Regarding the Muslim Community Center and 9/11

[catsittingstill]

Freedom of Religion is not just Freedom of Christianity.

Good grief; has the whole nation gone mad?  Here are a bunch of moderate, modern, Manhattan Muslims, trying to build the equivalent of the YMCA (only Muslim), and Conservative Hate Radio is freaking out because they have a chapel, well okay, what did we expect?  But why would half the Democrats join them?  This isn't some kind of issue on which moderates can disagree, this is one of the core, founding, principles of the country.

Why does it take an atheist to say "Hey guys--leave the Muslims alone!"

And for the people who had relatives murdered on 9/11--they suffered a tragedy nine years ago.  9/11 was a terrible thing and no one is saying differently.  We're all very sorry and we'd undo it if we could.  But we don't owe them the right to run the lives of the rest of the world, or even the rest of the people in Manhattan, forever. 

Plus, you have noticed that a major claim of Al Qaeda and other Muslim extremists is that the US is the enemy of Islam and that anyone who wants to be a Muslim has to fight the US, right?  So, playing right into their hands much, are we?  Um, why?

Enough already!

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

An atheist.... and a couple of Jews. batyatoon and Michael Bloomberg. But y'see, the right-winger press framed this thing "OMG GROUND ZERO MOSQUE" when it's NEITHER... Olbermann got it right... Stewart got it right... I *suspect* Maddow did but I haven't seen what she's got to say about it... but it took re-framing, and the mainstreamers either went with Faux Snooze or took flak about it when they didn't....

This is one of those wedges the ... let's call a spade a spade... fascists drive in when they get the chance, dividing up people and wedging off the scapegoats... gotta keep the people scared and such like, or you'll never get them to give up rights, fork over excess taxes, etc....

Batya was right, this deserves the F-bomb. Motherfuckers. They don't want peace, they want power. I'll give'em peace and power. A peace of my boot in their butts... and their choice of how they want out of this world they hate so much.

Build Park 51. And the gay bar next door.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I did notice in passing that a handful of conservatives appeared to be proposing to build a gay bar next door on the theory that it would drive the Muslims out.

It appears to me that they overlooked a couple of important points.

1) These are Manhattan Muslims. Like most large, vibrant, (liberal) cities, NYC has a noticeable population of gay people. Something about being able to live somewhere they're less likely to be beaten up, I guess. If the Muslims in question were allergic to gays, NYC probably wouldn't be their first choice.

2) There are already three or four gay bars in the area. Run by people who aren't just catering to gays to spite another group they hate even more. That's going to be hard to compete with.

But yeah, there are religious people on our side too--and I should probably not have phrased it as though I was the only voice in the wilderness.

"Let Park 51 replace the old Burlington Coat Factory!" Is just not as catchy a slogan as I would like. But it's truthful; it has that much going for it.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

If the Muslims in question were allergic to gays, NYC probably wouldn't be their first choice.

*frowns* It occurs to me that the same kinds of cities, in this country at least, that are allergic to gays tend to *also* be allergic to Muslims...

Although in, say, Atlanta, you could probably choose your neighborhood such that Muslims would get a pass but they would be less likely to build a gay bar... *probably*... but you're totally right, NYC isn't such a place.

That's very odd, that *conservatives* are proposing to build a *gay bar*... if *they* were the ones actually building and/or providing financing or impetus? I sure as heck wouldn't be about patronizing such an establishment.... But then again, you're more than likely correct, the average *New Yorker* (Muslim or not) is less likely to get his knickers in a twist about having a gay bar next door...

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

oh, and the truth is rarely catchy or otherwise good marketing. More's the pity.

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

"Let Park 51 replace the old Burlington Coat Factory!" Is just not as catchy a slogan as I would like.

Will these do any better?

Build community. Build a community center.

Ten years of nothing is ten years too many.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Yes, those are better :-)