A planned appearance by a Muslim author at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum doesn’t sit well with some first responders — and the writer says he welcomes open dialogue.
Haroon Moghul will discuss how his experiences after the terror attacks, influenced his memoir, “How to Be a Muslim: An American Story.”
“But my hope is if people are critical — and they have every right to be critical — that they would be willing to come out and hear what I have to say and have a conversation,” Moghul said of the Oct. 4 event.
Former constructor worker TJ Gilmartin, 57, who toiled through the toxic rubble at Ground Zero and developed cancer — has no interest in hearing Moghul’s story.
“It wasn’t a priest that flew those planes into the Twin Towers,” Gilmartin said. “It wasn’t a minister. It wasn’t a rabbi. It was Muslims. I understand I’m not being politically correct, but Muslims ruined my life.”
Moghul, a CNN commentator, says he understands the strong emotions associated with America’s darkest day.
The 37-year-old author was in class at New York University when the World Trade Center collapsed.
He talks in his book about struggling with his identity — as an American, a Muslim and a New Yorker. Joe Zadroga, whose son James, an NYPD detective who died of breathing problems after getting sick during the Ground Zero rescue effort says the invite to Moghul is “disrespectful” to those who died that day and every day after.
Zadroga, 70, said he believes life has been difficult for Moghul since 9/11.
“But it probably was nowhere near the suffering of the families those who died, or those that died on that day,” he said. “What about what happened to the first responders? How about how their lives have changed? That’s what upset me the most.”
A museum official pointed out the sacrifices made by police officers, firefighters, other first responders and volunteers is well-documented in museum exhibits and that inviting Moghul is part of a larger effort to understand evolving issues connected to that day.
Now-retired sanitation police officer, Chuckie Diaz says he will now stop going to the museum.
“He’s talking about being a good Muslim, but to me that has nothing do with the 9/11 museum,” said Diaz, 55, who now suffers from cancer. “Who’s asking us about our opinion?”
“Nobody.”