The 9/11 Hard Hat Pledge and the Ground Zero Mosque
By Stefanie SchappertMonday, August 30, 2010
Lipstick Conservative
By Stefanie Schappert
Special to The Clyde Fitch Report
stefanie@lipstickconservative.com
I literally feel like my head is going to explode over this Ground Zero mosque. Can someone please tell me why I (along with 63 percent of New Yorkers) am considered a racist Neanderthal because I do not think it is appropriate to build a mosque steps from Ground Zero? I just love how the left once again reduces the majority of thinkers about this issue, including the 9/11 families, into invalid, subhuman forms of life to be dismissed as uneducated bigots.
From Mayor Michael Bloomberg, (a true Dem in disguise), whose ratings have plummeted since he declared that “us dissidents” of the mosque should be “ashamed of ourselves,” to President Obama’s waffling stance to Nancy Pelosi trying to figure out who is “funding these people,” it’s enough to make one scream. But I’ve already written a piece laying out many of the reasons why I think a mosque should not be built at Ground Zero: Muslims Return to the Scene of the Crime?. And I think our good friend Imam Rauf has enough “caught on tape” moments for most (check out the latest one here). So I’m going to offer another point of view, one that many of my readers would not have access to, and one that I assume many of the Clyde Fitch liberal readers wouldn’t either. I am talking about the hard hats.
Who are the hard hats? They’re the working class guys who are the backbone of this city. They’ve been on the job site — some for decades — here in the five boroughs. Many of them worked in the Ground Zero “pit” alongside firefighters and other first responders on 9/11. What we forget is that they are still in the pit, taking part in the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. More importantly, they’re the ones that would be hired to actually construct “Park 51,” the new Islamic center and mosque. Not surprisingly, most say they’d refuse — and they’ve taken a pledge to prove it.
This week, I got a chance to talk to the brains behind this “9/11 Hard Hat Pledge”: Andy Sullivan, a born-and-bred New Yorker, a union guy with 30 years in the business and currently “a field super for the biggest union construction outfit on the East Coast.” He started his own blog, Blue Collar Corner, about a year ago as a way to share “what the regular working person is thinking about.” And until the mosque issue came to light, it was primarily focused on the economic crisis and the government’s job performance since Obama took office. He’s become a bit of a media darling in the past few weeks. Here’s what he had to say.
Why the Pledge:
Andy was there at the Community Board 1 vote on May 25. He watched 9/11 family members weep when the board approved the mosque plans to move forward. It was then he thought “I’m disgusted. This is it — I can’t depend on lawsuits, elected officials or politicians who’ll just fall in line with the Mayor. The only way out is to do it myself.” He says he realized it’s his crews who build all the big buildings in New York City (ever hear of Yankee Stadium?) “It’s my people who do this type of work. It’s time to take a stand and wake the national conscience.”
How the Pledge Got Started:
“I went from to job site to job site, asking people if they would work on the mosque.” The most common answer Andy heard: “Hell no, not if I was starving.” A few days later, he was driving home in his car listening to talk radio (Rush Limbaugh — oh, lefties, relax). The topic of the mosque came up, he called in, and the 9/11 Hardhat Pledge was born.
Personal Connection:
Andy says that on 9/11, “before the cops and firefighters showed up, a lot of us were the ones getting people out of the buildings.” He adds, “It’s hard to work across from Ground Zero: We know what the thousand-yard stare is.”
On Rebuilding:
Andy says he’s angry that “Giuliani, Pataki and Bloomberg all promised us that the site would be built up again.” Yet, he points out, “it’s still a hole in the ground.”
Why No Mosque:
“Islam is saturated in symbolism. The symbol is to build a mosque on conquered lands. To build a tower with a mosque in it sends a message to the rest of the world: Islam has beaten us. The radical Muslims will be cheering in the streets just like they did when the towers came down. It will be like a wave of motivation for them to top the WTC attack.”
On Imam Rauf:
Even if this guy is totally clean, Andy says, his actions show that “tolerance to him is a one-way street. He’s going to do whatever he wants.” He believes Rauf’s trip to the Middle East as an ambassador of religious tolerance, is just “an excuse to raise money” for the project. (Ah, the financing — another Lipstick Conservative piece in the making.)
On Being Called a Racist:
Andy says his workers knew the old Burlington Coat Factory outlet was being used as a prayer center. He adds, “If I was such a racist, I would have been protesting their proximity to the WTC site years ago.” Andy agrees that government shouldn’t interfere with private property issues. But building the mosque is “just not the right thing to do.”
