Monday, October 4, 2010

Now here's something to think about

From Gideon's Trumpet:

One of the best comments on that New York Mosque brouhaha comes from John Podhoretz, Editor of Commentary magazine, in the October 2010 issue:
“The proposal [to construct a mosque near Ground Zero in Manhattan] has ignited a new culture war in the United States in which unusual lines have been drawn—with unabashedly secular liberals sternly admonishing religious conservatives about the transcendent importance of the freedom of religion. Suddenly, even property rights and building “as of right” have become sacrosanct to people and institutions who have opposed private projects in important locations all over New York City on the grounds that, say, they might cast a shadow at certain hours over a few hundred square feet in Central Park. And yet they feel free to express disgust at complaints about a mosque a few hundred feet from where the Twin Towers were destroyed—a building that would certainly cast a shadow over a Ground Zero memorial.”
But that’s how it goes in the land-use biz, doesn’t it? People whose hearts profess to bleed for the plight of the poor are usually in favor of the use of eminent domain for redevelopment which disposesses the poor en masse for the benefit of large corporations. They seem untroubled by the fact that the core feature of redevelopment is for the redevelopers to receive the taken land from which the poor have been evicted (and for which the public has paid top dollar), for peanuts or even free.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

That it looks like a forensic slice of fatty liver scleroses not good architecture.
Doubt they will never secure all those windows properly in the wind tunnel caverns of lower Manhattan. That building itself may become a weapon

faster340 said...

They should let Scarano design it and then have Tommy Huang's people build it... That would be perfect...

Sarah said...

"...These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country: but he that stands it NOW deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered. Yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." - Thomas Paine, 1776

Anonymous said...

It's not only the GZM lot but several parcels of land around Park Place, but Murray, Warren, and Reade where there's some sort of Landmark designation holding back developers from knocking down the old building and building a new building. Why did 51 Park Pl got the green light as a Mosque after seven years of being stalled for anything else? Why can't other projects in old, empty buildings get started already?

Anonymous said...

The building's design is an example of the postmodern style that is currently in vogue. Its geometric shapes are in line with traditional Islamic focus on abstract and nonobjective art.

Sure it sticks out from its neighbors, but so does the nearby Synagogue for the Arts on White Street- a modernist white blob amid cast-iron lofts.

Oh, one more thing. If you care about property rights and religious freedom, you'd stop this silly bellyaching.

Queens Crapper said...

One more thing right back at you. If you care about separation of church and state and the corrupt way the city hands out grants, you'll oppose this project, which requires a public subsidy of millions of dollars.

Anonymous said...

I find the notion of invoking the "separation of church and state"- a principle clearly established to prevent discrimination against minorities by the whims of the mob, to prevent the peaceful assembly and worship of a minority incredibly ironic here.

I'm sure you all are more intelligent than that. Or maybe I have too much faith in my fellow Americans.

Queens Crapper said...

What's ironic about it? If it were a Catholic church seeking funding from the state, the people in favor of this mosque at any cost would be howling about separation of church and state.

Why the selective outrage?

Anonymous said...

Another liberal who is tolerant of people who could care less about him/her, and ignores any relevant counter argument. Never change, libs.

Anonymous said...

There are plenty of faith-based groups that get public funding. Soup kitchens and senior centers run out of churches and synagogues don't get Tea Party protests. Mosques do.

Queens Crapper said...

No soup kitchen or senior center to be built here. Maybe they should throw that in. They obviously haven't mastered tweeding yet.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Zing!, QC. That sums up your entire argument - Zing!

Anonymous said...

Bring back the Bush faith based initiative. We need David H. Koch to step in and bring his Freedom works smarts to this project. Koch Industries could buy the property and turn this around.



http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer

Anonymous said...

No faith operating a soup kitchen or senior center in New York City inspired 19 men to fly aircraft into occupied buildings.

No faith inspiring 19 men to fly aircraft into occupied buildings is operating a soup kitchen or senior center in New York City.