First, it was the ‘Ground Zero’ Mosque. Apostrophes, because you know, it isn’t really at Ground Zero at all.
Now, this. Or as they’ve called it ‘International Burn a Koran Day”! Hmmm, wonder if I’ve gotten Facebook invitations to that event yet.
In a pretty sad way, I almost don’t know what to feel about it.
A few years ago, had you asked me what my feelings were towards this, I’d rant on about how disgusted, angered I am by this act. Appalled that something like this would be propagated or even tolerated. And this would be followed by exasperation and questioning my self-worth: Why do people hate us Muslims so much? Why don’t you guys like us? So pathetic I could die.
But now, when I’m older (though not that much wiser) I guess the prevailling emotion would be that of annoyance. How some people are just so stupid and close-minded, and self-righteous and intolerant and GOD, JUST SO DAMNED STUPID, is beyond me. These people are just a waste of space and semen.
Terry Jones, a pastor from a little-known Floridan church called Dove World Outreach Center, came into prominence recently for declaring a Koran-burning rally on Saturday’s 9/11 anniversary. Jones has had both support and opposition from everywhere across the world. But being as he is a controversial figure, he has obviously had more criticism and condemnation handed to him. Despite many warnings from the White House and General David Petraeus that it could harm U.S. soldiers who were serving in Afghanistan, Jones remains adamant about carrying on the event.
“We have firmly made up our mind, but at the same time, we are definitely praying about it,” told Jones to CNN on Tuesday.
As a moderate Muslim, and I may not speak for everyone in my community (although I can promise you that many, many of us feel this way), being a Muslim in the 21st century is kind of like being the least favoured child.
Yeah sure, pre-9/11, Muslims were still misunderstood. But we were mostly weird, falafel-eating people who studied in your Economics class. At least that was the stereotypical picture painted by Americans. After 9/11 however, there were so many things wrong about being a Muslim: you were a terrorist, you were conservative, you think all non-Muslims are infidels and deserve to burn in hell, and you wish to wage a cosmic war with the rest of the world.
Well then, the world is waging its war on us.
Tell me, how is that fair to the rest of the majority of Muslims who wish for nothing more but to live at peace with everyone else, maybe make a difference or two in our country, community or family and carry on our lives normally?
When Barack Obama came into presidency, many resolutions were made, opposing sides have called truce and shook on it, and the future between America and the Muslim community seemed brighter than ever. Even then, however, it has been much of a ‘one step forward, two steps back’ process when it comes to thawing this cold war with Muslims.
Building the mosque near the site where the World Trade Center towers used to be became an issue when some people thought it was “desecrating the memory” of people who died there.
If a new mosque in lower Manhattan is wise in theory but not in fact, if other civic and religious voices are saying, ‘Yes, build mosques in America, just not here,’ then what location is far enough from Ground Zero?
Do these people not realise that victims of the attack on that fateful that included Christian, Jewish and Muslim people as well?
(cont’d)
Where Political Correctness Comes to Die. 