September 27, 2010 5:24 PM
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The Heated Debate Over New York's Islamic Center
She's been her loudest condemning the head imam of the Islamic center, the spiritual leader. She described the rhetoric of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf as "ugly, racist, anti-American, anti-Semitic."
"You've been called Jihadi, a friend of terrorists, a man who can't be trusted. So who are you?" Pelley asked the imam.
"I'm a man of peace, Scott," he replied,
Imam Feisal has led a congregation 12 blocks from the World Trade Center for nearly three decades. Born in Kuwait, he's been an American citizen 31 years.
"The reason there is so much antipathy to our faith is because of the radicals, the suicide bombers. That is not Islam. We reject it," he told Pelley.
Most people don't know it, but he was picked by the Bush administration to travel the Muslim world explaining the virtues of America. He's still doing that for the government today.
Now he's afraid there's danger the controversy could lead to violence.
"I wonder if you understand why many families who lost a loved one on 9/11 are hurt by this?" Pelley asked.
"I'm extremely sensitive to the feelings of the families of 9/11," the imam replied.
"Then why did you do it?" Pelley asked.
"Because we wanted to prevent another 9/11. We wanted a platform that enable us to speak, to strengthen the voice of the moderates," he replied.
"If you are so deeply concerned about the danger in America and the danger abroad why not move it? Why not just move it out of the neighborhood?" Pelley asked.
"Because it's the right thing to do," the imam replied. "It's the right thing to do. Our community wants it and now America needs it and the Muslim world needs it."
Asked what he meant by "America needs it," the imam told Pelley, "I'll tell you why Scott. We have to wage peace. The military campaign against the radical extremists from my faith community is a military campaign the campaign to win hearts and minds is an important part of that campaign. We know how to do it. And we're committed to doing it we are ready willing and able to serve our country and serve our faith tradition."
"And to that widow or that child who lost a parent, who is a perfectly reasonable person, and believes that this is wrong, you say what?" Pelley asked.
"First, we say we have condemned 9/11. I pray for the souls of their loved lost ones. If 9/11 happens there again, I wanna be the first to die. Muslims wanna stand right there to say that we are here. It's my duty as an American Muslim to stand between you, the American non-Muslim, and the radicals who are trying to attack you," the imam replied.
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. "You've been called Jihadi, a friend of terrorists, a man who can't be trusted. So who are you?" Pelley asked the imam.
"I'm a man of peace, Scott," he replied,
Imam Feisal has led a congregation 12 blocks from the World Trade Center for nearly three decades. Born in Kuwait, he's been an American citizen 31 years.
"The reason there is so much antipathy to our faith is because of the radicals, the suicide bombers. That is not Islam. We reject it," he told Pelley.
Most people don't know it, but he was picked by the Bush administration to travel the Muslim world explaining the virtues of America. He's still doing that for the government today.
Now he's afraid there's danger the controversy could lead to violence.
"I wonder if you understand why many families who lost a loved one on 9/11 are hurt by this?" Pelley asked.
"I'm extremely sensitive to the feelings of the families of 9/11," the imam replied.
"Then why did you do it?" Pelley asked.
"Because we wanted to prevent another 9/11. We wanted a platform that enable us to speak, to strengthen the voice of the moderates," he replied.
"If you are so deeply concerned about the danger in America and the danger abroad why not move it? Why not just move it out of the neighborhood?" Pelley asked.
"Because it's the right thing to do," the imam replied. "It's the right thing to do. Our community wants it and now America needs it and the Muslim world needs it."
Asked what he meant by "America needs it," the imam told Pelley, "I'll tell you why Scott. We have to wage peace. The military campaign against the radical extremists from my faith community is a military campaign the campaign to win hearts and minds is an important part of that campaign. We know how to do it. And we're committed to doing it we are ready willing and able to serve our country and serve our faith tradition."
"And to that widow or that child who lost a parent, who is a perfectly reasonable person, and believes that this is wrong, you say what?" Pelley asked.
"First, we say we have condemned 9/11. I pray for the souls of their loved lost ones. If 9/11 happens there again, I wanna be the first to die. Muslims wanna stand right there to say that we are here. It's my duty as an American Muslim to stand between you, the American non-Muslim, and the radicals who are trying to attack you," the imam replied.
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