Wallkill Republican Kevin Roberts backed down from his controversial resolution opposing the Ground Zero mosque at a meeting of the Ulster County Legislature last night after another member of the legislature asked him to, reports the Times Herald-Record:
Kevin Roberts, R-Wallkill, withdrew a resolution opposing Park51, the Islamic community center and mosque to be located about two blocks from the World Trade Center site. Chairman Fred Wadnola, R-Lake Katrine, asked Roberts to do so because Park51 developer Sharif El-Gamal might move the community center to another location. "I didn't think it was an appropriate resolution at this time," Wadnola said. Roberts obliged the request. "As a caucus, we're part of a team," he said.
The Daily Freeman reports that Roberts was unrepentant about it, however:
Roberts, R-Wallkill, was unfazed by the controversy his resolution stirred, saying that none of those speaking were from District 9, which he represents. “I met with over 100 people last Sunday in Plattekill, and all I got was positive response,” he said. “Those are the people I represent.” Roberts said he believes those who support moving the Islamic center are among “the silent majority.”
The resolution, which you can read above or download here, cited Muslim conquerors of Spain and a 2001 60 Minutes interview with the imam of the proposed Islamic community center as evidence that the planned construction project would be "insensitive:"
WHEREAS, just as The Alamo,The Battlefield at Gettysburg and the Arizona are considered sacred ground and so is the area now known as Ground Zero.
WHEREAS, we support the building of a fifteen story, 100 Million Dollar Islamic Training Center, which includes a Mosque, but not at its planned location.
WHEREAS, building the Cordoba House-Park 51 Mosque just two blocks from the site of the World Trade Center Complex (Ground Zero) would be insensitive to the 911 victims, families and relatives of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
(The New York Times has a fact sheet on the imam's background, including the 60 Minutes interview.)
As Mid-Hudson News noted, the resolution refers to the project officially known as Park51 as an “Islamic Training Center,” which is a "term not used by those proposing it."
Three news outlets report that a dozen people spoke against the resolution at the meeting, despite the fact that it already had been pulled. From Mid-Hudson News:
“This resolution disgusted me,” said Donald Badgley of New Paltz, noting this is the first time he felt compelled to speak publicly on anything.
From the THR:
"There's a lot of Muslim-bashing going on, and I don't want to be part of that," said Art Richter, one of the speakers. Nobody spoke in favor of the resolution.
And from the Daily Freeman:
The measure drew a firestorm of opposition from people speaking at Tuesday’s meeting. They called the proposal bigoted, fear-mongering and un-American ... Jonathan Wright accused the sponsors of hyperbole and xenophobia and vowed to “work to make sure you are not in your places of power again.”
Jeremiah, who blogs at Common Sense in Ulster County, took stock of the entire episode today and found it wanting:
Thank you to the UC Legislature for continuing a proud tradition of making our county the laughing stock of the Hudson Valley. PS: How are them jobs coming?
