This past Saturday was the 9th Anniversary of one of the most tragic events to have ever taken place on US soil. Sepetember 11th, 2001 will forever be burned into my memory. Everyone I’ve spoken with can remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City.
Every year since the attacks America has united to remember those who perished. This year has brought something different. The anniversary this year has been soured by hatred, fear and protests. I for one am ashamed at how many of my fellow Americans are behaving. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that I’m disgusted by it. Rather then re-hash what has been happening here, I will link you to this article that sums it up quite nicely:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/11/september-11-anniversary-_n_713111.html
I see/hear/read things like this and become really agitated. Has anybody who is protesting against building the mosque done their homework? Was it your average Muslim that flew the planes into the WTC? Or were they extremists who claimed to be Muslim and thus claimed to be aligned to the Islamic faith?
If my memory serves me the those who committed these atrocious acts were extremists that make up a very minute percentage of followers of Islam. Yet many Americans seem to believe that all Muslims are to blame for what happened on that tragic day 9 years ago. Muslims nor the Islamic faith should be blamed for the attacks on our soil. Osama Bin Laden, Mohamed Atta and the other 19 hijackers and their cohorts that orcehstrated the attacks are at fault.
Reality Check
Fred Phelps is the founder and leader of the Westboro Baptist Church. He and his followers have staged protests at the funerals of American officers; shouting or displaying signs with such intelligent quotes as “God Hates Fags!” and “Thanks God for dead soldiers”. The church claims to follow Primitive Baptist and Calvinist principles. Yet if you ask a Primitive Baptist about Phelps or the WBC, they reject any notion or affiliation with him or his church.
Applying the logic being used by those opposed to the mosque being built I must now distrust, fear and hate all Baptists because of the claims of affiliation by Phelps and the WBC. That’s too bad, I have some decent Baptist friends. This piss poor attitude of “all are evil because a select few have fucked viewpoint of the world” condemns us all.
If you’re white, you’re now a member of the KKK. Congratulations, a small percentage of those who share the same ethnicity as you have claimed their affiliation to the KKK thus making you instant members because you share something in common with them. Germans, you’re all Nazi’s. Hitler was an evil man that claimed German heritage. Have fun with your Aryan Master Race. African-Americans are now all to be considered armed and dangerous gang members because the Bloods and the Crips have higher percentage of blacks “reppin their sets”.
Christians are not off the hook either. You’re all now pedophiles. You can thank some priests of the Catholic denomination for that moniker. Please register your location with your local governing body so we may locate you and your approximate location to parks, schools and daycares.
Shall I go on?
I cannot allow myself to support stupidity. If you’re opposed to the mosque because “Them there muslims is evil..” then you are no better than the terrorists that attacked us. Please stick your head back in the sand and shut up. I’m sure you’ll be happier that way.
My heart goes out to all who lost a loved one during 9/11 or have been affected by the aftermath and war that has ensued. Please don’t lose sight of the real problem because it’s easier to blame an entire group for the misgivings of a few.
Building a mosque on or near ground zero is not an insult to those who perished. If anything it could be a great start to healing the wound that was caused when the first plane hit.
Let us not continue to make the same mistakes we made in the past. Not so long ago we had internment camps on our soil because “Them there japs is evil, they attacked Pearl Harbor”. Citizens of our country were forced to move to “War Relocation Camps” during a period of time when Americans were horrified by the atrocities of German Internment camps. Will we ever learn?
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. - George Santayana