Aug 31, 2010

The fake outrage over Islamic community center is just part of a wider hate campaign


The fake outrage ginned up by right-wingers over the proposal to build an Islamic community center close to the site of the so-called Ground Zero in lower Manhattan is grabbing all of the headlines, but it appears that right-wingers don’t want any mosques or community centers built.

It appear this is part of a larger hate campaign, and it’s just one more attempt by right-wingers to pervert the constitution, divide people and use their favorite tactic of fear to increase their base. Mosques and Muslims all over the country are literally under attack; from the New York City cab driver who was stabbed for being a Muslim to an attempt to block the building of a Muslim center in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The propaganda that they are just against building the Islamic community center near the former World Trade Center because it was the site of the 9/11 attacks is just a lie.

What’s sacred about Murfreesboro,Tenn.?

The New York Times has a few examples:
“In late June, in Temecula, Calif., members of a local Tea Party group took dogs and picket signs to Friday prayers at a mosque that is seeking to build a new worship center on a vacant lot nearby.“


“In Sheboygan, Wis., a few Christian ministers led a noisy fight against a Muslim group that sought permission to open a mosque in a former health food store bought by a Muslim doctor. “

We even have a so-called Christian church in Gainesville, Fla. planning to burn a Koran on Sept. 11, the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack. Book-burning? That is just unbelievable.

There is even a sick Facebook group called “International Burn A Koran Day” with 7,000 members that wants to have people burn the Koran on Sept. 11. These freedom haters and bigots need to burn a copy of the U.S. Constitution and a U.S. flag because they obviously hate them

That is one of the most offensive things I have ever heard. What people should be outraged about is the fact that the person who planned the 9/11 attacks have not been brought to justice or that there is still nothing at the actual site of ground zero. Not a building , not a memorial, nothing.

3 comments:

Jordan G said...

I will defend the right of the people to protest Islam in America, just as I will defend the right of Muslims to build their cultural center.

But that is something that all reasonable people should agree on. The disagreement stems from differences in people's opinion as to whether or not such actions are "good".

So let's begin with the protesting of Islam. Is it a "good" thing for people to burn the Koran and protest Mosques? I would say 'no'. In this situation, it appears that the anti-Islam crowd is intentionally trying to be as offensive as possible to Muslims, and I do not want people to intentionally try to make other Americans mad (where pissing people off is the main goal).

I would say that this is different than being apathetic towards others opinions, of which the community center may be an example. While there are some people who feel that the community center is meant as a direct offense by those who want to build it, I would argue instead that the builders simply want the center for their own self-serving reasons and do not have any ill-intention (there's actually evidence of positive intentions, but that's not needed to make my point).

For those who disagree, and truly feel that community center is intended to be a symbolic "Fuck You" to America, there is no middle-ground to reach with them, and the conversation can't continue.

For those who understand that the builders mean no harm, the conversation can then continue to: "now knowing that the community center offends some people, should the Muslim owners give in to public pressure?"

To that, I answer "no". We as individuals only have control over our own actions & intentions, and not the reactions of others. If others' reactions do not match with our intentions, the onus should not be on us to change our actions, but instead on those who misinterpret our intentions to either better understand the situation, or accept that we aren't going to change due to their misunderstanding.

For example: the Bible, if interpreted in certain ways, can be offensive to non-Christians. Does this mean that Christians who mean no offense should modify the Bible, even though they do not share the interpretation of those who are offended? I would say "no", because the offense is created in the mind of the offended, not in the mind of the offender.

The anti-Islam crowd is an example of the offense being created in the mind of the offender, and then communicated to the offended. The community center is an example of the offense being created in the mind of the offended.

Therefore, I would say the community center is "good", while the anti-Islam crowd is not.

liberalshateusa said...

Why is it that the Roman Catholic church after 9 years is still not being allowed to rebuild on property they own @ Ground Zero but the Muslims can?
Why does the US pander to radical Muslims?
No one denies that have the right to build a mosque. The currently have one 4 blocks from ground zero.
You need to look up Cordoba.
Why is it the current Administration can not call a spade a spade?

Most of them (the mosque’s supporters) don’t understand that “Cordoba House” is a deliberately insulting term. It refers to Cordoba, Spain – the capital of Muslim conquerors who symbolized their victory over the Christian Spaniards by transforming a church there into the world’s third-largest mosque complex.

Communications guru said...

I give up, hate America, “Why is it that the Roman Catholic church after 9 years is still not being allowed to rebuild on property they own @ Ground Zero?” The bigger question is why isn’t there anything at the site of the WTC?

The U.S. doesn’t “pander to radical Muslims.”

“No one denies that have the right to build a mosque?” How can you say that with a straight face? No, there is currently a real mosque 2 blocks from “ground zero” and has been for years, so why are racist right-wingers against building an Islamic Community Center two blocks from “ground zero” in a building that once housed a Burlington Coat Factory?

“Why is it the current Administration can not call a spade a spade?” I have no idea what that even means.

Are you getting your false talking points directly from Newt Gingrich?

The original name "Cordoba House" was meant to invoke 8th–11th century Córdoba, Spain, which they called a model of peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Christians, and Jews.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/08/ground_zero_mosque