***CAUTION*** ***Political Ranting Ahead***
From time to time in this space, I choose to discuss or call out things that are ridiculous to me in the realm of politics, social issues, or other such nonsense. Today, I want to discuss a serious issue I have with the country I love, live in, and try to respect.
It’s getting harder and harder to discern good from bad, honest from shyster, left from right, and all other manner of orientation. My balance is off whenever I put on the television, and I flat out fall over into a warp of anti-gravity if the channel hits Fox news.
Allow me to take up an issue that is heated in the news right now, and as all things in this blog, it’s my opinion, and if you don’t like it, don’t read it.
The “mosque at ground zero, built by and using money that funds terrorists that led the attacks on that day” mess. Can we be real about this? Can I break this down for you all? First issue I have is that it’s a Muslim cultural center, not a mosque. Second issue, it’s not AT ground zero, but several blocks away. Third issue, there is no way to see what money is used, but I am pretty certain that if it were terrorists building it, the government would have figured this out by now.
More troubling are the grumblings from people about how unfair it is since “you can’t go build a Christian church in their country”. Very true. The reason? The USA is founded on freedoms. These freedoms are supposed to include the right to practice any religion. I was proud to hear our President Obama defend this right, even in the face of the uproar and it being an unpopular opinion. It’s religious freedom that sets us so far apart from other countries. If we succumb to the pressure to deny these Muslim believers the right to build a place to gather, commune, and worship – we are NO BETTER than any other country denying these freedoms. If this happens, what comes next? Will we give up on democracy entirely or perhaps only when it suits us?
In this country, you don’t have to agree or even like what someone else does or believes – but you HAVE to respect their right to do or believe it. In addition to the ‘mosque’ fiasco, this applies to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – what does it matter if the person who is fighting and giving up their life right next to you has a different sexual orientation? You are there for the same reasons, fighting for the same country and rights and freedoms – yet they don’t really have the same rights or freedoms as you do, even at the actual point of risking their lives to defend the idea. It’s hypocrisy at its worst. It’s right there with Marriage Equality. Again, you don’t have to agree with the beliefs or actions of others, but you have to respect their right to live life freely and equally with everyone else. Anything less, and this country is not the land of the free, home of the brave. What’s brave about denying rights to your equal human beings? What’s free about having to hide your life and love while others condemn you?
Try thinking on this a little today, while you observe other people, and your reactions to them. Every moment you encounter someone, you are making snap judgments and evaluations. Just remember that if things were different, or changes occurred, you could be the one denied the right to love who you want, make a family, fight for your country, or praise the god of your choice in the manner of your choosing. It's a thin line we walk to allow ourselves the luxury of thinking we are progressive enough to be equals. So far, this country is failing in this.
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