9/11 Memorial Vandalized on Staten Island

I blame the climate of hate emanating from the left and Ground Zero mosque supporters.

For the third time in four years, the “Postcards” monument, Staten Island’s soaring tribute to borough victims of the 9/11 attacks, has been vandalized.

Granite plaques memorializing five World Trade Center victims were torn completely from the monument on the St. George waterfront, leaving unsightly, gaping spaces behind.

“It’s surprising and shocking to me,” said Borough President James P. Molinaro, whose office commissioned and funded the $2.5 million memorial, which opened in 2004. “You have the feeling that this is hallowed ground and people would respect it.”

Respect hallowed ground? Why would anyone do that? Why don't they just get over it? Why do they have to be so in our faces with this hallowed ground business? It's time to move on and respect cultural differences and, if anything, make this memorial more inclusive so as not to offend any Muslims or mayors of New York.

No arrests have been made, and it’s not known exactly when the vandalism occurred. Borough Hall was alerted to the damage this week, and has filed a police report about the damage with the 120th Precinct stationhouse.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Molinaro. “It’s just malicious damage done by out-of-control youths. A grown-up wouldn’t do something like this.”

Youths, huh?

Molinaro said the vandalism was particularly troubling this close to the 9/11 anniversary and while controversy swirls around a mosque proposed for the Ground Zero neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.

While Molinaro said he didn’t think the vandalism was associated with the mosque controversy, “one thing piles upon another,” he said.

“We can only hope that this is a random act and not specifically one made against the 9/11 victims,” said Dennis McKeon, executive director of the Where to Turn advocacy group for World Trade Center families. “But with the current climate with the proposed building of the mosque near Ground Zero creating additional tensions between so many groups, anything is possible.”

Indeed. It's time for Obama, Bloomberg and the hate-mongering leftist media to tone down the rhetoric and begin seeking ways to build bridges and tolerance toward the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers and Americans.

Update: Whoops. How the hell do they get something like this so horribly wrong?