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Rick Lazio is a little man. And it has nothing to do with his height.

@ Holly et al,

What's it to you where the Islamic community center is built? No one is denying that they have the constitutional or legal right to build wherever they want on private property.

Do you believe that it will "draw" or "create" terrorists? Prove it.

(The historical and religious realities of both the imam and Sufism show a tendency otherwise: Why do you think the then "anti-Islamic-crusader-in-chief," GW Bush, sent Rauf the world over to expound his moderate views?)

Is the funding (which laughably doesn't exist) supplied by terrorist organizations? Prove it.

(Guess what; because of the incredible notoriety following the center, the developers have stated that they will open their books to public scrutiny in order to be transparent.)

Since you nor anyone else can prove these baseless allegations and because the developers have every legal and constitutional right to build on that _NOT_ Ground Zero site; again, I ask you: What's it to you?

jawbone, good thing you got that spellcheck going, you're going to hurt yourself with those $20 words. You're the type of demagguge that has a "blame the victim" mentality. Left wing media websites magazines created opinions like yours, that ignore an IMam who uses the N word, admires terrorism and is so REASONABLE that he insists his joint can only exist at one address, and no other NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY NEW YORKERS!!!!!!!!

You have your issues mixed up. You like to write long posts and use a lot of terms like "moral equivalency" and "American exceptionalism," but they are out of place here, and you may just be a jargon junky. The point about charities that fund terrorism is that if people think they are feeding starving people, but then their dollars actually go to a terrorist attack, you probably don't want to support such an organization.

Peg, thank you for bringing up a truly existential issue. It's so easy to let these pols distract us with the shiny new outrage du jour or of the current election.

I've also asked Brian to ask candidates what they would/will do about Social Security, which is going to be under attack by the Obama/Pete Peterson Cat Food Commission.

I read a comment somewhere --can't recall where so I can't give attribution-- but we, the United States, have created thousands of 9/11 sites by killing innocent civilians, in many countries. We have declared we are at war (never has the Congress declared war, of course) in some, but others are, I guess, spheres which we wish to influence.

We see good in what we do; others see ill. Even evil.

I have no problem with what the iman said, that there are consequences to the US actions against others. Chalmers Johnson wrote a whole book on it -- Blowback.

But Lazio's belief in American Exceptionalism is a widely shared belief. What we do is OK, because it is done by ourselves unto others. When others do similar things, it is not all right.

Oh, and might makes right.

On Rauf and his comments:

http://mediamatters.org/research/201008230063

actually, does anyone know where one can donate money to the Park51 ISALMIC CULTURAL CENTER (it's not only a mosque, people!)?

I am a fitness instructor and I want in on this place. It sounds wonderful.

Let's see -- the iman of the current mosque, the locations of the planned Not-a Mosque to be located Not-at-Ground-Zero, is a Sufi and his group has men and women worshipping together, not separated. Yet, many here see it as the same as Al Qaeda?

Oh, my. Reality check needed, I think.

Sufism and allowing men and women to worship together is anathema to those radical Islamists who believe as Bin Ladin does, or as Saudi Arabia practices.

Thus, in order to spite your enemy, Al Qaeda, you would also attack a group which is being attacked by Al Q?

Oookaaay, whatever floats your boats. But, really, reality checks would be great for so many.

Howie
oh. my bad.

Clearly al Qaeda is a bunch of wacko fundamentalist Islamists, but that doesn't extend to civic-minded American Muslims and their building a mosque, a community center whatever, ANYWHERE.

Lazio - If this issue isn't about freedom of religion, then what is it about?...

...From your argument it sounds like Philip K. Dick-style "Precrime" where authoritarian police intervene before crimes are even committed.

Way to go, Lazio! Gotta love it when you let those terrorists win by changing our core American beliefs!

