If I’d died when the World Trade Center fell nine years ago, right about now I’d be rising from my grave in anger. I’d descend on followers of the Tea Party and the other Islamaphobes who’re making an issue of the “Mosque” that isn’t a mosque, but is planned to be a cultural center open to all faiths. I would raise my voice, if I still had one after lying nine years dead, and I would shout at the top of my lungs, making sure that all who heard me understood my anger and wrath.
“How dare you!”
If I had fallen with the towers, bet your bippy I’d be more than a little upset at people who’re feeding their own political agenda, justifying their own racial and religious bigotry and pushing aside every American value of which I’m proud, all in the name of protecting my memory.
“How dare you identify me with your racism?”
If I had gone down on September 11th, I would have done so with the inward assurance that the criminals who killed me would not be rewarded with a win. The American people would remain Americans. We would go after those individuals and criminal organizations that committed this act, but we would not go after the innocent and make them guilty by association.
We are handing a win to Osama bin Laden and his ilk. With the patriot act we’ve so altered the law of the land that it no longer conforms with the constitution. Now, with the cultural center fiasco we seem to be on the verge of losing even more of those values we’ve always considered precious.
We’re letting the terrorists win.
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hey cris ! glad to read your stuff.could not agree with you more. jingoism and bigotry masquerading as patriotism is contra indicated to the true ideals of our forefathers. kinda what some christians do to the principles of their leader. gator jones. sarasota fl. p.s. i love you
The people opposed to this building are operating under the fallacy that this is a “Christian nation.” It’s not. Never has been. Never will be.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is a moderate Muslim with an intent to create peace and build a center committed to fostering community. Hence the term, “community center.” I wouldn’t expect a Muslim to build a YMCA. **rolls eyes** Would we be opposed to that? Nonetheless, I think the man is courageous for making this project a reality.
His intentions are exactly the kind we need. He is one of the many (I’m sure) that are attempting to express the true meaning of freedom that we are privileged to have in this country. And the fact that the building is meant to be “interfaith” is an act of acceptance for the religious diversity and multiculturalism prevalent in this country.
I think we probably did start off pretty much as a Christian nation, and a fairly intolerant one at that. However, certain of our forefathers had the vision to see that wasn’t the direction towards which we should steer ourselves (one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite spiritual texts was The Koran).
The good Imam Rauf, I understand, is a Sufi which, as you know, is the mystical branch of Islam. The Sufi’s have always been extremely tolerant. Within Sufism, women have always held equal stature with the men, they are very willing to borrow spiritual techniques and practices from other spiritual systems, and even have their own version of tantra.
But none of that really matters. In a country based on religious freedom, they can build anything they want, as long as they operate within the same laws that govern us all (with no special laws being written to make things difficult on select non-Christian groups).
Agree?