The plan to erect Park51, a 13-story Islamic community center with a mosque located on one of the floors, two blocks from the destruction of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers, has caused heavy debate and sharp protest in American society.
Meanwhile, not as significant in terms of tension, but just as extreme, are the heated debates connected with the construction of Muslim religious sites taking place on a local level. Recently The New York Times published an important piece providing concrete examples. The city residents cited in the article are split into two irreconcilable camps: those for and those against the construction of mosques. I'll mention that among those in the first camp were not only followers of the teachings of Mohammad, but also Christians, Jews, and other Americans for whom freedom of religion in our country is a "sacred cow," even if they themselves believe neither in God nor in the devil. Their opponents base their main support on the non-transparency of the finances behind the Islamic project – What is the place really going to be? – in the likelihood that mosques might become centers for both the dissemination of aggressive ideas found in Islam and for preparation of home-grown terrorists.
New York is in the same situation. It is well known that opponents of the construction of a new mosque on Staten Island have prevented the project. Another situation is emerging in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, on Voorhies Avenue; the chances of a four-story Muslim center appearing in that area are rather high. And yet, could there be a repetition of the Staten Island scenario? Here is my conversation with three Russian-speaking inhabitants of Sheepshead Bay – co-founders of the organization Bay People, Inc., whose goal is to prevent the construction of a mosque at 2812 Voorhies Avenue: Victor Ben-Ari, Gennady Kleiman, and Alex Gitar.
Michael Tripolsky: Hello, gentlemen. Readers of Russkaya Reklama have a general understanding of your organization from our correspondents who have shed light on the measures undertaken by Bay People, Inc. Let's speak candidly. Is your opposition to the construction of a mosque on Voorhies Avenue a product of ideological or practical considerations?
Victor Ben-Ari: There is none of the ideology, Michael, or any of the xenophobia or prejudice of which we are accused by our opponents. Practical conditions? Yes. The location where the Muslims intend to construct the mosque is a quiet, residential area. You yourself are a resident of our area and know how narrow Voorhies Avenue is – "avenue" is an overstatement. There are usually problems with parking. You can imagine what hell it would become for inhabitants to park after the construction of a mosque. (It is possible to agree with Victor. The erection of any relatively large religious center in a residential area often results in headaches for drivers. It's interesting that even in Russia, where there are fewer cars, opponents of the construction of mosques also typically raise the issue of parking problems.– M.T.)
MT: But if instead of a mosque on Voorhies Avenue, plans were made for a church or a synagogue, would you be just as opposed?
VB-A: Believe me, we would. We are not coming out in opposition to a specific religion; it is just that the chosen location is not suitable for things of this nature. Their appearance, be it a mosque, Christian church, or synagogue, would cause problems on the passable road area. Religious centers inevitably raise noise levels. An influx of believers results in an increase in automobiles. Let's not forget the possible exacerbation of the ecological atmosphere. One more factor – there is a school literally a few meters from the planned location for the mosque; I doubt that such a neighbor would be popular among the majority of the parents. The appearance of a mosque will also have a negative effect on the value of the houses. Should an owner wish to sell his real estate for the market price, it will make the process more difficult.
MT: But maybe those very Muslims will buy these houses?
VB-A: That's exactly the issue. One of the members of the Muslim American Society (MAS is a division of the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization well-known among the international Islamic community), the main sponsor for the project, posted on their website: "After the construction of the mosque, Jews and Christians will flee from Voorhies Avenue, with their heels flashing, and it will be possible to acquire houses at throw-away prices." Imagine that! What cynicism!
But representatives of the project are regularly trying to convince the community that they are kind neighbors and that the construction of the mosque is not in pursuit of any political or ideological goals. We appealed repeatedly to the sponsors of the mosque to meet and discuss the possibility of transferring the project to a more agreeable location. In this way, we were emphasizing that, in principle, we are not opposed to the construction of a new mosque, but looking for a reasonable compromise. However, the people from MAS seemed to be deaf to our arguments. Their goal, which naturally they do not reveal, is to change the face of our area.
MT: In your print and Internet materials, you call attention to the possibility of a connection between the leadership of MAS and Islamic terrorist organizations among which are Hamas, Hezbollah, and others. And the statements of the leaders of MAS, which you quote on your site, are not exactly tolerant. Many years ago, while working in a Brooklyn neighborhood, I would frequently pass by a small, ordinary looking mosque in a similar residential area. I wouldn't have said that its presence particularly bothered the neighborhood's residents. However, I found out later that the "Blind Sheikh," as he is called in the United States, sometimes visited this mosque to preach. I am referring to Omar Abdel-Rahman, leader of the Egyptian terrorist organization Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya. He and his people organized the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993. He is currently serving a life sentence in an American prison.
Gennady Kleiman: Therein lies the matter. Behind the façade of a regular mosque, some extreme and unseemly things could be organized. For example, a speech given by Michael Dipre, one of the leaders of MAS, openly expressed support for Hamas and Hezbollah. Leaders of this organization do not shy away from expressing anti-Semitic sentiments and sharply criticizing Israel. We cannot help being alarmed by these facts that reveal ties between MAS and radical Muslim organizations in the Islamic world. There are also many questions regarding the financing of the project. The area chosen for development was acquired by Ahmed Alaoui, a Yemeni national. The papers submitted to the Buildings Department stated that he was preparing to build a house, not a mosque. And here is what is interesting: Ahmed personally does not have the funds for construction, as it would require nearly $1 million. It is possible to say that he is just the chosen face behind which stand the real commissioners of the project, not just the aforementioned organization MAS?
MT: What concrete steps have you taken to check the legality of the construction? Are you being assisted by lawyers?
Alex Gitar: We are currently being assisted by a lawyer who is a specialist in matters related to the use of land and legislation tied to the buying and selling of real estate. We are planning to hire a lawyer whose purpose will be to uncover the source of financial support for the mosque's construction.
MT: Have you found support among politicians?
AG: This is a sore point. At first, we sent 19 letters asking for support from politicians of the municipal, state and federal government. The response was just a formal reply from three of those addressed: "The builders are acting in accordance with the Constitution." And that's it. Now we've sent another 12 letters. For the time being, we've received no response. Politicians from both parties – Democrats and Republicans – remain silent.
MT: And the community?
Gennady Kleiman: All our hopes rest with the community. We are overjoyed by the activity of the Russian-speaking community, although representatives of different nationalities and religious creeds come out to demonstrations with us. Regular people have united and it is astounding. We have managed to collect $40,000 – an important indicator that people understand the importance of the matter. Of course, our activities require money: printed materials, paying for the services of experts. That is why we turn to everyone for whom the future of the wonderful Sheepshead Bay region matters. If you have the means, help Bay People, Inc. We are ready to answer any questions relating to finances.
