I'm not an absolutist on very many things. I figure there's always the other edge of the sword. The First Amendment has been one of the few things for which I've had an almost absolutist view. Until now - and even now.
The proposed Islamic Center to be located a few blocks from the site of the World Trade Center bothers me. It bothers me for many reasons. I've always held the view that I care not what god or gods one worships, if any. Do not encroach upon my life, liberty or property and do not commingle the church and the state and we'll get along fine. The problem with Islam is that it demands that the church take control of the state. It demands the death of all infidels. Infidels are defined as one who does not practice another's particular brand of Islam. For example, Sunnis consider Shi'ites to be infidels and vice versa. The authority on what is proper Islam comes from the despot in charge today. Give things a little time and a few suicide bombers and soon a new despot with a new set of Islamic laws will be in charge. Sharia law, I believe it's called. In all situations, women are chattel and are under the absolute rule of all men. A woman can be beaten in the street for allowing her burka to rise up high enough for her ankle to show. If a married woman is raped, she is executed for adultry unless there are a sufficient number of male witnesses to testify that it was indeed rape. Nevermind asking why they sat and witnessed as opposed to stopping the rape. It is only a religion of peace if you practice your neighbor's brand of Islam. If you do not, you are an infidel and the only peace you will know through Islam is the peace of death. Many in support of the Islamic Center will call the aforementioned "fear." You're damned right I fear this. Anyone with good sense ought to fear a religion that demands that it be in charge of all laws and all who do not adhere to the sitting clergy's rules should be first tortured and then killed. I fear a religion that has devalued the here and now to the point that it's adherants WANT to die killing infidels so that their psychotic, bloodthirsty deity will reward them richly in the afterlife. Before you waste too much time telling me that I don't understand Islam if I think this is what it's about, go tell that to the suicide bombers. They need to hear that message more than I do.
I really wish supporters of the Islamic Center would quit screaming racism. Islam is NOT a race. Islam is a religion. One does not choose one's race. One's religion, however, is a conscious choice unless one lives in a society wherein one must adhere to the state's religion or die. Here in the United States, we are not required to adhere or die. One consciously chooses his/her religion. Such conscious choices are grist for the mill. It is not a lack of understanding that causes people to shun Muslims. It is the violence committed in the name of Islam that causes people to shun Muslims. It is not racism for me to scorn Islam anymore than it is racism for me to scorn Christianity. Being Arab and being Muslim are NOT one and the same.
I would really like to know the motivation behind the proposed Islamic Center. Those who were responsible for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 committed the acts in the name of Islam. They were convinced that they were doing the bidding of their batshit crazy deity and that he would reward them with 72 virgins in paradise. I've often wondered - what does a faithful Muslim woman get upon death? Not beat? I guess in their society, not beat is a reward. Back to my point - the Twin Towers are gone because a group of Muslims decided their religion dictated that they should plow jumbo jets into these landmarks. Is this Islamic Center being built to further flip the bird to the American people? Granted, the area is blighted with strip clubs and abandoned buildings polluted with graffiti. The American people could have/should have done a better job of preserving such "sacred ground."
I have to agree with the President - they have the Constitutional right to build the mosque/center. Unlike the President, I'll weigh in on the wisdom of the decision. It's a very bad idea. They're going to do it in spite of what anyone has to say about it. I believe it's time we rebuild the World Trade Center. Maybe it could be rebuilt overlooking the proposed Mosque. I'm rather partial to the design above.
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