Russell Simmons Unveils Ground Zero Street Art In Support Of 'Mosque'

Boing Boing:

Earlier this morning Glen E Friedman got a call from pal Russell Simmons asking for help on a new project to send a message about the current Ground Zero Mosque hullabaloo.

Glen and Russell collaborated similarly some years back on what is now known as The Liberty Street Protest [more photos, and previous BB coverage here & here]--massive antiwar signs housed in the windows of Russell's apartment, which is literally across the street from Ground Zero.

This new visual protest today occupies those very same windows. It addresses all who believe that the First Amendment and freedom of religion applies only to them.

Read the whole story: Boing Boing

Comments

[GeoNorth]

02:35 PM on 08/25/2010

I agree with the sentiment, but it looks like a bumper sticker.

[Cat9]

09:32 PM on 08/24/2010

Russell who?

[Lucky123]

05:06 PM on 08/24/2010

Republicans are either cowards or sissies. Or both.

I was always under the assumption that the wingers wanted to show them tearrists who's the boss. Show them how strong we are. That we aren't afraid of them.

Yet, here they are, whining and crying about a scary old mosque that isn't really even a mosque, being built on Ground Zero, even though it really isn't being built on Ground Zero.

I thought you were tough guys? What exactly are you afraid of? Do you think this show of fear and paranoia is worrying the real tearrists?

The real sign of strength here would be to allow them to build whatever it is that they wanted, and show the world you aren't afraid of anything. (Side note: This premise is based on right wing paranoia, not any beliefs that I have about these folks. I personally think a mosque, or community center, is nothing to fear.)

[larmarch5]

04:54 PM on 08/24/2010

Isn't the whole purpose of religion having a God that will protect you?
Fear not,
fear no evil,
Do not be afraid
God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline
whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?
I will not be afraid. What can Man do to me?

This leads me to believe that any christian who is railing against the center, is not a true believer. And Fear is what begets Hate.

And "hallowed ground"? That's bogus. Just ask them, "Exactly how far away do YOU want the mosque to be built?"

[BevfromNYC]

03:23 PM on 08/24/2010

But wasn't it Russell Simmons who last week blamed the first WTC bombing in 1993 on Christian terrorists?

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/08/19/russell-simmons-on-ground-zero-mosque-we-didnt-blame-all-christians-for-the-first-wtc-bombing-did-we/

[larmarch5]

04:46 PM on 08/24/2010

Hotair? BS

[BevfromNYC]

05:50 PM on 08/24/2010

No, Larry King Live b.s.

[miketothad]

04:49 PM on 08/24/2010

Come on...
Are you people capable of reading or comprehending any of the newspapers that your parents once read?

[BevfromNYC]

05:50 PM on 08/24/2010

I am not sure why you asked but this wasn't in the newspaper. it was from an interview on Larry King Live which last I checked wasn't actually a "newspaper"...But as long as you are asking, yes, I read 3 newspapers a day including the NYT, so what?

[Balzac]

11:47 AM on 08/24/2010

On the question of freedom of religion, not enough attention is paid to the freedom to celebrate the lack of religion. It seems that while Islam is generally contested and treated as if it were the lowest on the "totem pole" among major religions in the USA, atheists and agnostics are regarded with even less tolerance.

Just suppose there was a monument to the lack of religion to be built in downtown Manhattan? How about a monument to Norse, Greek or Hindu gods? I know I'm expected to be sympathetic to the plight of Muslims in America, but I don't quite see how it is that I'm expected to see them as repressed compared to myself or many others.

Christianity and Islam are the heavyweight contenders with the most resources to expand and contest other religions. My eyes remain dry, and I have no tears of sympathy to spare for either one, as they can only seek sympathy from each other, not from all the other faiths which have small fractions of the number of followers each of these giants has.

[Hansy Peguero]

03:19 PM on 08/24/2010

Being an atheist I would like to agree with you, but you are missing the point. This is not merely about religion but about the freedom of individuals to worship or gather whenever they want.

[Habman]

07:36 PM on 08/24/2010

I haven't read a single one of your posts toher then this one, but you are F&F the basis of it.

[VanTroi]

11:47 AM on 08/24/2010

Right on Mr.Simmons!

[MerryW]

10:26 AM on 08/24/2010

Wonderful idea to support the building of the mosque.
The art can counteract the mob mentality quietly and beautifully.

[theiccemann]

10:05 AM on 08/24/2010

The educated should not be having a debate about this. There should be no reason, under the law and constitution, that this should be an issue.

