Politicians across the country are finding all sorts of ways to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, but Rep. Allen West’s event stands out for its unique twist: He invited family members of 9/11 victims to the Capitol to view a controversial film about construction of the ground zero mosque.
West, a tea party favorite who has sparredwith Muslim and other religious groups for his controversial statements on Islam, told the friendly crowd Wednesday that “my fear is that maybe we could end up forgetting what happened on 9/11 because of certain things such as political correctness or this desire to be a multicultural America. But in being a multicultural America we must never forget the fundamental principles and value that make us great.”
West also told the audience “I think we have to understand that the major religions of this world—Judaism and Christianity—did go through reformations. Now we look at this next major religion,” he said, referring to Islam, “they need to go through a reform process as well.”
The movie, “Sacrified Survivors,” which was produced by a conservative Christian group, features family members of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack arguing their opposition to the mosque. A handful of those family members were on hand to intone against the mosque, including Jack McDermott, whose son Matt died in the World Trade Center. “I think it’s a tragedy that people are attempting to do something which is very distasteful to me, and I will support anyone or anything that’s done to put a stop to it,” McDermott said Wednesday.
“Nobody is saying you cannot build a mosque in New York City,” West said. “That’s not the question. The question is will you honor and hold in reverence what we just heard today? This is a sacred site for some people, this is a site that really is a burial ground. Do we really want this to happen? It’s not about the constitution, it’s about what’s morally right.”
The film was produced in part by the Christian Action Network, formerly an anti-gay rights and anti-abortion organization that has shifted focus in recent years to what they call the threat of “homegrown Islamic terrorism” in the United States.
In 2009 they released a documentary on the subject, earning plaudits from conservative commentators like Sean Hannity, and in 2010 they produced a film about Geert Wilders, the controversial anti-Islamic Dutch politician. In addition to handing out free copies of the latest DVD, tables in the banquet hall were strewn with pamphlets soliciting donations for the Christian Action Network—and offering readers the opportunity to join the group’s “Paul Revere Brigade, an organization where community members are a vital part in keeping American free of terrorist activity and Islamic extremism” for only $120 per year.