"Ground Zero" "Mosque"

I haven't taken much time on this blog recently to weigh in on on pressing social issues that have made it into the national discussion. I want to, and always make a mental point of doing so, but it never really happens for some reason.

I think I will start trying to do it more. Here are my views regarding the "Ground Zero" "Mosque."

There exist so many avenues through which to enter this discussion. Let's just start with the above photo. Obviously, this is not a "Ground Zero" mosque. It's actually a couple of blocks away, with buildings in between. So that characterization falls pretty flat. Interesting.

But let's not focus on semantics here. Let's instead focus on the huge outpouring of anti-American sentiment that has resulted because of this proposed "mosque" (I am going to put mosque in quotations because it is actually a community center that is potentially being built). Yes, anti-American sentiment. I will make my views very clear:

Anyone who opposes the construction of this "Ground Zero" "mosque" is expressing very disturbing and very real anti-American sentiments.

Why? Well, I think the answer is pretty fucking obvious. America is about having freedoms and having rights. It is what it has been for hundreds of years. It's what makes this country the best country in the whole world. It is about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of worship and yes, freedom of BUILDING "MOSQUES" WHEREVER YOU FEEL LIKE!

The whole notion that this will somehow upset people because of 9/11 is RIDICULOUS. Um, hello, 9/11 was planned and executed by EXTREMISTS. We cannot as a society shun ALL Muslims because of it. Muslims are Americans too! Crazy, right?! They work for a living here in New York, many times helping with the daily nuances of life, like, say, getting you to work, or getting you breakfast (obviously there are a million other things Muslims do in New York but I want to focus on these two because you find these things very close to Ground Zero). Maybe we should ban Muslim taxi-cab drivers from entering a 10 block radius in lower Manhattan. Or, how about we ban the Halal carts from lower Manhattan while we're at it. That would make just about as much sense as all of the "Ground Zero" "mosque" bullshit.

All of this really pisses me off. There is such an obvious right truth to this. And it is lost in the petty politics that are society has been stripped down to. For some reason, for many Americans, the notion that this country has helped millions of immigrants over the years has been lost. From the immigration debate, to this "mosque" business and to countless other things, certain "Americans" want to be here and stay here and get everybody who doesn't look like them the fuck out of here. Well guess what, sometimes I think we would be MUCH better served if we got those asshole the fuck out of here. And then, I think, that America also is made up of those assholes and it wouldn't be fair to kick them out and feeling this sentiment would be me sinking down to their level.

Every time this news story pops up I just get sad and upset. Sad because stories like this reinforce in me the feeling that I will never be able to see and actually INTELLECTUAL national discussion take place. That there will always in my lifetime be too many ignorant people who are controlling the discussion. That obvious issues like gay marriage will never be resolved in my lifetime because politics will now and forever be dominated by allegiance to Party over Country. Let's hope this is not the case.