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HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, September 11, 2010 marks the 9th anniversary of
3the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, where
4almost 3,000 people were killed in suicide attacks by Islamic
5terrorists linked to al-Qaeda; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The events of September 11th served as a catalyst
7for the "war on terror", which has become one of the largest
8scale international conflicts in history; the "war on terror"
9has involved combat operations in nearly a dozen countries,
10supported by hundreds of thousands of American troops
11throughout the last 9 years; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The lasting physical effects of the attack can
13still be seen at the former site of the World Trade Center;
14American sentiment claims this location as hallowed ground,
15with thousands of people visiting the site every year to pay
16respects to those who perished in the cowardly attacks and to
17show support for the ongoing "war on terror"; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The American Society for Muslim Advancement and
19the Cordoba Institute have proposed a development plan to build
20a $100 million mosque and Muslim Community Center at 45 Park
21Place in Lower Manhattan; this location is a mere 2 blocks from
22Ground Zero, which has provoked concern among segments of the

 

 

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1American public and politicians from both parties alike; and
 
2    WHEREAS, The perpetrators of the September 11th attacks
3were Muslim extremists; while the proposed mosque and Muslim
4Community Center would be a place of peace and worship, many
5Americans question the appropriateness of honoring Islam in
6such close proximity to Ground Zero, where thousands died and
7hundreds of victims were never recovered; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Typically, tragedies of such large scale are
9honored at the site with monuments to remember and honor the
10fallen; the proposed building of a mosque and Muslim Religious
11Center in such close proximity to the site of the attack has
12been controversial and could negatively impact those visiting
13the area to pay respects to the thousands of innocent victims;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Throughout history, the locations of tragic
16occurrences and monuments have been claimed by the victims and
17families of victims to memorialize the event and honor its
18victims; the decision to allow the American Society for Muslim
19Advancement and the Cordoba Institute to build a mosque and
20Muslim Religious Center at Ground Zero has energized protests
21across the U.S., generating negative media attention and
22jeopardizing the integrity of future memorials; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, While freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and
2property rights allow for such a structure to be built,
3sensitivity to the concerns of American citizens should be
4prioritized by choosing another location for the Muslim
5Community Center to show respect for the lives lost on
6September 11, 2001; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
8NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
9urge the American Society for Muslim Advancement and the
10Cordoba Institute to reconsider their plans regarding the
11building of a mosque and Muslim Community Center in such close
12proximity to the site of the largest scale tragedy in the
13United States to date; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15presented to President Barack Obama, New York City Mayor
16Michael R. Bloomberg, New York Governor David A. Patterson, and
17the Manhattan Community Board.