There are new developments in the ongoing story of how New York City officials are rushing to build the Ground Zero mosquestrosity while throwing roadblocks in the way of rebuilding St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, which stood at the base of the World Trade Center towers until it was destroyed by Muslim terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. City officials have been dragging their feet and ignoring entreaties from supporters of the church. Now at last, church members have some small bit of hope.
New York City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. told the nation’s oldest and largest Greek-American newspaper, the National Herald, that he had spoken with Christopher Ward, executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and was “optimistic” that the impasse between the church and the Port Authority would soon be resolved. Ward previously reneged on an agreement to move the church to a new site near its previous location at Ground Zero, but nonetheless there was some indication that he may have been speaking more honestly this time. Vallone said, according to the National Herald, that he told Ward that he was “adamant” that the church be rebuilt, and Ward agreed.
That is something, but it still isn’t much. Evan Lambrou, former editor of the National Herald, told me that “the issue is still being tossed about in federal court (in pretrial discovery). The Port Authority [PA] is still stalling on providing evidence to a federal judge [which could also mean it’s trying to fabricate evidence], and the PA wants to push rebuilding the church off to 2014, which leaves room for rendering the church project to something insignificant and irrelevant.”
St. Nicholas Parish Council President John Couloucoundis says that when it comes to dealing justly with the church, “The PA just can’t be bothered” and “is doing anything it can to stonewall.” However, he is still cautiously optimistic: “Given the way the court has come down on the Port Authority to get them moving, things will come to a boil fairly soon.”
What’s ironic is that in contrast to the deceptive claims being made by the Islamic supremacist grifters behind the Ground Zero mega-mosque, the rebuilt St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church would be a real interfaith community center. Nicholas Koutsomitis, an adjunct associate professor at the Pratt Institute and CEO of Koutsomitis Architects, which is working on plans for the new church, explains: “The idea is to build a world-class church that everyone will be proud of—Greeks and Americans—and that will be welcoming to the people of many different backgrounds.” Koutsomitis says that the rebuilt church will be “unique, a Greek Orthodox Church with an interreligious component [that is inviting to] people seeking a place of contemplation.”
Yet, says Koutsomitis, “We have been cut out of the process for the last two years, so we are trying to ascertain what the Port Authority has done and where they are, and present our case to the consultants so they can come up with a recommendation for the governor.”
Lambrou notes that the rebuilding of the church “shouldn’t even be an issue. We’re talking about rebuilding a Christian church on a national monument simply because it was on the same site where other buildings were destroyed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
This should be a no-brainer, but instead city officials are doing everything they can to pave the way for the building of the Ground Zero mega-mosque. Says Lambrou: “Obviously, public officials who support building an Islamic community center so close to Ground Zero should also support rebuilding a Christian church on Ground Zero, particularly since the church in question has actual property and historic rights, which have now been severely violated by an insensitive and greedy public entity which took that property, excavated it for its own purposes, and then refused to deliver what it promised in exchange.”
We are going to stand against this outrageous insult at Ground Zero on the 10th anniversary of the attacks that killed 3,000 Americans and destroyed St. Nicholas Church. Book your travel arrangements now and be at our 911 Freedom Rally. Stand with us for freedom and human rights, against the Islamic supremacist Ground Zero mosque, and for the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Church. It’s a simple matter of justice.
