Another big topic in the news is the Cordoba House - also called "The Ground Zero Mosque". Out of all the tings they can do there, they want to build a Mosque. They could build a place of worship for Jews, Christians, and hell - Scientologists (seriously, how the f*ck is that a religion?). But Muslims? Seriously?
Look, I know we're supposed to be he country of tolerance. In fact, we don't even make our women cover up in a Burqa from head to toe. Here in 2010, they are even allowed to vote!
But there is no denying that this is forcing a significant part of our population - from the families of all the 9/11 victims to the friends of these families to the people sent over to Afghanistan to kick some Taliban ass - to swallow a direct affront to their sensibilities.
Here's why it's a problem - what has the Muslim community done since 9/11 to show us how they are a religion of peace? How many nutjob extremists have they turned in to show their disdain for violence?
The point is, I don't recall the Muslim community as whole come together and make a significant positive impact on our nation since 9/11, but they want us to put our basic protective instincts aside and let them build a Mosque where we must also tolerate their treatment of what are presumably, American citizens with boobies.
As much as it pains me, I have to go with Bailin' Palin - the Cash Out Queen™ - on this. Fortunately, Newt is taking the same stance which means I can be agreeing with someone who periodically has a clue.
If they want a Mosque, build one. But if they want to build one at Ground Zero, show us what you've done since 9/11 to prove to us you are with us on this fight against Muslim extremists. Otherwise, you are just another class of people demanding things from Americans that they themselves would never do if the shoe was on the other foot.
Nice to have found this blog!
ReplyDeleteMy dear ole dad was also an orphaned Republican, I a Democrat, and we would have many calm, interesting discussions regarding politics -- what happy memories! Rare was the time when either his or my opinion was not modified to some extent due to our discussion.
I remember one instance where he was further alienated from the Republican Party when Dick Cheney came on TV and gave the excuse that a certain inoculation for a certain epidemic that was especially dangerous for the elderly 'was too costly' to manufacture. His jaw dropped and he turned to me and said "The *government* is talking *profits* when our grandparents could die?!'
Very sad.
By the time he died, very young, he was astounded about the rightward move of the Democrats to where they were almost of his old-skool, rock-ribbed Republican ideology and the movement of the Republican Party to Teh Crazy TM.
Anyhow, in regard to your post;
most Muslims despise what Bin Laden's group did, however they don't feel they should apologize for it as it had nothing to do with them or their beliefs, just their religion twisted by a madman.
For example, comparatively it would be like all Christians having to apologize for the Christian Phalangists who slaughtered Lebanese & Palestinian Muslims in the Sabra and Shatila (Lebanon) massacre. I can think of NO Christian group, not one
--not Baptists, not Methodists, not Roman Catholics, etc.--
in the entire world who apologized for what those bloody murderers did. If you can, please direct me to that information.
Assuming you're a Christian, would you feel you had to apologize for the massacre committed by the Christian Phalangists half a world away?
I wouldn't, if only for the fact that me apologizing would infer that I agreed with or had something to do with them.
Perhaps, since it seems to be such a sore subject, Muslims would have done well to 'apologize' for what was done in the NAME of their religion but they are so distant from those disgusting actions they in no way associate themselves or identify with those evil people.
Additionally, Bin Laden was thoroughly excoriated for the embassy bombings in Muslim African countries where hundreds of thousands marched in the streets in protest
with the result that Bin Laden's brand was no longer tolerated (actually it never WAS) in their countries. Also the Sudan, another (mainly) Muslim country, ran Bin Laden and his henchmen out after their terroristic attacks not only in that country but everywhere he indiscriminately slaughtered people of any race & religion.
In short, they feel the record is quite clear on how the VAST majority of Muslims across the globe have rejected and condemned Bin Laden.
We just refuse to see it or acknowledge it and continue to demand they apologize for something they had nothing to do with and in fact condemn.
I however DO apologize for the length of this comment :)
Again, great to have found your site!
Good lucck to you & God Bless! (Yes, like most U.S. Liberals I AM a Christian :)
Wow - what a great and thought-out post. No apologies needed for providing some great commentary.
ReplyDeleteI think I understand what you're saying and you make many good points. But let me try to make mine another way - maybe with an analogy. Maybe a bad one, but one that tries to get my point across.
Alabama decides they want to erect statues of all the governors from Alabama. They find locations with plenty of traffic so they can be place most optimally.
So, maybe there is a musem in Selma that celebrates the courage African-Americans had to muster back in the day when they were not treated equally.
So Alabama decides they should erect the statue of George Wallace there. Oh snap!
Or maybe a location in New York City designated as a reminder of child abuse of the Catholic Church, so they erect a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Almost every argument you make can be made for these examples (however poorly made) and I would be against it. Nobody is saying they can build places of worship or erect statutes of bigots - but there should be some sensitivity involved. We're not robots.
I believe pursuing these actions come at the expense of others when other options exist.
What have Christians, Jews, or *cough* Scientologists done to prove they are a peaceful group? Why must Muslims perform some theatrical act of peace to exercise their rights as Americans to build a place of worship? And comment that they "are just another class of people demanding things from Americans" implies that they are not Americans. You do realize that some of the people who lost their lives or loved-ones in the 9/11 attacks were Muslims, right? Peace-loving, hard-working, American Muslims were victims of terrorism, too. They bled, feared and died, too. Except their pain and lost was arguably deeper, as their religion was accused of the crime, instead of the extremist who distorted their religion. Then THEIR country says they can't their rights despite of and because of their loss.
ReplyDeleteSome argue that it's a matter of proximity and the mosque would be just too close to ground zero. But if the "American" thing to do is to identify the race of people who commit atrocities, then deny that entire race the right to build on land where that atrocity was committed, then white people would have to abandon the entire south, for "their" people lychee and enslaved right there on that land, and it wouldn't be fair to black people to have to relive the pain of slavery every time they saw a white establishment. Oh, and let's not forget the Trail of Tears, in which whites heinously led thousands of Native Americans to their deaths as they marched them from Florida across the country in the most terrifying way. The "American" thing to do, by your standards, would be to deny all white the right to build anything along that entire tear-filled path.
Somehow group-racially blame seems more appropriate when it's NOT white people we're talking about. Yes, it appears I've made this a racial issue, but please understand that was just to illustrate my point. Religious-group blame is just as absurd.
Muslims have every American right to build their most right there. So either we're going to be the country of tolerance or we're not. It's simply goes against American principles to say "I know we're supposed to be the country of tolerance..." and then defend all the reasons why and situations in which it is okay to be intolerant.
Please excuse all of the typos in my previous post...my iPad has decided it knows better than me what I want to write, and therefore it auto-"corrected" words that I didn't want it to correct.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I meant to say, "great article", despite the fact that I disagree with the sentiment. I realize there are people who feel strongly both ways, and this was a great expression of the "other view".