Humans of New York is a popular Facebook page run by photographer Brandon Stanton that features strangers who Stanton sees around city. One featured voice today has stirred up some controversy for his comments about the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The man’s quotation reads:

“We’re the worst terrorists in the world and it was a long time coming. This entire country was built on the slaughter of innocents. And we got what we deserved. Just look at the history of US involvement in the Middle East. All those countries are artificial. We created those countries like plastic after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. And the only way to rule a plastic country is with a dictator. Assad, Hussein, the Shah—we propped them all up. Decades of torture, murder, and oppression. We sponsored it. So I say it whenever I can. I’ve had people threaten to kill me. I’ve had people threaten to rape my children. But I’ll keep saying it. You can call me a monster. I think the people in those towers died as representatives for the rest of us for our crimes against humanity. Not only do I think that 9/11 was deserved. I think it was one of the greatest events in human history.”

Many of the comments on the photo are positive or praising in nature, saying things like, “people will interpret this as anti-American instead of factual. Sad,” and “[a]s an American Indian or Native, I gotta say, you are more than correct that this country was built on the slaughter of innocent people. The blood of my ancestors paved the way for all immigrants of this country.”