CC this poll. msnbc poll
Right now, it's at 49,675 votes, with 16% say yes, 82% say no, and 2% undecided.
http://www.paladinoforthepeople.com
As of this morning....it appears that it will be constructed.
A unanimous vote today by a New York City landmarks commission clears the way for the controversial construction of an Islamic community center and mosque two blocks from the World Trade Center.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/08/nyc-panel-oks-building-islamic-center-mosque-near-ground-zero/1?csp=34I'm not sure that building this Islamic center can be stopped under any circumstances, unless the facility is not acceptable to the zoning statutes.
DAT can explain this better, and whether or not it is legal.
It is illegal to discriminate - at least in housing - due
race, religion, national origin, color, gender, disabilities or families with children, because of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act).
I recognize this is not a
residential, but it isn't exactly commercial either, however...in some places, churches, if the community does not zone them as "church zoned", they come under "residential zoned".
[I checked here, where on one streeet, there is a Baptist Church and the Jewish Community Center, both are inside the city limits. Tax records lists the Church as "county exempt - church", the Community Center as "county exempt - misc services".]
If, in fact, NYC follows the Civil Rights Act with regard to metropolitan planning...then there is no way they can deny the mosque-community center being built....or those trying to build it will have a huge lawsuit based on not only religious discrimination, but also national origin, and could probably throw in race and color. They WOULD win.
While I do think it's wrong on many different levels for those who wish to build this "community center" to chose this location(at minimal, it's a slap in the face to those who were killed and their family members)....it
is down the street and
around a corner from Ground Zero. It is not part of the site, nor is it even right next door, nor can Ground Zero be seen from the front of the building. (this morning on Fox, one of the anchormen, was outside showing the proximity of the two areas, and explaining as he walked down the two streets)
It did however, have a wheel section from one of the planes come down through the roof of the building that will become the center. Maybe that will be enough to "curse" the building.