By the way, I DO divide the world into "good guys" and "bad guys".

[xiphias]

Just so you know: if you're against the building of an Islamic community center in Downtown Manhattan, you're one of the bad guys.

If you are saying, "well, sure, they have the LEGAL right to do it, but by putting it there, they're just being provocative," then you may not be particularly evil yourself, but you're intimidated by the evil people into being one of their henchmen. People doing completely normal things like building community centers aren't being provocative. The people who you are afraid they will provoke? Those are the bad guys. And if you are saying that they should modify their behaviors to do what the bad guys want, then you are saying that you support the bad guys.

And that means that you're one of the bad guys.

And THAT means that I find you a danger to me, personally. I'm Jewish. Right now, Jews are mostly considered more or less white. But that could change. And the second it does, people will start saying things like, "Well, sure, they COULD build a synagogue there, but wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?"

Everything that people are saying about the downtown Manhattan community center, I just automatically hear people saying that about something that I might want to do someday. If you're against them, then you're against me, and you're also against justice, freedom, and every ideal that this country stands for.

Just so we're clear on that.

Comments

[paper-crystals.livejournal.com]

I mostly feel like "Dear pundits from the western part of the U.S., stop bitching about how you are the beautiful heartland of America and how those nasty New Yorkers shouldn't get in your business because as soon as New Yorkers want to build a little community center in their financial district you feel the godammed need to butt in. If we don't get to bitch about your anti-abortion/mega churches/whatever stop bitching about our godammed community center."

Seriously, this place is supported by the NYC JCC. Can't you people just get over it and move on?

[voltbang.livejournal.com]

I'm not a new yorker, but I do get that New York is a city unlike any other city. In big cities, two blocks can be nothing, or it can be another world. Moving a community center just plain doesn't make sense. It's not a community center if it's not in the community. Those of us who live in the suburbs have a different sense of distance.

[paper-crystals.livejournal.com]

When I have imbibed a great deal of alcohol my feelings on other people's lack of map consulting become far more focussed. (And thinking about what the map they just consulted looks like in some greater context besides something being two blocks from something else.) However, now that this knowledge has been imparted and there has been plenty of time to consult maps I really think this has all been blown terribly out of proportion.

[horizonchaser.livejournal.com]

SO terribly out of proportion.