Washington, August 19: Obama’s approval for the development of the Cordoba House at 45 Park Place in New York City caused friction within the Democratic Party last week as well as uproar from his Republican foes, AFP reported on Wednesday.
“The answer is: No regrets,” said the US president on NBC television, pointing to the right of religious freedom.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is running for the Nevada Senate seat against GOP challenger Sharon Angle, broke off with the Obama on the issue, saying the mosque should be built elsewhere.
The US president’s remarks came after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi released a statement saying: “The freedom of religion is a Constitutional right. Where a place of worship is located is a local decision.”
Even though opponents of the development have called it “The Ground-Zero Mosque,” the project is neither a mosque nor is it located at Ground-Zero, The Huffington Post reported in July.
“That it may even be called a mosque is debatable. It is designed as a multi-use complex with a space set aside for prayer — no minarets, no muezzin calls to prayer blaring onto Park Place,” said Clyde Haberman of The New York Times.
The Cordoba House is not designed to be a single-purpose house of worship, which would make it a mosque, but a cultural center with a prayer room.
Additionally, the location of the Islamic center is about one-tenth of a mile from Ground Zero.
——–Agencies