The plan to build an Islamic community center in Lower Manhattan, near strip clubs, an Off Track Betting parlor, and the World Trade Center site, is “insensitive,” Rep. Eric Cantor
told Politico
. Cantor represents Virginia’s Seventh District, a largely rural area which is more than 250 miles away from the neighborhood in question. Of the project’s organizers, he said:
“Why would you want, as an imam, why would you want to put a cultural center right there if it’s meant to heal people when right away it’s caused such a national uproar? That is in and of itself evident of the fact that they’re not interested in healing or bringing people together.”
While putting his own opinion of the New York project on the record with a national political publication, Cantor also criticized President Barack Obama for having spoken about it:
“What in the world is the president weighing in on that and then contradicting himself within 24 hours on the thing, then doing it again the third time,” Cantor said. “Why is he commenting on that when people are really concerned about the inaction or inability for Washington to do anything with this economy?”
