New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission has approved plans to make the penthouse roof smaller on Robert De Niro's Manhattan hotel.
The State Department is sending Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf - the mastermind of the Ground Zero Mosque - on a trip through the Middle East to foster "greater understanding" about Islam and Muslim communities in the United States. However, important questions are being raised about whether this is simply a taxpayer-funded fundraising jaunt to underwrite his reviled project, which is moving ahead in Lower Manhattan.
Last week, the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) filed a lawsuit against New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission for denying landmark status to 45-47 Park Place - the site of the infamous would-be ground-zero mosque. We represent a former firefighter and Sept. 11 first responder who lost nearly 100 of his friends and nearly died as well on that tragic day. Given the ACLJ's dedication to defending freedom of religion and expression and how supporters of the ground-zero mosque are casting the issue as one concerning religious freedom, our suit has some people alleging inconsistencies. In fact, the opposition to the ground-zero mosque reflects America's sacrosanct First Amendment ideals.
