Family Life

08.25.10 | FL News Team

(New York, NY)  --  One of New York's most power Democrats adds his voice to the controversy over the proposed mosque near Ground Zero.  State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver supports the idea of moving the 100-million-dollar Islamic community center and mosque.

Meanwhile, Governor David Paterson and New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan are offering to work out a solution to tone down the heated debate.  The governor and Archbishop Dolan met for 45 minutes in private at the governor's midtown office.  Dolan, the head of New York's two-and-a-half-million Catholics, has not yet expressed his view on whether the mosque should be moved.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg reiterated his support for the proposed mosque near Ground Zero during a dinner at Gracie Mansion for the holy month of Ramadan.  Mayor Bloomberg says a compromise to move the controversial development from Park Place is a betrayal of American values.  The mayor says it would be difficult to compromise on the issue, raising, in his words, the question "how big should the 'no mosque zone' be around the World Trade Center site?"

Mayor Bloomberg also defended the center's Imam, Feisal Abdul Rauf.  Both the developer and wife of the imam behind the 100-million-dollar Islamic community center attended the annual mayoral Iftar dinner last night.  But both Sharif El-Gamal and Daisy Khan refused to comment on possibly relocating the proposed mosque.