We are letting fear-mongers run our thoughts and this country. Islam did not take down the towers. Christianity did not take down the towers. Judaism did not take down the towers.

... ter'rorists did. We did not ban all churches of christianity in Oklahoma when Timothy McVeigh did HIS evil.

[unite4change]

02:42 PM on 08/24/2010

Exactly. Whites never see other whites as terrorists even though some whites committ terorist act. Just like our corporate MSM will not call white bigotry, bigotry, there's alway another explanation.

[BevfromNYC]

03:19 PM on 08/24/2010

Timothy McVeigh was not a "Christian" terrorist. He was just your plain ordinary Anti-Government terrorist like Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn of Weather Underground fame, just alot more successful at it....

[bryanzth]

09:54 AM on 08/24/2010

Kudos, Russell! Now, we need to replicate this all over Manhattan and the other boroughs of NYC.

Excellent.

BZ.

[pgurlatl]

09:59 AM on 08/24/2010

I agree but he could be physically targeted. These people seem to be no different than the racist lynch mobs from the 1890's-1960's.

[bryanzth]

10:31 AM on 08/24/2010

Yep. That is the movement we are seeing in the rise of the John Birch Society and their minions.

BZ.

[GinnyW]

02:42 PM on 08/24/2010

F/F! Even into the 1990's! On "Good Friday" a "Prayer in Schools Parade", part of an Easter Parade, marched 2 blocks off Main St in MS to surround our synagogue and broke out all the stained glass windows in the sanctuary with thrown rocks while shouting, "Christ killers! Christ killers!" When I asked the president of the congregation if someone called the cops, he responded, "Who do you think is out there??"
"But, how can you collect on the insurance without a police report (I worked in insurance)?"
He laughed and said, "Yankee, you don't understand; there are only 100 of us within 300 miles. We just put up with this Easter Crusade about every 3 years. We don't file it on insurance, but that's what the building fund is for."
The next day he called me to come to the temple so I could see the checks for our "Building Fund" from the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Synod, the Unitarian Fellowship, and several other checks that he couldn't show since they were anonymous donors, but he told me that the fistful were from people not members of our congregation.

[LORISNJ]

09:45 AM on 08/24/2010

I absolutely love the symbolic expression of the America I would like to see.

Personally, I don't want to see any mosque, temple, church, synagogue, or basilica being built anywhere by anyone - but I would never say they shouldn't - I just wish they didn't need to be built. I wish that people would learn to get along and help those in need without needing to fear the wrath of God if they didn't. Sermon over.

[bryanzth]

09:56 AM on 08/24/2010

Well, we could build basilicas (Roman market and public buildings which are still beautiful traditional architectural treasures)... Couldn't we?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica

BZ.

[MNKen]

10:37 PM on 08/24/2010

Wonderful post. Fan #73

[Sixtracks]

09:39 AM on 08/24/2010

Initially I saw the word 'Christ' rather than Coexist in the symbols.
Great message, Russell. Thanks.

[BeVeryAfraid]

09:38 AM on 08/24/2010

America is not a “Christian” nation in the way we think of “Muslim” nations. If it were, birth certificates would automatically indicate “Christian” as the “faith of birth.” It would be illegal to convert to another faith. Jews, Native American religions, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Mormons and atheists would be unwelcome. They would need to practice their faith covertly, at great risk of discovery and penalties unto death.

That’s the way it is when a nation defines itself by the predominant faith of its people.

[AnythingBut]

09:31 AM on 08/24/2010

As an organization Coexist rocks!

[lovesds]

09:27 AM on 08/24/2010

Ok NY here is a history lesson for you. Slave ship found at WTC on 7-2010 but oh the silence. Also Manhattan & WTC built on slave graves. Notice these people protesting the Mosque don't want to point out that history. Another history lesson: Blacks were told u can't live here,build churches here,etc. but see Americans don't see that they are saying same to the muslims. Americans you need to know your history.

[asta1968]

09:45 AM on 08/24/2010

Unfortunately all the school books are written in Texas..........the dumbing down of America.

[bryanzth]

10:00 AM on 08/24/2010

Yep, my friend Asta cuts to the chase! Thanks!

BZ.

[UserNameJane]

11:04 AM on 08/24/2010

Oh, they will find a way to explain it away, you know how Repubs love talking out the side of their uneducated necks,, I would really love to hear an explaination though, but I wont hold my breath