Monday, August 16, 2010
To Sum Up
I've been thinking more about this mosque thing and I figured out a better way to state my opinion about it:
If a religion called "crazy people who fly planes into buildings" wanted to put up a house of worship right near Ground Zero, that would be insensitive to the families of people lost on 9/11.
But to think that all Muslims are bad because Muslims were behind the attacks is to be just as bad as the terrorists, who attacked Americans because they thought all Americans are bad just because some of us are.
If a religion called "crazy people who fly planes into buildings" wanted to put up a house of worship right near Ground Zero, that would be insensitive to the families of people lost on 9/11.
But to think that all Muslims are bad because Muslims were behind the attacks is to be just as bad as the terrorists, who attacked Americans because they thought all Americans are bad just because some of us are.
Comments:
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Gotta disagree with you on this one. Those responsible for building this mosque have chosen the location for a reason, and it ain't becaus the land was cheap.
Since you made the point about the tables being turned, I think if SOME Christians were responsible for 9/11, then tried to build a church, and were the met with the kind of backlash we're seeing now, they'd put a stop to it. Christians care too much about how they're perceived.
For the record, I am also no religious.
Since you made the point about the tables being turned, I think if SOME Christians were responsible for 9/11, then tried to build a church, and were the met with the kind of backlash we're seeing now, they'd put a stop to it. Christians care too much about how they're perceived.
For the record, I am also no religious.
And I have to agree with Jere here.
The Americans who are building this mosque here, most certainly chose this site for a reason - and I would think it most certainly was because the site was (relatively) cheap, and much, much, more importantly - available.
We have certain rights in this country, and they are available to protect all of us - ALL - not just those of us you like.
The bit that annoys me as a New Yorker is exactly the issue summarized in the Baltimore Sun article that Jere linked to yesterday - anyone who thinks this mosque is being built on Ground Zero has zero appreciation for this city.
If you want to make a difference to Ground Zero, go to www.national911memorial.org and make a donation - don't attack the constitutional rights of every American.
The Americans who are building this mosque here, most certainly chose this site for a reason - and I would think it most certainly was because the site was (relatively) cheap, and much, much, more importantly - available.
We have certain rights in this country, and they are available to protect all of us - ALL - not just those of us you like.
The bit that annoys me as a New Yorker is exactly the issue summarized in the Baltimore Sun article that Jere linked to yesterday - anyone who thinks this mosque is being built on Ground Zero has zero appreciation for this city.
If you want to make a difference to Ground Zero, go to www.national911memorial.org and make a donation - don't attack the constitutional rights of every American.
One of the stupidest parts of this is the way I keep hearing people say stuff like "moderate muslims need to speak up and condemn violence" at the same time as they oppose the building of this thing -- by the moderate, chilled-out muslims that they think don't exist. Who are constantly being asked to "refudiate" violent, crazy stuff that originates a hemisphere away. You would never ask the Archbishop of Canterbury to explain why Christian Scientists withhold medical treatment from their children.
Of course, in both cases, they *do* share the same kind of crazy, magical thinking -- some are just taking it further than others. And the Koran *is* full of actual, literal, instructions to kill people who disagree with them. But just as with all other religions, people just pick and choose which parts of scripture line up with the morality they already had to begin with, and then claim that god is telling them to do whatever that is.
Of course, in both cases, they *do* share the same kind of crazy, magical thinking -- some are just taking it further than others. And the Koran *is* full of actual, literal, instructions to kill people who disagree with them. But just as with all other religions, people just pick and choose which parts of scripture line up with the morality they already had to begin with, and then claim that god is telling them to do whatever that is.
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