25 August 2010

"The Ground Zero Mosque..." New York, NY 24•Aug.•10

Matt Sky (26) of Manhattan's East Village during the eighth day of his demonstration at the site of a proposed Islamic center and mosque at 45 - 51 Park Place in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The mosque is being considered in the former Burlington Coat Factory, two blocks from the World Trade Center known as Ground Zero, and has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Yesterday's assignment(s) called for a drive into lower Manhattan for two separate stories. One reporter is writing on the national controversy on the proposed Islamic center and mosque two blocks north of the former World Trade Center, now of course known as Ground Zero. The other story was some 10 blocks away at the U.S. Federal Courthouse where the trial of the "Newburgh Four", the suspected home-grown terrorists who were caught last year as they attempted to blow up synagogues in the Bronx, and shoot down military cargo aircraft at nearby Stewart Air National Guard Base. Since I knew getting to the city by car is usually a drag during the morning rush, it meant leaving home by 6AM or so, and channeling any good karma to the parking gods to play the "let's see if I can find street parking" downtown scenario. No such luck on street parking, so after finding a reasonably priced lot at $18.00, my day of pounding the streets could begin in an intermittent rain. The day's assignments called for a bit of walking between both sites, as well as venturing down to Ground Zero to make a few location "filers" (right) and for me to personally get a feel of the scene there again. Nothing panned out at the Federal courthouse picture-wise, as it was only the first day of the trial, and by the time I'd spent about two hours between the mosque site and Ground Zero, I was able to leave the city and make it home by 2PM or so. The office had images by 4PM, and everybody was happy. Our take on the proposed mosque story is scheduled to run tomorrow (Thursday). Here's a few favorites from my "parachute" assignment into the city. Ironically, all my favorite images from the day were made with one camera (Canon 5D-MKII) with the 16mm - 35mm zoom. ~cg.

Tourists view ongoing construction at Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. A proposed Islamic center and mosque two blocks away has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record
Pedestrians cross Church Street at Vesey Street at Ground Zero, the site of the former World Trade Center in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. A proposed Islamic center and mosque two blocks away has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Mounir Bouabane at his falafel cart on West Broadway near the site of a proposed Islamic center and mosque at 45 - 51 in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The mosque is being considered in the former Burlington Coat Factory, two blocks from the World Trade Center known as Ground Zero, and has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

The site of a proposed Islamic center and mosque at 45 - 51 Park Place in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The mosque is being considered in the former Burlington Coat Factory, two blocks from the World Trade Center known as Ground Zero, and has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Matt Sky (26, center) of Manhattan's East Village during the eighth day of his demonstration at the site of a proposed Islamic center and mosque at 45 - 51 Park Place in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The mosque is being considered in the former Burlington Coat Factory, two blocks from the World Trade Center known as Ground Zero, and has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Stephen Patti (83) of Brooklyn with his placards at the site of a proposed Islamic center and mosque at 45 - 51 Park Place in New York, NY on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. The mosque is being considered in the former Burlington Coat Factory, two blocks from the World Trade Center known as Ground Zero, and has caused a heated national debate. CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

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