New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg usually makes sense. I particularly like it when he berates citizenry over common sense issues. “People,” he whines, “You gotta stop [fill in the blank].” Makes me all sheepish and look at my toes and mumble, “Sorry, Mister Mayor.” And I didn’t even do what he’s complaining about!
Of course it’s not cool to like politicians. Especially rich white whiny ones. And he’s certainly not perfect (see: over-development and Atlantic Yards Project). But he’s a good mayor and we’ll miss him when he’s gone. Mark my words.
I watched the whole thing so you don’t have to. The highlights:
1:10 — Tells the “real America” camp to back off.
2:54 — Uses the word “repudiate” correctly.
4:10 — “Islam did not attack the World Trade Center. Al Qaeda did. To implicate all of Islam for the actions of a few… is unfair and un-American.”
7:15 — “And there are people… who are hoping that a compromise will end the debate. But it won’t. The question will then become, ‘How big should the no mosque zone be around the world trade center site?’ There’s already a mosque four blocks away. Should it be moved? This is a test of our commitment to American values. And we have to have the courage of our convictions. … We must put our faith in the freedoms than have sustained our great country for 200 years.
9:15 — He reads a quote from the Imam in question. It’s too long to transcribe, but worth a listen.
10:25 — Mike closes with, “We will keep New York the most open, diverse, tolerant and free city in the World.”
Take that, all you haters. Bloomberg makes me proud to be a New Yorker.