Opening up a plantation next to MLK's grave would be an equalish comparison. Not all Muslim's are terrorists, not all plantation owners are racist; it is the connotation people are upset with. Now, the government shouldn't be in the business of regulation what qualifies as a, what some would see as, morally offensive position. However, it shouldn't go as unexpected that people going in and out of that building might suffer a fair share of contempt from locals. I am not a very sentimental person, so I don't really care at all, but I can see how people could.

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

Opening up a plantation next to MLK's grave would be an equalish comparison. Not all Muslim's are terrorists, not all plantation owners are racist; it is the connotation people are upset with. Now, the government shouldn't be in the business of regulation what qualifies as a, what some would see as, morally offensive position. However, it shouldn't go as unexpected that people going in and out of that building might suffer a fair share of contempt from locals. I am not a very sentimental person, so I don't really care at all, but I can see how people could.


It makes sense that a lot of the public feels this way. The public relations industry scored huge points for equating Iraq with 9/11 to the point of people believing Saddam was behind it and that there were Iraqis on the planes. It's a tremendous achievement that shouldn't be overlooked, we went from a country not wanting a war with Iraq in the least to feverishly desiring war completely.

So when you equate Muslims with some extremists that follow their same teachings, you're simply doing what the media, yes the liberal media wants you to. They want war, they are in charge of a democracy, they have to find some way to control the people. They have gotten very good at it, the fact that all the countries around Iraq, even Kuwait which was nearly destroyed by them didn't feel threatened by them at all yet we claimed that they were an imminent threat to our very survival and thus needed to be subjected to war. It's quite extraordinary.

It's the same people that were in the Reagan administration telling us that Grenada was a threat to our survival. The rest of the world looks at us and thinks either we are a tremendously racist country, or we're so heavily indoctrinated we can't see strait. Stop being so scared, you look like an idiot.

Me scared? Did you miss the part where I said I don't really care? Mostly, I feel completely apathetic about the whole situation. I was merely saying that, in this particular case, I can understand why people are upset. And while I understand your sentiments on using racism and war to garner political strength to accomplish alternate goals, it still doesn't assuage my understanding.

It is all just symbolic anyway, that is why I don't think the government should be involved at all. But I do understand why it upsets people. It would be like putting a Irish pub next to a school that was bombed by the IRA, or some other such thing. It doesn't "do" anything but sit there, but to those that had a close relation to the disaster, it is a symbolic slap in the face. I don't know the motivations of those building it, and most likely it isn't trying to spite people in the local area. But when your are even minority associated with one of the most brutal acts in US history, you have to expect some resistance even if it isn't right.

I, of course, believe in liberty, so let them build it. That doesn't mean, conversely, that people can't be outside the building everyday protesting it and demanding it be moved. I don't give a rats but, symbolism never did anything for me. Just recently, someone told me a story where butterflies landed on the husband of the wife who's funeral he was attending...and I guess it was supposed to be moving, but the only thing that moved on me was my intestines.

Put away your dagger man, it doesn't become you.

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

Opening up a plantation next to MLK's grave would be an equalish comparison.

Not really.

A better comparison would be if someone wanted to open up a church next to MLK's grave, and people opposed it because the people who shot MLK were Christian.

It doesn't even make sense as a thing to get upset about unless you're making a fundamental mistake about the nature of what happened on 9/11.

I wouldn't say that is a better comparison, only different. But I agree that it is pretty far fetched to get bent out of shape over. Plus, it has been a long time now since 911, nearly a decade (wow, time flies). In addition, it isn't like it is a Madrasah something. It's like a YMCA for Muslims from the sound of it, as American as you get! I don't share this uneasiness that others have with Muslims (being as I never have much exposure to the world of the burning ember), but I do understand how the fear of it propagates. The unfortunate ol adage of "a couple bad apples spoils the bunch" comes to mind.