Sept 29, 2010
It is utterly laughable for anyone to still believe the point of the mosque is anything other than the location.
And the more the mosquites talk – the more obvious their true intent.
Today: Matt Lauer, Sharif El-Gamal, mosque “developer”
El-Gamal, once waiter now alleged millionaire developer, who is the front man because he was born in Brooklyn and allegedly had a Christian mother, plays the victim by pushing the tired old islamophobia propaganda.
As, predictably, does Matt Lauer.
It’s not going to work anymore. Nothing is after the imam made his threat.
El-Gamal said the reaction was unexpected. Then he said “our” community. Then Lower Manhattan. And that he knew the community.
How well could he possibly have known the community if he had no idea what the reaction would be?
And how much could he possibly care about the community when he never bothered to speak with all 9-11 families and refused to meet with Gov Patterson about a possible solution?
Confirmed when El-Gamal said there have been absolutely no discussions about moving.
[There never were despite the imam telling Soledad O'Brien that "nothing was off the table".]
MYTH: 9-11 mosque is about outreach.
TRUTH: The location is the reason for the mosque.
POTUS New Mexico comment on mosque
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Today Show video and provided transcript follow.
[provide as was - did not check for accuracy]
>> the developer behind the proposed islamic community center is here. nice to have you here.
>> good morning, matt, nice to be here.
>> i don’t remember an issue that has generated so much talk, so much rhetoric, so much controversy. you have said your plans go forward, you will continue along this path. do you expect that in the near future, the opposition will simply melt away and fadeaway?
>> this has been very unexpected. it’s been an eye opener to see how my country, the united states views my religion, islam. it’s been a very humbling moment. and it’s been a very sad moment for me personally.
>> you say unexpected. at no point during your plans when you were proposing this idea and thinking about it and buying that site did you say, wait a minute, you know, this could cause some controversy? i know a lot of people question that.
>> you know, it’s really been very unexpected. what happened that day was a very horrific event that i do not feel that — the people that were responsible for that event were people that hijacked my religion and my identity. just imagine if somebody went and stole your wallet and committed identity theft. that’s what’s happened to me and to my community.
>> i mention and actually ron mentioned in his piece that some of the discussion has been well thought out, measured. a lot of it habs been bitter and very personal. are you fair game? as the developer of this project, do you think that goes with the turf?
>> it’s all been very unexpected. i mean there’s been so many misperceptions about me personally that have been perpetrateded in the media and in all the forums and there’s so many inaccuracies that have been portrayed about us.
>> had he known that all of this controversy been generated he probably wouldn’t have gone through with his plans. now he says he cannot back away because he does not want to allow the radicals to cause the discourse. you know the polling numbers, a wide majority of americans say no, this should not be built at that location. what do you make of those numbers?
>> well, i mean some of the facts that are not being accurately portrayed is that our community wants this.
>> when you say our community, whose community?
>> the residents of lower manhattan. we went through a voluntary process and we engaged our community, our constituents, the residents and neighbors and friends who reside in lower manhattan and on four separate occasions, two of them, they voted unanimously for this project. on the other two occasions they voted overwhelmingly in favor, 29-1 and not a lot of people understand that we engaged our community, we got their approval and blessings prior to proceeding with these plans.
>> obviously there are some people down there who do not want this. i think your background is interesting and i want to make sure people understand it. you’re born in brooklyn, you’re a new yorker.
>> i am.
>> you’re an american.
>> i am.
>> your father was a catholic and your father was a nonpractice muslim. you are a practicing muslim?
>> i am.
>> when you view this project, do you view it as a business deal, or do you view this on a more personal level, on a more spiritual level?
>> it’s turned into both. it’s turned into an opportunity to give back to a community that has given me so much. as an american, as someone who has prospered in this country, as someone who has gotten a lot from the city, this is an opportunity for us to give back. this is an opportunity for us to give back to a residential neighborhood that not a lot of people know that is the fastest growing district neighborhood in new york state.
>> a couple of things real quickly. there is a report on one of the websites overnight that a deal may in fact be in the works to move this center to a location at 30 cliff street which is about seven blocks away. can you confirm or deny that there are still discussions underway about moving this project?
>> there are no discussions about moving this project.
>> absolutely not?
>> there are no discussions about moving this project.
>> who is ultimately going to call the shots here? are you the final decision maker or are other people going to make a decision, is the imam who’s going to have a say? or are you calling the shots?
>> i am calling the shots. in a real estate transaction there are different elements that come into play, but ultimately as the managing member, we are calling the shots.
>> and finally how has this changed your view of living as a muslim american in this country, how did it change from before this controversy erupted?
>> this has been an eye opener. it’s been truly an eye opener and there is so much work ahead of us, there’s such a misperception about my faith and my belief system. and we are peace loving americans. we want the same things that everybody else wants. one of the things that in order to be a muslim, you have to be a good jew and a good christian at the same time. not a lot of people understand who we are. and that is part of the reason, you know, fear, fear makes people irrational. and our identity has been hijacked by the extremists.
>> i appreciate your joining me this morning. thank you very