Who Backs the Pledge:
Not only the construction workers, iron workers, cement masons, pipefitters, sprinkler fitters, etc., but suppliers, insurance companies, telecommunications installers and all kinds of mom-and-pop shops across the country. Hundreds of individuals and companies are refusing to supply everything and anything from sheet metal to paper cups and pencils to emergency medical services.
Surprise Supporters:
The military. Andy says he’s heard from a lot of soldiers serving overseas questioning “why they’re in 100 degree heat, spilling their blood, while people over here are rolling out the red carpet for them to build a mosque at Ground Zero.”
General Politics:
In case you think it’s all about the mosque, Andy says, “it’s just part of a broader issue…the Obama Administration took a nasty hard left with healthcare and financial reform. This is just part of it. It’s the ruling class telling us what’s good for us, what to do and how to feel.”
Tell Me How You Really Feel:
“It’s a terrible idea. Building a mosque at Ground Zero is like sticking a finger in your eye. It will push Muslim and American relations back to the Stone Age.”
And My Final 2 Cents:
I must address those who keep saying the swanky “Park 51,” as they like to call it, will not really be at the Ground Zero site. Please give me break: the address is 600 feet from the footprints of the Twin Towers. And if that’s not close enough, remember that the old Coat Factory was actually damaged during the 9/11 attacks when landing gear from one of the hijacked planes crashed through the roof, straight through the top two floors. So, technically, one could argue it is part of the site. Again, is that close enough for you people? Did the naysayers ever stop to think what else could have crashed through that roof? Just this past month, the New York City Medical Examiner’s office announced that, after sifting through another 844 cubic yards of debris, there are still about 1,000 World Trade Center victims unidentified. What if that contains your missing husband, mother or child?
And, finally, can we please stop arguing weather the goddamn thing is a mosque and be done with it? The developers on their own website say the site will include — well, click and read right here. No one is trying to fool the masses. Drum roll, please: it’s a mosque.
Stefanie Schappert is a freelance journalist based in New York. A staunch conservative in a self-professed city of liberals and the military wife of a Green Beret, she created Lipstick Conservative to share her unique viewpoint on politics and culture. This broadcast news veteran and former NFL Cheerleader is known to hang out with quite a liberal crowd and has been the buzz kill during many a dinner party. Contact Stefanie or learn more at lipstickconservative.com.
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Lipstick Conservative does not necessarily represent the views of The Clyde Fitch Report.
Not for nothing, Stef, but I read where Rauf says, “Collateral damage is a nice thing to put on a paper, but when the collateral damage is your own uncle or cousin, what passions do these arouse?” and then I read where you say, ” … after sifting through another 844 cubic yards of debris, there are still about 1,000 World Trade Center victims unidentified. What if that contains your missing husband, mother or child?” – and I can’t help but think you two might have more in common than you’d feel comfortable admitting.
“Can someone please tell me why I (along with 63 percent of New Yorkers) am considered a racist Neanderthal because I do not think it is appropriate to build a mosque steps from Ground Zero?”
I guess this is your way of posing as a strawman – I do not consider you a racist nor a Neanderthal, but to answer your question: I think it comes down to who attacked us on Sept. 11.
If you’ve been convinced to think that Islam attacked us, then you will probably not want this center built, but if you think that Al Queda attacked us, then this mosque has nothing to do with it. I think that Al Queda is a terrorist army, and they they should be taken to war, not jail.
I think that we have to be focused and keep our eye on the real enemy — no religion attacked us (it’s as bad as the “war on terrorism” – doesn’t work, grammically or otherwise!). Al Queda attacked us, and that’s who we should be after. And if Al Queda wanted to build a mosque near the WTC, I’d be on your side.
But for now, this is just a political issue that Rick Lazzio cooked up, because he knew that it was his only chance to win an election. That makes him wrong… twice – he doesn’t have a shot in hell.
ps. When Daisy Khan was on Fox back in Dec. ’09, questioned by Laura Ingram about this center, why didn’t anyone have a problem with it back then? I’ve seen a clip of the interview, and even Laura didn’t seem concerned (and that’s saying something).
