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I am embarrassed by my country right now. I know this subject has been blogged about, re-blogged about, and debated 24/7 on anything close to resembling a journalistic entity, but I have a few questions that have yet to be answered.
At what point did it become ok to associate an entire group of people with the acts of their respective minority? More specifically, at what point did the majority of our nation decide to vilify the entire Muslim population as a whole?
The entire Park51 debate has me baffled. As a nation who embraces the idea of our precious freedoms so dearly, it is nothing short of ironic that we are now trouncing those ideals in droves.
Watching the video below I cannot help but be mortified and appalled. Is this not reminiscent of the Red Scare, McCarthyism, or treatment of Japanese-Americans during and after World War II? How have those blatantly prejudiced and embarrassing events in our history not taught us anything?
Furthermore, it appears that the arguments being proposed thus far -- those of fear, prejudice, racism, or "Is it right?"--are nothing short of irrational and ridiculous. The only rational argument I have heard thus far is that, Saudi Prince Al-Waleed Bin Tala, the founder and major supporter of the Community Center in question, has ties to terrorism. Ironically though, the source that brought up this bit of information appears to confused or biting the hand that feeds them.
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The issue is not whether they have a right to open the mosque, of course they do. The issue is should they? It is not appropriate for them to open a mosque on the grounds of where 3000 Americans died at the hands of Muslim extremists.
ReplyDeleteThis would be like opening a KKK office a block away from the Lorraine Motel in Memphis where MLK was shot. Of course they would have the right, the question is the appropriateness.
In addition, symbolism is very important in the Muslim world. The symbol of having a mosque a block away from where 3000 people died is very powerful in the Muslim world. In addition the name of the mosque is very symbolic, the Cordoba Center. This is named after the Muslim capital in Spain the city of Cordoba, when Muslims had conquered most of Spain. It is intentionally symbolic.
By the way, the Muslim cab driver that was stabbed in New York, (who was against eh mosque) was stabbed by a liberal filmmaker who was drunk who worked for an organization that supported the GZM.
If you read the post I made, instead of reiterate Fox News talking points, I already address that argument against the mosque as irrational. If they law says they can, its right. Americans died at the hands of "Muslim extremists," not Muslims in general. Believe it or not, there is a difference between the common Muslim, and the extremist ones.
ReplyDeleteIf you look back on any Supreme Court ruling that the KKK was involved in, they've won just about every case. Do you think every group that the KKK has offended thinks it is right they are legally allowed near their demonstrations, premises, etc.? Of course not, but that is the beauty of the freedoms afforded to us by the Constitution; the right to free speech without fear of reprisal, no matter whom you may piss off.
Again, if you look at the videos here, and others, you'll see this mostly appears to be based on irrational fear or hatred.
I would have to agree with the statement about the KKK winning most of the Supreme Court cases. If we look back throughout the court's history, we will even see "liberal" organizations such as the ACLU taking on the KKK cases as well.
ReplyDeleteHow is this any different than the KKK rallies at a town like Skokie for example. It is obvious that there is a strong Jewish community there, and also evident that there are many holocaust survivors there as well. Yet even, the ACLU would defend that right.
http://www.aclufl.org/take_action/students/case_of_the_month/1999/faqs1099.cfm
We mention that the proposed Mosque is a block away from the site where so many American, INCLUDING Muslim Americans died. So, how close is too close? Who decides the distance? What would please the people? It is clear that these are all arbitrary questions, that no one will agree on. Luckily, we have laws in place that allows for this without arbitration.
In terms of symbolism, that is a far stretch I would have to say. Is the fact that ground zero construction not progressed a symbol? Is the fact that ANY Mosques are built on US soil a symbol? Is the display of a confederate flag not a symbol? I think that its the ability to see past these symbols, or the misinterpretation of them that is important.
This is fear, and due to racism, misinformation, rumors, ignorance, and countless other reasons, all of which are wrong.