By Douglas V. Gibbs
I spent thirteen years in the construction industry before the housing crash pushed me off of the heavy equipment I operated and into a Sand and Gravel Transfer Truck (Big Rig). One thing that was generally true was that among construction workers, save for the illegal aliens, most were rather patriotic. Hard hats decorated with the American Flag were not uncommon. Even now, when I deliver materials to construction sites, Americanism reigns supreme.
Knowing this of my experience in the industry, it came of no surprise when reports kept coming to me that despite the plans to build the mosque in New York City, the local construction workers have vowed not to perform the work.
"It's a very touchy thing because they want to do this on sacred ground," said Dave Kaiser, 38, a blaster who is working to rebuild the World Trade Center site.
"I wouldn't work there, especially after I found out about what the imam said about U.S. policy being responsible for 9/11," Kaiser said.
It began as a "Hard Hat Pledge" on a construction worker's blog. As he asked others to vow not to work on the project if it stays on Park Place, the committment spread throughout the construction industry in the area.
"Thousands of people are signing up from all over the country," said creator Andy Sullivan, a construction worker from Brooklyn. "People who sell glass, steel, lumber, insurance. They are all refusing to do work if they build there."
"Hopefully, this will be a tool to get them to move it," he said. "I got a problem with this ostentatious building looming over Ground Zero."
The unions have not yet taken a formal position, but understand why their members have declared not to work there.
"There were construction workers killed on 9/11 and many more who got horribly sick cleaning up Ground Zero," said one union representative. "It's very emotional."
L.V. Spina, a Manhattan construction worker who created anti-mosque stickers that some workers are slapping on their hardhats, said he would "rather pick cans and bottles out of trash cans" than build the Islamic center near Ground Zero.
The big question is, despite all of those workers refusing to participate with the construction of the mosque, will the Islamists be able to still find enough tradesmen to erect the facility anyhow? Or will this effort by the construction workers be enough to stop this Islamic symbol of terror and conquest?
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
They won't build it! Hardhats vow not to work on controversial mosque near Ground Zero - New York Daily News
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