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It's that time again. Two in two days, churning them out. I have tryed to stay someone relevent on my last post, but I have mostly stayed away from real emotional pieces. What I mean by that is pieces that get John Q Public very fired up and loud. But, time to tackle one. And i'm going with the still somewhat hot topic of the now infamous Ground Zero Mosque, which really is not a mosque, its a Community Center that has a worshiping place inside. Its a big difference. Would you call a hospital with a chapel in in a church?
[[[ "The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, Senator Reid respects that, but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else." -Statement from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. ]]]
First, to everyone who wants to say how this is a monumental 'F You' by the Muslims. Shut The Hell Up. Like they are on some kind of power 'roid trip??? Like the whole Muslim world wants to bend America over???? Lets discuss some building specs. on the Community Center. It is over two blocks from the Memorial site. The buildings in front, behind, and on either side will be larger than the Community Center, so it becoming some huge symbol can not architecturally happen. The Community Center itself, besides having a worship area, will also have a basketball court, a culinary class, oh, and A FUCKING 9/11 MEMORIAL!!!! Bet Fox News or MSNBC have not reported that to you. I do not remember seeing it.
Also, do not forget the fact that Muslim's were killed in the towers and surrounding building on 9/11. The number, which is excluding the hijackers, credited experts estimate to be anywhere from 20-75, but no one knows for sure. A Muslim Imam has stated it was 1,000, but he has been discredited.
[[["Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington. We would never accept the Japanese putting up a site next to Pearl Harbor. There's no reason for us to accept a mosque next to the World Trade Center." -Gingrich]]]
The worldwide number of faith practicing Muslims is over 1.3 billion people. That is over 1/6 of the entire worlds population. The top 5 countries with the highest Muslim populations are in order: Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Egypt. They have combined around 700,000,000 Muslims. You know where the hijackers were from? Of the 19, only one of them came from the above, Egypt. The others came, mostly from Saudi Arabia, also the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Lebanon. Saudi, UAE, and Lebanon fall in at #16, #48, and #54. To think all Muslim's hate America, and that every Muslim wants to wage war against America, like Republican figure heads Newt Gingrich and Sarah 'Wasilla" Palin, is just plain ignorant, and its scary. So nix that.
[[["The folks who want to build this mosque — who are really radical Islamists who want to triumphally prove that they can build a mosque right next to a place where 3,000 Americans were killed by radical Islamists — those folks don't have any interest in reaching out to the community. They're trying to make a case about supremacy." — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a potential 2012 presidential candidate."]]]
Most Muslim, like Imam Rauf, the man behind the Community Center, which is what it is, are very pro-America. Imam Rauf has worked with the Bush Administration on helping heal American-Muslim relations in middle-eastern countries. He has spoken on national TV, condemming all Muslims who commit acts of terror, as well as condemming 9/11 outright. To be fair, he also has said things that are very critical of America and our foregin policy. But I would venture to say the over whelming vast majority of the Muslim world are not Anti-America. but that is mostly my opinion. And to the ones who are are anti-American, I guarantee if we left Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Israel, you would see a lot of the Muslim countries and Muslim people start to come out and become at minimum neutral, more likely would start forging relationships in some capacity with America.
[[[ "Obama defended the right of all Americans to practice religion as they see fit, but some are against building a mosque just blocks away from the biggest tragedy on US soil in the history of the country." -Tweet from former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin." ]]]
This whole argument starts and ends with one simple fact that most reading this take for granted and is all these people want. Freedom of Religion, 1st Amendment rights. We all know 9/11 was horrible. But did you all also know that there are ALREADY TWO MOSQUE'S WITHIN 10 BLOCKS OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER?!?! Or that there is a non-denominational place of worship built in 2002 in the Pentagon where Muslim's worship daily?!?!?!? Bet you didn't. Mhmm. Terrorism has been happening all over the world, for hundred's of years of now. The term has only caught on in the past decade.
So here is my summary to all this:
1. Allow the Community Center (notice how I keep referring to it as what it really is) to be built. Yes, technically they could, and still could, pick a new place farther away, but, under the Constitution, if you agree or not, it is a person's inherit right to practice their religion how they see fit. The people who will worship at said Center are a peaceful, anti-terrorism Muslim who just want to live their lives.
2. The anti-America retoric being pushed out by our former, current, and future leaders need to end now. It does nothing but add gasoline to a issue that needs nothing of the sort. These people run the free world. You should not spew views that will alienate over 1/6 of the word's population. No matter what .00000000000000000000000000000001% did on 9/11
3. The news media outlets need to take a objective view of this subject and not just pander to its viewers. You are supposed to leave your opinion at home.
In closing, let me once again express my feelings on the subject of 9/11. What happened that day was, well it was beyond any words. I remember exactly where I was the moment I heard. It was the worst tragedy this country has ever experienced. And I can not express the remorse I have for every single person affected that day and those to this day. Also, let no one say I am anti-America. I love my country. I love being American, where else could I do this?
P.S. - I know most people disagree with me, and that is 100% okay. Feel feel to comment, critique, and criticize my argument all you want, I encourage it. But leave it at that. Do not resort to childish name-calling or whatever. Debate the point, not the debater. I recently got into a argument because people feel it add's to a argument to use name-calling, espically over the President. Debate the man's work, not his DNA.
2 comments:
I agree that the amount of controversy surrounding this issue makes no sense. The absurd proportions to which this community center controversy have escalated is merely a testament to the vast American ignorance of their own constitution and the ideas behind it.
Although I agree with this post, I find your points in defense unnecessary I am sorry to say. You are correct, it's only a community center with a small area for worship, there may be other mosques in the area. It's true that not all Muslims are extremists, and it was only carried out by a very small group of people (and supported by few even of the Muslim world.) It's true also that those behind this community center may very well be quite pro-America. The reason I find these words in defense of the mosque unnecessary is that they are irrelevant.
Let's say for example these people were building a mosque ON ground zero. That's in their right. Say they were using the area to burn flags, that's in their right. Say they were using the area to build an anti-America mural or one depicting the victims of 9/11 burning in hell, that's their right (as terrible as that may be it's still covered). Even if you insult America, you are still covered by the first amendment. The first amendment and it's protection of ideas and their right to exist (and more importantly to persist) is what lead to so many ideas coming to fruition. The mosque is unpopular now, but look at other ideas that were unpopular at the time that are now viewed by the majority as good.
First amendment protects ideas. Which part of the constitution protects the individual from being offended? None.
Let me be clear, I am not saying I disagree with any of your points, on the contrary I actually agree. I just want to make clear to anyone who happens to read this comment that the first amendment should dismiss all confrontation over the issue, no other arguments for or against the community center matter. A person can try to speak out against the ground zero mosque, but they will fail. Simple as that.
Thank you for the feedback.
The main reason I took the angle I did was over the huge double standard over the whole 1st amendment itself. People love to exercise Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press and express there views, and thats great. Questioning policy and questioning political issues is a American staple. But those same people, in the same breath they express their right, they go and oppress Freedom of Religion, and it's comical to me. You can not, contrary to popular belief, just pick which parts of the Constitution you follow.
So I would agree that my angle was a bit askew, but I felt adding a little defense was needed. It's always no no no against it. I mostly tried to stay on de-bunking the myth's that are out now in the media.
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