Staten Island pols sound off against Ground Zero mosque

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island elected officials yesterday condemned the Cordoba House mosque project planned for Manhattan's Ground Zero neighborhood, and slammed President Barack Obama's comments about the project.

State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) said that another location should be chosen for the mosque, but stopped short of saying that government should stop the project if it can.

"You have to tread very lightly on that," she said. "What makes us uniquely American is our commitment to religious freedom. You don't want to set the precedent on where houses of worship can be built. It's a slippery slope."

But if improved relations are the goal, Ms. Savino added, the mosque should be moved.

"Tolerance runs both ways," she said.

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