NEW YORK—Hundreds of people gathered near Ground Zero today to rally over a variety of issues, including a proposed mosque in the area.
Three different rally sites in a three-block radius represented vastly different messages, including a small gathering of religious fundamentalists.
A call for “unity not racism” was put out by the largest gathering of protesters, coordinated by the Emergency Mobilization Against Racism and Anti-Islamic Bigotry, an umbrella group. Their rally united a variety of groups from the Jersey City Peace Movement to the South Bronx Community Congress and various Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups.
The lively atmosphere included singing by the Raging Grannies, a political satire and activist group.
Dee Knight, a volunteer with the hosting organization, said their aim was to show that “people for justice and against war are a majority.”
Rally attendees had a similar message of tolerance.
“You cannot stereotype people by their religion race, gender, ethnic minority,“ said Dennis James, a retired lawyer from Brooklyn. ”In doing so, you are dehumanizing them.”
Two blocks away, the Freedom Defense Initiative (FDI) and Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) hosted a rally to protest the proposed mosque.The rally included appeals to remember 9/11 victims and support the troops, singing, and loud chants of “U.S.A.”
Part-time filmmaker and screen writer Mike from Conneticut (who declined to give his last name) wore camouflage fatigues, though he has never served in the military, to remind everyone that the U.S. is at war.
“Three thousand souls are screaming right now ‘don’t put a mosque on my grave,’” he said, adding that he sees the mosque as “a symbol of a conquered land.”
The FDI and SIOA appeared well prepared for a media blitz with a raised platform for journalists and a large video screen behind a stage. Rally participants were encouraged to bring American flags to the event.
Denise Lee, who was selling American flags for $4 each, said she was there in support of American principles.
“I am a capitalist,” Lee responded to a man who said she was capitalizing on 9/11 by selling the flags.
Three different rally sites in a three-block radius represented vastly different messages, including a small gathering of religious fundamentalists.
A call for “unity not racism” was put out by the largest gathering of protesters, coordinated by the Emergency Mobilization Against Racism and Anti-Islamic Bigotry, an umbrella group. Their rally united a variety of groups from the Jersey City Peace Movement to the South Bronx Community Congress and various Muslim, Christian and Jewish groups.
The lively atmosphere included singing by the Raging Grannies, a political satire and activist group.
Dee Knight, a volunteer with the hosting organization, said their aim was to show that “people for justice and against war are a majority.”
Rally attendees had a similar message of tolerance.
“You cannot stereotype people by their religion race, gender, ethnic minority,“ said Dennis James, a retired lawyer from Brooklyn. ”In doing so, you are dehumanizing them.”
Two blocks away, the Freedom Defense Initiative (FDI) and Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) hosted a rally to protest the proposed mosque.The rally included appeals to remember 9/11 victims and support the troops, singing, and loud chants of “U.S.A.”
Part-time filmmaker and screen writer Mike from Conneticut (who declined to give his last name) wore camouflage fatigues, though he has never served in the military, to remind everyone that the U.S. is at war.
“Three thousand souls are screaming right now ‘don’t put a mosque on my grave,’” he said, adding that he sees the mosque as “a symbol of a conquered land.”
The FDI and SIOA appeared well prepared for a media blitz with a raised platform for journalists and a large video screen behind a stage. Rally participants were encouraged to bring American flags to the event.
Denise Lee, who was selling American flags for $4 each, said she was there in support of American principles.
“I am a capitalist,” Lee responded to a man who said she was capitalizing on 9/11 by selling the flags.
