Gov. Pat Quinn today came out against the building of an Islamic Community Center two blocks from Ground Zero in Manhattan.
Quinn’s statement came at the Illinois State Fair a few hours after Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, the keynote speaker sharing the stage with Quinn at the Democratic County Chairman’s breakfast, denounced the opponents of the Islamic Center as “disgraceful.”
Conservative talk show hosts have been stoking the fires of controversy on the center, which includes a mosque. It had cleared most of the zoning hurdles and won the strong backing of New York’s Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Even President Obama was drawn into the controversy when he told Muslims gathered for a Ramadan meal at the White House, “As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country.
“That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. ... This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.” ........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2613948,quinn-mosque-ground-zero-081810.article