Remember a few weeks back when everyone was aghast when the new administrator of NASA supposedly told Al Jazeera that the President had given him three charges, foremost being reaching out to Muslim nations to help them feel good about the contributions they have made to science, math and engineering. When and whatever that may have been.The first reaction was just that NASA? My reaction was how condescending of us. That Muslim nations would need such a feel better about themselves boost from us of all countries! Then, too, after having just scuttled the shuttle program that actually has something to do with what NASA is - or was!
Now we learn the Government is going to send the Imam from the controversial mosque near ground zero to Muslim countries, at tax payer expense, to do more of the same warm and fuzzy shtick on our behalf.
What's with this obsession with trying to make them love us? If the government truly had vetted the Imam I guess they can do what's within what they feel is their mandate. There are so many questions about this man, and his intention, I wouldn't let him out of his room what's more set him loose in the countries of our enemies! I'm not sure the new head of NASA has any applicable credentials other than being an FOO - friend of Obama. I'll caveat that though, I didn't research it.
The point being, like with myself in this instance, the first impression of the headline is what sticks with us. That impression, not necessarily the truth left out if in fact there was any, scares the heck out of me. Either this government is the reincarnation of the keystone cops or we should be scared. Darned scared! I wonder which?
2 comments:
Here are my observations according to a friend of mine who has been there many times since 9/11:
1. There is nothing "sacred" here. This has been an ugly hole in the ground for nine years. NINE YEARS to do something of respect for the dead, and we leave it a hole in the ground!
2. Within blocks there is already a small mosque, and there has been for some time. It was held in a larger building but they were forced into this one. It is not even large enough for the entire congregation to worship at the same time.
3. The churches in the area are far outnumbered by sleezy bars, strip joints, porno shops, and homeless people on the streets, so this is no urban paradise.
4. Of course, there are also the offices of some of the most egregious, multi-billion dollar looters in the world in this part of New York.
5. Oh, that inconvenient 1st Amendment thing, that Constitutional "strict constructionalist" "Christians" now ignore in their hatred for people they do not even know.
Margie, you have mentioned from time to time you have a Muslim friend. Am I assuming correctly these are her opinions?
I sense a lot of anger in the way you've stated them.
I also think the point of the objection to the remodeled mosque is being missed. It's not that the members should be denied, it's that most people view a flashy structure representing the religion of those who perpetrated the bombing is considered to be insensitive to the monumental event that occured just a couple of blocks away.
What has or has not happened since the bombing or what the neighborhood may or may not consist of is not the point. I guess I would ask if the Muslims would want the Christ of the Andes that hovers over Rio replicated in Mecca?
It's the symbolism of it, not the right to it.
Post a Comment