Nov 21, 2010, 16:50
The recent elections in the USA seemed more contentious, antagonistic, and chauvinistic than usual. One of the issues that shot to national importance during the run-up to the election was the May 2010 zoning approval by the city of New York of a Muslim community center on Park Place, a street near the World Trade Center site. Originally known as Cordoba House, now renamed to Park51, it was quickly labelled the "Ground Zero Mosque" by its opponents. It's been written up by the Associated Press, summarized with a timeline by Salon, and editorialized in The Economist - but the issue was framed and the tone was set by bloggers and Talk TV news programming. I have to admit that I find American politics somewhat befuddling at the best of times, but some of the vitriol around this issue was astounding.
So when I went to New York, I had to go see it for myself. If nothing else, that puts me into a vanishingly small percentage of those with an opinion who have ever actually been there, although I make no claims to understand or relate to the American political or cultural perspective.
The following photos are from the area immediately around the proposed community centre. Taking its name from the street address, Park51 is just a half-block down the street from the intersection of Park and West Broadway that's visible in the first photo; the building under construction on the corner is replacing another that was damaged in the September 11 attack. The other photos are from the surrounding streets in the Battery Park neighbourhood; the fourth image is looking across Park Place toward W. Broadway, with the Park51 location visible in the middle distance.
1
2
3
4
The next three photos show the building that's eventually to be demolished. It was a former clothing store that was damaged in the attack on the World Trade Centre, and is currently being used as a prayer space for Muslims.
5
6
7
Finally, these four photos are from the area immediately around the World Trade Center site, and show the construction and city around it. For a sense of location, the next photo shows the same construction cranes that are visible in the background of the first photo from this series.
8
9
10
11
In the very end, I do find myself sharing some of the conflicting emotions of the issue. The community center organizers have an absolute right to build there. It is awfully close to what is still a very raw wound, both physically and psychologically. But I find myself looking forward another ten or twenty years, to a time when the reconstruction is complete and the centre is a thriving part of the community, and expect it will be transcendent - something to be proud of for everyone, if they choose to see it that way.
So when I went to New York, I had to go see it for myself. If nothing else, that puts me into a vanishingly small percentage of those with an opinion who have ever actually been there, although I make no claims to understand or relate to the American political or cultural perspective.
The following photos are from the area immediately around the proposed community centre. Taking its name from the street address, Park51 is just a half-block down the street from the intersection of Park and West Broadway that's visible in the first photo; the building under construction on the corner is replacing another that was damaged in the September 11 attack. The other photos are from the surrounding streets in the Battery Park neighbourhood; the fourth image is looking across Park Place toward W. Broadway, with the Park51 location visible in the middle distance.
1
2
3
4
The next three photos show the building that's eventually to be demolished. It was a former clothing store that was damaged in the attack on the World Trade Centre, and is currently being used as a prayer space for Muslims.
5
6
7
Finally, these four photos are from the area immediately around the World Trade Center site, and show the construction and city around it. For a sense of location, the next photo shows the same construction cranes that are visible in the background of the first photo from this series.
8
9
10
11
In the very end, I do find myself sharing some of the conflicting emotions of the issue. The community center organizers have an absolute right to build there. It is awfully close to what is still a very raw wound, both physically and psychologically. But I find myself looking forward another ten or twenty years, to a time when the reconstruction is complete and the centre is a thriving part of the community, and expect it will be transcendent - something to be proud of for everyone, if they choose to see it that way.
matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com