Lazio's vile manipulation of the Muslim community center asks Cuomo and others with the responsibility of governing to ignore the law, especially the Religious Land Use Act, passed with the support of the religious right. Lazio will also likely benefit in his campaign from right-wing nonprofits who hide their donors in phony issue ads.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/04/us/politics/04build.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=mosque%20federal%20law&st=cse

Another mealy-mouth politician, unable to answer simply and directly a single direct question from Brian. Someone should tell this guy that reciting litanies of problems doesn't tell anyone what he would do about those problems. At least Palladino has stated directly and clearly what he would try to do to clear up Albany. I would never vote for Lazio based on this interview; a motor mouth who says nothing.

hjs: the audio with him using the "N" word is a different tape.

I'm waiting for Lazio to denounce the IRA as a terrorist organization, and call for an investigation of the financing of the Catholic Church. He and Palladino are in a race to the bottom. Is the acquisition of power really worth turning yourself into such vile examples of the worst of humanity? Do they even realize the Faustian bargain they are attempting to make?

can't wait for cuomo to clean the floor with this guy during the debate

Don from LI -- Yes, If the Sacred Dust has wafted over or settled in any area, all buildings must be torn down and the ground kept forever sacred by having no buildings or other desecrations.

Indeed, Brooklyn and Staten Island should be depopulated, along with southern Manhattan.

Studies of the prevailing winds and weather patterns following the Fall will be studied to see which areas of Manhatten must be vacated and razed. Verily, some of NJ will also be affected.

This will be one of the modern wonders of the world, a new nature preserve dedicated to the Sacred Dust!

All hail, Rick Lazio. Protector of the Sacred Dust!

We shall have no other gods before us, but the Sacred Dust is under our feet, so that makes it A-OK, see?

And mandatory to remain untouched.

Capiche?

Why not ask Lazio if he'd demand that the rabbis and management of any new Jewish synagogues acknowledge that Israel has been in violation of international law for 40+ years, and has committed grave war crimes against civilians?

Both statements are simply factual, based on third-party review and standards of international law.

And what does it mean to "patriotic" and "peace-loving" at the same time?

Why not ask Lazio if he'd demand that the rabbis and management of any new Jewish synagogues acknowledge that Israel has been in violation of international law for 40+ years, and has committed grave war crimes against civilians?

Both statements are simply factual, based on third-party review and standards of international law.

And what does it mean to "patriotic" and "peace-loving" at the same time?

@jawbone, you have no problem, with charity dollars going to an organization that then funds attacks on NYC? what are you nuts?

Read the voice expose on Lazio's 'hard work' for that multi-million dollar bonus. He may have had to play golf inbetween emailing.

Lazio worked for JP Morgan and has the chuzpah to use the words "morality" and "ethics"? Whoa.

jawbone you never heard of RICO laws???

What the Imam said:

"We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than Al Qaeda has on its hands of innocent non-Muslims."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1305772/Ground-Zero-mosque-cleric-Rauf-says-US-killed-civilians-Al-Qaeda.html#ixzz0yrF2QSb7

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1305772/Ground-Zero-mosque-cleric-Rauf-says-US-killed-civilians-Al-Qaeda.html

John from NYC
brian has played that tape!!

A more articulate and upscale Paladino. As a registered Republican, I just love my choices.

Thanks DarkSymbolist from NYC!
Mark Lazio is a scumbag of the highest order. He is contributing to anti-Semitism matasized into anti-Islam. What religion or ethnic group is next? Has bigotry and religious hatred become America’s calling card?

Disinformation? Just do a google search and you can watch the video of the speech, complete with N word and all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are we going to "investigate" evangelical churches because some evangelicals blow up women's clinics and murder doctors who perform abortions? Huh, Rich?

What a phony. What a liar. What a creep.

"pontificate about the first amendment."

how dare we!

Rauff used the "N word" in the same video Lazio refers to

This just in: Palladino's neck vein has burst!

