Bloomberg: I Was Never Prouder than When I Argued that Muslim New Yorkers Had Every Right to Build a Mosque Near the World Trade Center

RUSH TRANSCRIPT For 12 ░░░░░░░░ as mayor I led ░░░░░░░░ largest and the most ░░░░░░░░ city in the nation ░░░░░░░░ never prouder when I ░░░░░░░░ in the shadow of ░░░░░░░░ Statue of Liberty and ░░░░░░░░ that Muslims had the ░░░░░░░░ to build a center ░░░░░░░░ near the World Trade ░░░░░░░░ That was the right ░░░░░░░░ to do and also ░░░░░░░░ smart thing to do ░░░░░░░░ city was safer because ░░░░░░░░ declared loudly and clearly ░░░░░░░░ everyone was welcome in ░░░░░░░░ York no matter what ░░░░░░░░ looked like who they ░░░░░░░░ or to whom they ░░░░░░░░ But in recent years ░░░░░░░░ ve seen hate crimes ░░░░░░░░ which raises the question ░░░░░░░░ has changed There s ░░░░░░░░ single answer I think ░░░░░░░░ no single person or ░░░░░░░░ party that is entirely ░░░░░░░░ blame anti Semitism is ░░░░░░░░ the exclusive domain of ░░░░░░░░ one group It can ░░░░░░░░ found on both the ░░░░░░░░ and the left on ░░░░░░░░ squares and campus but ░░░░░░░░ s one thing we ░░░░░░░░ ignore presidential leadership matters ░░░░░░░░ sets a tone It ░░░░░░░░ either inclusive or exclusive ░░░░░░░░ or uniting incendiary or ░░░░░░░░ Applause I believe the ░░░░░░░░ way we can make ░░░░░░░░ as a country is ░░░░░░░░ bringing people together not ░░░░░░░░ them apart Applause And ░░░░░░░░ can just tell you ░░░░░░░░ will never stand idly ░░░░░░░░ in the face of ░░░░░░░░ Semitism or in the ░░░░░░░░ of hatred against anyone ░░░░░░░░ I know all of ░░░░░░░░ fates are linked.