Let’s understand what this writer’s strawman argument is here. It’s that people call her a racist merely because she questions having a mosque built two blocks from Ground Zero. That’s not what’s being said, of course — even though some of us do wonder why the discount outlets and neighborhood strip club aren’t stirring at least some outrage on that apparently hallowed ground blocks away from the WTC, and even though the word “raghead” is popping up a distressing number of times on her side of the ramparts.
But, look, many of us DO think it’s racist to persistently equate all Muslims with extremist Muslims (as in “Muslims Return to the Scene of the Crime”). As though they’re all alike — the Al Qaeda attackers and those 9/11 victims who were Muslim. Oops, what was that about reducing 9/11 families to a certain point of view? That would be, in fact, this writer doing that, not “the left.” Quite a few 9/11 families, Muslim and otherwise, do NOT oppose Park 51.
She does, however, find a Tea Bagger who does. That must have taken some effort. And the clown even made me laugh when I read on his blog that he represents the “voices in the middle.” This would be a guy who, apparently, started worrying about the government’s economic policy only after Obama took office, despite the fact that Bush’s record on jobs is still the worst in modern history. This would be someone who, for this writer, represents workers in the Ground Zero pit even though he doesn’t seem to have ONE THING to say on his blog about Republicans killing a measure this summer that would have provided essential health care to suffering 9/11 rescue and recovery personnel. Middle, indeed.
Again, it’s not a mosque and it’s not at Ground Zero. This is a fake controversy dreamed up by pundits.
Is this a synagogue?
http://www.92y.org/shop/category.asp?category=Jewish+Life888Jewish+Life+-+Other+Programs888Bronfman+Center+for+Jewish+Life888
Also: in terms of what “63% of New Yorkers” say is a good idea…there’s this: http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2010/08/this-is-why-i-support-majoritarian-rule
What happened to people being culturally sensitive to other’s pain? I think there needs to be a discussion about what social norms are acceptable and what is not. Just because you can do something legally does not automatically make it a good idea.
And, once again, the question is, who is the “other” in that equation? What about the pain of those who feel that the idea of Park51 is healing, not divisive? What about those 9/11 victims who were themselves Muslim? I don’t know of a single person who supports Park51 as a way of thumbing noses at anyone. The idea of it is to promote peace and understanding, to subvert the stereotype of the Muslim terrorist by celebrating the community that Al Qaeda sought to divide. The irony is that the obstacles to that goal are, in this case, both Al Qaeda and many of the Park51 opponents, inadvertently working in concert.
(shrug) I don’t know of anyone where I live that is in support of Park51, so I suppose it’s what community you are from that dictates the other? While the events on 9-11 happened in D.C., NYC and in Pennsylvania, I guarantee you that every single citizen of the U.S was/is affected by it. So, you don’t have to live close to any of these sites in order to feel an affront by those awful events. Most people that I talk to speak of it as a lack of respect issue to build the mosque so close. And doesn’t that just continue the misconceptions for both parties (for/against)have about each other? Confusing times ahead, my friends. Are we asking this country too much, too soon to be so darn tolerant, when we are still at war in Afghanistan? You know, maybe it might be a tad better to build Park51 in 10-20 years instead of it being timewise still so close to the actual event.
Freedom is going to fall on its own sword, I am afraid. Terrorists are going to use our system as a way to bring it down. And divided we fall…
But again, I have to ask, “lack of respect” for whom? One of the central goals of this project is to build bridges between groups of people and to help CLEAR UP misconceptions between different parties. Not just 10 to 20 years from now. Right this moment, when we need it the most. Sounds pretty respectful to me. And nine months ago, it seemed fine to Fox News, too, when it first covered this story. Months passed and still no one complained. Then election season hit and suddenly, out of nowhere, the Park51 planners aren’t respecting… whom?
And how close is too close? How sacred and hallowed is a neighborhood with a strip club, an Off-Track Betting, and more taverns than I can count? Is Staten Island far enough away? Murfreesboro, Tennessee? Temecula, California? Hm. Apparently not.
I have family and friends across the nation, so I know that 9/11 hit everyone hard. Let’s even say equally hard. But it sure is difficult taking national GOP’ers seriously when they pull the “hallowed ground” card now, six years after they came to town for an unprecedented September convention, exploiting 9/11 for political gain, donning silly hats and purple Band-aids, and practically dancing on the graves of everyone who died at Ground Zero. By all means, let’s talk about fucking respect.