Will Lazio demand investigations of all religious and civc groups' donations? I mean, the Roman Catholic church was involved in some dicey banking scandal(s) a few years ago and there are those pedophiles.... Shouldn't they all be investigated?

What if there's Mafia or drug money being donated to some religious groups? OMG, OMG!

Rick, dream on WNYC will NEVER play that audio on the air

Wow - Offensive!!!

This is outrageous.

I have one word for Lazio and his fellow disinformationists: Kristallnacht. He's manufacturing lies -- libels -- to advance his political campaign.

Did anyone suggest to his parents that they leave Long Island because the fact that they were Italian-American made those who'd fought Mussolini uncomfortable? (Note: his parents are both WWII veterans, and I'm an Italian-American.)

I hereby offer to donate $500 to the community center. WNYC has my e-mail address; the Imam can contact me.

Shame on you, Rick Lazio.

I guess I'll have to sign up with Facebook if I want my comment read on the air...

This is outrageous.

I have one word for Lazio and his fellow disinformationists: Kristallnacht. He's manufacturing lies -- libels -- to advance his political campaign.

Did anyone suggest to his parents that they leave Long Island because the fact that they were Italian-American made those who'd fought Mussolini uncomfortable? (Note: his parents are both WWII veterans, and I'm an Italian-American.)

I hereby offer to donate $500 to the community center. WNYC has my e-mail address; the Imam can contact me.

Shame on you, Rick Lazio.

Does it make him poison if he used the "N" word in a speech? Isn't that Jeremiah Wright-ish?????????????/

rick
what is wrong with being a waiter?

Well, the F.B.I. has already shut down numerous charities that fund terrorism, the idea is not exactly outrageous or new.

Ach, I see this is a taped interview.

If it weren't, I would point out to Lazio that firefighters from all over the country came to NY after 9/11. Presumably, they carried bits of dust with them back home. How does that square with the congressman's <strike> bigotry </strike> position?

Should we investigate all donations?

I was in Brooklyn and I could smell it here. It smelled like burning tires.

A better time to have proposed the Islamic cultural Center, would have been when the relatives were standing on that block holding pictures of their loved ones. That way, the issue could have been addressed closer to 9/11 when the issue of free speech was in the news. They could have gotten the relatives to have signed on to the Center, and it would have been more appropriate than doing it now. Also they could have discussed the name "Cordoba" with them, and what the name "Cordoba" refers to, so there was no doubt about the cultural implications of that name. This is the kind of reasonableness that is missing from this debate.

I was living in central Nassau County on September 11th, 2001. I was able to smell the disaster from my house. Does that count as Lazio's dust cloud? I thought that the Applicable-to-WASPs-Only clauses in the United States Constitution were invalidated by amendment decades before I was even born.

Wow, dust covered Brooklyn all the way to Park Slope. How far do you think the Puritans will go to hunt for the witches?

Please ask all candidates if they believe in human contribution to global warming through burning of fossil fuels? And, what are their proposals to address our current and future energy needs?

Another hate-mongering idiot, using the "mosque" (cultural center) as an easy scapegoat issue for votes.

Mr. Lazio, you are a typical disgusting sleazy politician of the lowest order and disgusting people like you undermine our democracy.

What is the Tea Party response to the BP gulf oil spill?

Rick, you jumped on the "ground zero mosque" debacle like it was going to really boost your campaign. Are you proud of yourself for spearheading to such divisiveness? Are you surprized that it has not helped your election prospects at all?

Could you please ask Congressman Lazio about the First Amendment implications of his call for Attorney General Cuomo to investigate the funding of the Cordoba Initiative. Under a Lazio administration, should groups or individuals expect to come under extra government scrutiny when they take unpopular stances or stray outside of a prescribed sphere of activity imposed on them based on their religion, race, or ethnicity?

rick,
welcome back where have u been the last 10 years.
your views on the lower manhattan mosque have been so enlightened. do u also support the quran burning planned for florida??