"International Freedom Center" Will Not Be at Ground Zero

The International Freedom Center, or Moral Equivocation/Why Do They Hate Us Center, has been removed from Ground Zero:

Bowing to pressure from furious Sept. 11 families, Gov. George Pataki on Wednesday removed a proposed freedom museum from the space reserved for it at ground zero, saying the project had aroused "too much opposition, too much controversy."

He left open the possibility that a new spot at the former World Trade Center site could be found for the International Freedom Center, but officials for the proposed museum said they considered the project dead.

The decision followed months of acrimony over the International Freedom Center, with Sept. 11 families and politicians saying that the museum would overshadow and take space from a separate memorial devoted to the 2,749 World Trade Center dead and would dishonor them by fostering debate about the attacks and other world events.

"Freedom should unify us. This center has not," Pataki said. "Today there remains too much opposition, too much controversy over the programming of the IFC. ... We must move forward with our first priority, the creation of an inspiring memorial to pay tribute to our lost loved ones and tell their stories to the world."

Pataki said the Freedom Center cannot be part of a cultural building located near the proposed trade center memorial. But he left open the possibility that the center could find a home elsewhere on the 16-acre site.

Pataki said he would direct the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. _ the agency he created to rebuild the site _ to explore other locations for the center.

Freedom Center officials, however, said in a statement that they do not believe there is a viable alternative location at the trade center site.

"We consider our work, therefore, to have been brought to an end," the museum said. "We are deeply disappointed that the will could not be found to continue the development of the International Freedom Center at this hallowed site."

A campaign by some Sept. 11 families to oust the museum from space reserved for it at ground zero had grown in recent months to include four police and fire unions, an online petition with more than 40,000 signatures, and several politicians including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

This is fantastic news. For now, George Soros and Moveon.org do not get to urinate on the graves of 3,000 innocent American civilians. Now these people may get the chance to truly rest in peace.

Many thanks to the Take Back the Memorial organization for keeping the pressure on. At the end of the day, the opposition was bi-partisan and notables included Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until Hillary signed the thing (she came out in opposition to it last week) that the effort was truly lost.

Pass it on.

UPDATE: Here is the email I received from the Take Back the Memorial Organization:

We are very pleased to announce that Governor Pataki has announced the removal of the International Freedom Center (IFC) from Ground Zero.

Every (sic) since June 8, 2005 when Debra Bulingame's op-ed, The Great Ground Zero Heist, appeared in the Wall Street Journal, we have fought together for the preservation of the dignity of Ground Zero. With your help, we have achieved a major victory toward that goal.

We will continue to monitor the plans for Ground Zero to ensure that a fitting and proper memorials is built; one that is respectful of the victims murdered that day, their families, the first responders, and the American people.

A press release on the removal of the IFC from the 15 family member groups is expected in the next 24 hours and we will post it @ www.takebackthememorial.org as soon as it becomes available.

Thank you again for your support, prayers, and dedication. We simply could not have done this without you.

Sincerely,

Robert D. Shurbet
Founder/Web Master
TakeBackTheMemorial.org