And let’s talk about freedom collapsing. We’ll start with the First Amendment and go from there. All the terrorists had to do was attack us once. We’ve been bringing our own system down ever since.
You have too many questions and not enough answers – and the temperment that wants to always debate, and to be right. Ok, I am not like that. We are going to approach everything differently and is why we should never be married. Ever. I’m just saying….(smile)
I ask you, Andy, to think about symbolism and honor and what is just and what is right. Something that is not financial nor tied to a career. It is about being American, a disctinct sense of pride.
Unfortunately, we are at war with Islam, a religion that has many, many followers in every city in the world. As much as we try to deny it, America historically has been Christian oriented. The founders were, and every president has been, plus our laws have reflected Christian values – and BTW, I am not a Christian, so I am not saying it is good or a just thing. All I am saying is that we are in the middle of weird ass war, with the US that has a so-called “free to practice any religion you want” stance and we are going after a sect of Muslim extremists and making enemy’s with every dumb-asses twitter…
It is not so wrong for Americans to not want the New york site for this proposed mosque to be so close to the World Trade Center. For a sense of national pride, and most ultimately to re-inspect the intended impact that the terriorist were trying to accomplish that day. You have to surmise the power behind the intent (not that you have to agree with it). They were sending a message and a very loud one, at that.
What makes you American, Andy? And how far are you willing to go to covet that?
I do not think they are going to be allowing any new religious institiutions after this anywhere near this site, from this point forward. Unless, everything is for financial gain… which, disgustingly seems to be the new religion.
What do YOU think? Truly, you don’t have to attack me; let’s try and converse.
I count essentially five, maybe six questions that I posed. Is that really too many? (I’m counting about the same number from you, for what it’s worth.) I think I have the answers to each one of mine, too. And I think all of them are grounded in the laws and values of this nation.
Meanwhile, you make some pretty audacious assumptions about the temperament of someone you’ve never met, although I can assure you that our incompatibility for marriage has nothing to do with that.
I think you also offer some pretty audacious sermonizing about patriotism, honor, and national pride. And I could go on about that but I’m not sure how much you’d hear me. For one thing, you seem to be under the popular assumption that the intent of the Park51 planners is somehow in the same ballpark as the 9/11 terrorists. If I thought that, I would be right behind your banner, Dawn. Or at least behind that of the supposedly conservative writer of this column, who clearly believes it. But I don’t think that, because it is an opinion that is completely, wholly, utterly unsupported by facts. It’s supported only by a worldview that lumps all — or even most — Muslims together. And if that’s your view, that’s a huge obstacle to us understanding each other. Not that we shouldn’t try, but I’m just identifying that barrier.
Now that’s a critique, it is not an attack. I haven’t attacked you once during this exchange (unless it turns out that you’re a 2004 GOP delegate or you work for Fox News). But I do want to respectfully note that there are five or six flat-out incorrect statements in your last posting, most of which appear in the first three sentences of your third graph. If you want to talk more about any of this, that’s fine. We can do it here. Or we can spare other Clyde Fitch readers and take it off-thread. Leonard knows my e-mail address and is free to give it to you.
“Unfortunately, we are at war with Islam…”
Dawn, thanks for being honest, but I have never read anything more wrong than that. Even George W. Bush said on many occasions that this is NOT the case.
I guess that’s where this issue divides us – some people really do think that Al Queda is all of Islam’s billions of people. I would never have imagined that. It is so sad that so many people can be so wrong.
We are NOT at war with Islam. We are at war with Al Queda.
It pains me to know that my fellow American can be so misguided. I don’t know whether to be angry or just cry. May god forgive you, Dawn, for not knowing the difference.
Do you really think that we are not at war with Islam at this point? Maybe some Muslim aren’t aware, really, that might be true.
Do you watch a lot of news, by golly? Cuz the news you read and see is about 1/4 correct, if at best.
Wait, do you have ANY involvement with this war? It seems really innocent/naive/stupid to say that we are not, and god bless your “god bless you’s” to me. Really and truly, thank you…
But, I have to ask you what you do for a living and for whom in order to access your level of ignorance…
Bottom line: if you aren’t involved with this war, please refrain from making judgements. I would even venture out to say, STFU.
dawn, so in which way are you involved in this imaginary war?
I guess I don’t have any right to even think of participating in this discussion(not least because it seems to have ended several days ago), as I’m writing from the faraway and not-so-beloved Russia and truly I have nothing to do with 9/11. But please forgive me, for I am going to throw in my 2 cents.
