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by WILLIAM MURPHY
The city firefighters union withdrew its support for a 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero yesterday, saying current plans give rescuers short shrift.
The Uniformed Firefighters Association said the planned memorial was "insufficient and inadequate" with the prominent role being given to others at the site, including the International Freedom Center.
The union and other critics of the Freedom Center have said it was likely to have the exhibits and program that might be critical of America, causing pain to the families of the victims.
The dispute has taken on a sharp tone as Freedom Center supporters suggested its critics were trying to censor ideas.
Many of those opposed to placing the center at the site, including the firefighters's union, said they did not object to criticism of America, but said it should not be on what they regard as hallowed ground.
Stephen Cassidy, president of the UFA, said the union would no longer work with the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, which plans to raise $500 million for the center and the memorial, which would be near each other.
"While the foundation's efforts to raise funds for a memorial are to be applauded, the current plan is unacceptable," he said in a statement.
The victims of 9/11, he said, must be at the forefront of the memorial and not be "forced to play third fiddle."
The foundation said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by the union's decision, and said it hoped any differences could be worked out.
"In the meantime, the foundation has a massive fundraising campaign to undertake and we need to continue our efforts to ensure that the memorial will get built," the foundation said.
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