, he wants Americans to talk about the 9/11 attacks - at the "community center, so that we can "heal," and yet we have had virtually no Muslims wanting to dialog up to this point. "The moderates must take over the conversation, he says" Ha! Where are those moderates among Muslims? There are plenty of American moderates. It's the moderate non-Muslims who think building this mosque is a good idea.

 As I've said over and over before, if you think this mosque will not be filled with the most radical imam's in the U.S. and from around the world you are not thinking. If you think this spot two blocks from the World Trade Center site will not become an American Mecca, in the worst sense, you are not thinking. And if I am wrong, you at least must concede that this might happen. I say it is likely to happen.

"If we move from that location..."

The danger from the radicals in the Muslims around the world to our national security...The concern for Americans who live and work and travel overseas will increasingly be compromised, if the rads are strengthen and if we do move it will strength their ability to recruit and their increasing aggression and violence around the country.

In the second video, Rauf says he plans to build a Muslim Y[MCA], so that Muslims can bond with the other New Yorkers. "Anger in the Muslim world will explode," he says, and if he had known how heated the opposition would become, he would not have planned to build on this spot, but now he must:

"If this is not handled correctly, this crisis could become much bigger than the Danish cartoon crisis, which resulted in attacks on Danish embassies in various parts of the Muslim world," Rauf said later. ".... If we don't handle this crisis correctly it could become something which could really become very, very, very dangerous indeed."

For all the talk about a "Y," remember that news of the "community center" came only after outrage about the mosque. Don't forget that the mosque itself will be capable of holding 1,000 worshippers.



Iman Feisal Rauf


Feisal Rauf (video)