Sunday, September 26, 2010

Muslim Day Parade 2010


Foot baths on Madison Avenue.


I went to the Muslim Day Parade today.

Full PHOTO slide show and gallery links below.


* * *
Looks like the annual Muslim Day Parade in New York City got a make over.



There were, of course, the usual features. The prayer on Madison Avenue. Though much smaller, shorter and less ceremonial than in previous parades.



The women were pretty decked out.

And some looked quite beautiful.







Well, maybe not all quite so decked out.


Britney Spears meets Mecca?


One cool cop.







Prayer on Madison Avenue




In this video the marchers are shouting, "We are the Muslims! The mighty, mighty Muslims!" Hardly a humble or inclusive attitude.



In this video they insist, "From East to West, Islam is the best!"



VIDEO: More boastful chanting. "Everywhere we go, people want to know WHO WE ARE!


It was a strange mishmash of American patriotism on the surface with undertones of youthful militancy.


Allah's determined young soldiers.


"MUJAHIDEEN" kid's sweatshirt.


At first glance, it looked like his t-shirt said 'I Love NY'. Guess not.


What was most notable about this parade was the somewhat toned down quality and the sudden presence of American flags.

The parades are getting smaller and as usual there were only a tiny handful of spectators, mostly bewildered tourists wandering through the midtown streets probably wondering where they landed.


Gone were the black flags of jihads waving as in previous parades replaced by pre-printed signs and the veneer of toting American flags.


Also conspicuously absent where the elected NYC officials who have marched before like Anthony Weiner [D] and Robert Jackson [D].



A kinder, gentler and perhaps even warmer, fuzzier Muslim Day Parade?





In these two short videos the march makes its approach to the end.






A sudden debut of a huge American flag placed on the stage at the the post parade fair at the park on 23rd Street was quite a surprise indeed.



The sound isn't the greatest, but listen closely if you can to this creepy song sung by little girls. "What is Al-lah? What is Is-lam? What is I-mam?"


Full photo gallery here.

Slide show can be viewed here.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

September 11th Memorial & Ground Zero Mosque Protest, New York City 2010

September 11, 2001.
An event so horrendous it could only be referred to by the date it took place.



At the mosque protest, I spoke to the sister and mother of fallen FDNY fireman, Gary R. Box. The above photo was taken by someone in a car in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel as he was running to the scene that morning. The family had seen it only recently for the first time on a website. It was the last photo of him ever taken.


It was an intense and emotional day in New York and for me personally as well. There was so much going on all at once at this sprawling event. So much to see and think about. I'll start at the beginning.

The main memorial event is huge, streets are closed off for blocks. I arrived during the reading the names of victims. It was incredibly emotional. I had to really get a hold of myself as I was completely breaking down in sobs on the street.



Pick-up truck with all of the names of the fallen from the FDNY.

* * *
Working my way through the crowds, there they were, as predictable as mold, the 9/11 truthers.

I skipped by them quickly. No need to linger. One asked I was from the C.I.A.


Next I ran into these two guys below from Florida wheeling a huge cross.

Shortly thereafter, they stumbled into a hippie rally for religious freedom.

So funny to see the Left stick up for religion. Especially when it comes to Islam of all things. It sounded like all that inter-faith dialogue got a little bit heated and overcooked.

Further down the street... I came upon another group gathered.


In the middle of it all was this ex-Muslim gentleman talking about Islam to a group of people and confronted other Muslims. Video below!



Now, on to the rally against the mysteriously funded Park 51/Cordoba House/Islamic Bridge-Building Unifying Community Center-You-Know-Just-Like-The-92nd-St.Y & The YW & YMCA / Landing Gear Mega Mosque at Ground Zero.
It was HUGE. The crowds stretched for a few blocks on both sides of the street.

I have to apologize because one of my camera's memory cards konked out and I was unable to film most of the event. I was, however able to get the seven embedded takes below. Talk about frustration. There I was in a great spot in the press box in the middle of this photo-rich place and no camera.

At the bottom of this post are links to videos of all of the speakers. You don't want to miss them!






Pamela Geller begins the rally against the mosque.



Robert Spencer!





Geert Wilders!!

VIDEO: Pamela introduces Geert Wilders!!












VIDEO: Rosa Leonetti, 9/11 Family Member speaks about Imam Rauf's recent threats on CNN about moving the mosque. This is a must-see!