Bloomberg: Sunday’s 9/11 Ceremony a Civil, Not Religious Occasion
By Michael Howard Saul
September 9, 2011, 10:39 AM
NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.
Photo: Associated Press
Mayor Michael Bloomberg is defending his decision to exclude religious leaders from New York City’s ceremony commemorating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“It’s a civil ceremony. There are plenty of opportunities for people to have their religious ceremonies,” Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show. “Some people don’t want to go to a religious ceremony with another religion. And the number of different religions in this city are really quite amazing.”
Mayoral aides have previously defended Bloomberg’s decision by saying it would be complicated and controversial to choose which religious leaders would speak at the ceremony. But on Friday, the mayor said that isn’t the issue.
“It isn’t that you can’t pick and choose, you shouldn’t pick and choose,” Bloomberg said. “If you want to have a service for your religion, you can have it in your church or in a field, or whatever.”
At one point, the mayor suggested that allowing clergy to speak at 9/11 ceremony would be, in effect, thrusting religion upon the thousands of attendees and the millions more watching, some of whom might object.
Full Article: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2011/09/09/bloomberg-sundays-911-ceremony-a-civil-not-religious-occasion/
Check out some of the comments on this story. I like this one:
1:05 pm September 11, 2011
Mike wrote:
I think it’s wrong for any elected official to prohibit the free exercise of ANY faith. To tell those who lost loved ones on 9/11 that they can’t express their heartfelt beliefs is insensitive and callous! I’m glad that President Obama and George Bush ignored this arrogant, godless man’s attempt to “prohibit the free exercise” of our right to proclaim our religious beliefs, something that Congress is not even allowed to do!
Mike's entire objection is based on fallacy. Mayor Bloomberg wasn't stopping anyone from freely exercising their religion - he did, in this instance, however, adhere to the best intention of the US Constitution, and simply not allow his government to favour any one, or group of religions, over any others, or over those with no religion. That's how you correctly include everyone. Mike clearly doesn't "get it".
For his troubles, Mr Bloomberg is labelled a communist, a dictator, un-American, insensitive and callous, a muslim sympathiser, arrogant, godless, and a Marxist tyrant. It's also specifically noted, for some reason, that "he's a Jew".
Shame.
