New York mayor Michael Bloomberg defends ground zero mosque

Plans to build a controversial mosque near ground zero cleared another major hurdle on Tuesday despite testing the limits of US religious freedom.

The New York landmarks preservation commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow a Muslim organisation to tear down a 152-year-old building in Manhattan to make space for the mosque.

It is hardly surprising that there is a visceral reaction among some Americans to the proposed mosque. Those fighting it argue that a mosque so close to ground zero is at best an affront to the families of those who died there.

Republican Sarah Palin urged “peace-seeking Muslims” to reject the centre, branding it an “unnecessary provocation”.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, on the other hand, has emerged as a passionate defender of the project.

He travelled to governor’s Island off the tip of Manhattan to deliver a stirring plea for sanity. He traced the struggle for religious freedom in New York and affirmed the rights of citizens to do as they please with their private property.

“Should government attempt to deny citizens the right to build a house of worship on private property based on their religion? That may happen in other countries, but we should never allow it to happen here,” said Bloomberg, giving a rousing speech with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.

“We recognise that part of being a New Yorker is living with your neighbours in mutual respect and tolerance. It was that spirit of openness and acceptance that was attacked on 9/11, 2001… We would be untrue to the best part of ourselves and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans if we said no to a mosque in Manhattan.”