I see why the Afghani situation might be perceived as a (literally) war between Islam and Christianity. A month ago such a claim would be obviously(it doesn’t seem that obvious to you, does it?) absurd, but Karzai’s surprise conversion to Christianity suddenly changed thing.
Again, I see that. Still, the war in Afghanistan shouldn’t be perceived this way for it’s a war against Taliban who pose themselves as fighters for independents. Now, dawn, please remember the way you feel about Mr. Abraham Lincoln and then try to understand the popularity of Taliban in Afghanistan.
Now, we’ve got a war going on in Russia, and it’s a war against a Muslim terrorist organisation, which poses itself as an army fighting for independence. They’re Muslims, but they are far from doing what they do ‘in the name of Allah’. I hope you’ve heard about Akhmed Zakayev, then you now what I’m talking about.
It might seem that I’m attacking Chechen separatists while defending Taliban. Clearly that’s not the case – both Zakayev’s lot and Taliban are terrorists. But what makes them terrorists? It’s not what they do, but how they do it. Well, maybe, actually it’s both. But certainly it’s not the fact that they’re Muslims.
Me, I happen to be a fan of all things American. Where you have pride, I have admiration. And at the same time I’m, if one could use a phrase like this, a fan of Islam. And I assure you that those two do not contradict each other.
Thank you for your time.
We are the Americans, they are the guests. I believe these guests have out stayed their welcome. Why are they living here anyway? They need to go back to where they came from where the Quran is their Bible, they believe in Sharia Law which will never be allowed here in the United States of America. Donald Trump tried to buy this building from the property owner with a profit. The guy refused the generous offer. That goes to show you that there reason for building it in this particular location is probably what some have said. A monument for the Jihad’s.
We are going to need lots of prayers to stop this.
could you please send me the information on how to get the stickers that the construction workers are wearing on their hard hats that say no to the mosque, i need at least 100 of them
thanks
craig servantez
“We are going to need lots of prayers to stop this.”
P.E. Worth, wow, that’s quite a post. So, I’m not even going to ask any of the questions I was going to ask but one – how on earth are the prayers supposed to stop anything like this?
It seems to me that in America today all the wrong people and things are defensed. Political correctness outweighs sensitivity, especially in this case. Anyone who has more than just an opinion on this, knows how Islam works-through symbolism and taking over. Anyone who does their own research knows that America has “tolerated” over 20,000 Mosques in the USA, and is opposing this one for the reasons that have been stated. This is part of a master plan. “Cordoba house” is just one part. It has opened my eyes, ever since I saw Andy on Fox to find out what is really going on. And I will tell you what;ever since I did I cannot believe this ‘religion’. Please research for yourselves ‘dhmittude’ ‘sharia law’ and the ‘Qu’ran’ go then go to you tube and watch some videos of women being stoned for taking to a man, 9 year old’s being the 4th wife sold/traded into marriage with a 50 year old relative, pedophilia is not only tolerated, but encouraged, marriage includes beatings and rape, and being treated like an animal…and not even one of the sacred ones. Woman are considered property. It goes on and on. Then go to you tube and search ‘England and Muslims’ see how they are protesting in the street, burning things and chanting for the British soldiers to die. This is not a religion. It is political law, Superior to every religion. And as they admit, trying to turn the world and infidels to Islam. Kill the infidels, and you will be rewarded. Finally…do a google search on the history of Mosque’s being built after killing. Then tell me that this is ‘tolerance’ and ‘building bridges’. Before their attempt at Cordoba House, I was blind to everything that was going on around the world.
Thank God for people like Andy, who speak up for the average person, with nothing to gain but the respect of fellow Americans.
You’re talking about the fanatics. If you do some research yourself, you’re soon to find out that every religion has its ugly sides.
Come on, people. Muslims are not your enemies. Why are you so eager to change that?
If a mosque needs to be built let it be built at another location. Why is it so important to have it built at Ground Zero? Because it’s another way the democrats have to drive the Great U.S.A into the ground. It’s bad enough that a criminal can be set free for a crime and the victim has to suffer, uh, wait a minute, isn’t that what is happening now. Why make those terrorist martyrs with these buildings? I know of plenty of locations overseas that would be great, like maybe Iraq. Stand up America and voice what you know is wrong. Support the Hard Hat Pledge and help prevent demostic terrorism before another senseless injustice is done.