a letter to Michael Bloomberg about the Ground Zero Mosque in New York

A mosque is to be built just a few blocks away from the site of the WTC in New York. The Imam behind it is someone who has stated to Arabic audiences that he wishes to see Shari'a law implemented in America, and that inter-religious dialogue is a meaningless concept.

Bizarrely, he has said to English speaking audiences that he wishes to see more inter-religious dialogue. Some mistake, surely.

The feelings of the families of those affected, clearly, mean nothing here.

Here's a letter that expresses the outrageous agenda behind this move. Feel free to send it to the Mayor yourself:



Dear Mayor Bloomberg,

We urge you, in the strongest terms I can possibly gather, to reverse your position on the mosque at Ground Zero.

We do not understand how you could even countenance such a symbolic gesture of vulgar insensitivity to be paraded in front of the very families of those who suffered so tragically on 9/11.

What you are allowing is the construction of something rather different than the promotion of understanding and dialogue. As Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf himself has said of the notion of inter-faith dialogue: "Religious dialogue as customarily understood is a set of events with discussions in large hotels that result in nothing. Religions do not dialogue and dialogue is not present in the attitudes of the followers".

How then does this man seriously believe this initiative will be successful in uniting faiths, when he himself has clearly said it is never possible?

And how does a Shari’a-compliant ‘community centre’ fairly serve the interests of any diverse, secular community?

It is essential that you listen to the huge outcry against this provocative act. Your desire to show your tolerance you does NOT outweigh the feelings of the 9/11 families.

It would be like authorising a US Cultural Center being built in the middle of Hiroshima and your responsibility in making this decision transcends your Office.

This is a project that, in the words of its founder, does not (cannot) seek reconciliation; rather, its location and sponsors appear to make it seem a vulgar, tasteless attempt at constructing a symbol of strength – rather than of humility - in the shadow of something terribly sacred.

We beg you in the strongest possible terms to grant the mosque to be built in a location which is less offensive to so very, very many Americans.

Sincerely,