Well, I have been reading and thinking on things of late.
I am getting very tired of the fuss over the non mosque that is not even viewable from "ground zero" in New York City. The big fuss is just showing the rest of the world how down right cowardly some Americans are today.
What is so frightening about a community center? Is the clown Beck afraid of a swimming pool? Is falin' Palin afraid of a basketball court? I had thought she was a basketball player at some point in her "illustrious" career. What is Newt so bloody upset about this building for? Why are these "tea party" folks so afraid of?
We are continuously told that America is the land of the free, home of the brave. If we are so brave, why are "we" so afraid of this community center being built?
OK, maybe I am way out of touch with this world, but to my way of thinking, a community center where I could go and meet with and learn from people who have a different culture and/or religion would be a good thing for us all.
But then, I enjoy meeting people and I very much enjoy learning things. I am interested in meeting people and discussing things like culture and even religion. True, I do not believe in any religion, but I do like to learn about the beliefs of others. I would enjoy having a nice, polite, and civil discussion about religion with most anybody. I'd like to discuss politics with a Muslim person, or anybody else as long as we could keep the discussion civil and polite. When things get to the level of name calling, well, that ends the discussion as far as I am concerned. Keep it civil and no problem.
Maybe that is why these folks are so afraid of this community center. They are not as sure of their own belief system as they claim to be. They must be afraid that by talking to some Muslim person, they may have to take a real close look at their own belief system. They may be afraid that their belief system isn't all it is cracked up to be. They may be afraid that, just maybe, the Muslim beliefs are not as "far out" as they have been told. They may be very afraid that the Muslim faith is not as different as they have been told. They may be extremely afraid that by talking to a Muslim, they just might find out what I have known for years, that is, people are people, no matter what religion they have.
That must be the reason these folks are so very afraid. They are afraid that the Muslims are just the same as the Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, or any other religion. They must be afraid that they might realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings, with the same needs and basic wants that they have.
They would find out that Muslims do not want their children to fight and die for lies, as our troops have been doing for years now, in Iraq and Afghanistan and probably very soon, Pakistan or Somalia (again).
They would find out that Muslims, for the most part, just want to be able to live a decent life and provide for their families, just as people of other religions do. Just as most every other human being of any, or even no, religion want.
They may be afraid that if they were to have a civil conversation at a Muslim community center that is open to all faiths, that these Muslim people are just like they are. They would find Muslims want to live in peace with the rest of the world. That Muslims are just as concerned about being a victim of terrorists as they are.
Yes, they would come to realize that Muslims are just ordinary human beings who do not want their children to die in a useless war of choice.
If these folks were to have a civil conversation with the Muslims at the proposed community center, they would find that they have a great deal in common with those Muslim people. Then, they would realize that there is no reason for the continuing idiot wars of choice. That the current wars of choice are only wars for profit for the "too big to fail" gangsters.
Now THAT must scare the living crap out of the "leaders" like the clown Beck, falin' Palin, Newt, O'Really, etc and outfits like Faux Noise and the war mongers.
Yes, you see, if all of us ordinary people were to ever sit down and have a serious, civil conversation with "the others", we would soon realize there is no reason for these damn fool wars of choice. The endless, useless wars for endless profits would come to a very fast stop. That would surely upset the old apple cart of the rich bastards who call the shots and keep us all fighting each other over false "differences". Why, it could even lead to more peace and much, much less war. Imagine that.
semper fi
7 comments:
Great article.
Unfortunately, the Glen Beck's of the world build their careers on bashing the so called "outsiders".
http://original.antiwar.com/levesque-alam/2010/09/08/islam-and-americas-most-powerful-cult/
Why is there never any conversation about Zionism?
Or, how about the Likudnik Firsters that are running our failed foreign policy.
Mike,
Thank you for your comment my friend.
RZ,
True, Beck and those like him and falin' Palin feed on the hate. Me, I want the hate to stop. It is counter productive and takes way too much time to do right.
The nuts in Florida who plan to burn the Koran are frightening. Even "king" David Petraeus says that will put the troops at greater risk. I doubt that will stop them, they are "true believers" and they alone know the "truth". That attitude is dangerous.
Good link to an excellent article.
Why no conversations on Zionism? Probably because nobody will discuss it. I would, but do not know much about it. Not enough to have a detailed conversation on that topic. I have read some on it and would like to know more. I always like to learn more about most anything though.
It's all about having a scapegoat. Scapegoats are really handy for politicians to have around--they're a great way to deflect the important questions and evade the important issues. As Bob Dylan sang back in the day, the fellow who remains on the caboose of the train needs someone to blame. And we're all pawns in their game.
gesneri: Dylan also wrote and sang this.
Come you masters of war You that build all the guns You that build the death planes You that build all the bombs You that hide behind walls You that hide behind desks I just want you to know I can see through your masks. You that never done nothin' But build to destroy You play with my world Like it's your little toy You put a gun in my hand And you hide from my eyes And you turn and run farther When the fast bullets fly. Like Judas of old You lie and deceive A world war can be won You want me to believe But I see through your eyes And I see through your brain Like I see through the water That runs down my drain. You fasten all the triggers For the others to fire Then you set back and watch When the death count gets higher You hide in your mansion' As young people's blood Flows out of their bodies And is buried in the mud. You've thrown the worst fear That can ever be hurled Fear to bring children Into the world For threatening my baby Unborn and unnamed You ain't worth the blood That runs in your veins. How much do I know To talk out of turn You might say that I'm young You might say I'm unlearned But there's one thing I know Though I'm younger than you That even Jesus would never Forgive what you do. Let me ask you one question Is your money that good Will it buy you forgiveness Do you think that it could I think you will find When your death takes its toll All the money you made Will never buy back your soul. And I hope that you die And your death'll come soon I will follow your casket In the pale afternoon And I'll watch while you're lowered Down to your deathbed And I'll stand over your grave 'Til I'm sure that you're dead.------- Bob Dylan 1963
Masters of War, great song.
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