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

[ron_newman]

I didn't know that, actually -- can you tell us more about those other two mosques

[fauxklore]

Actually, I was misinterpreting the news story I read, but there are two definitely within the neighborhood:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/nyregion/14mosque.html

Both are overflowing and it was clear that there is a need amongst the Islamic communities for a mosque in that neighborhood.

There are also Islamic services every Friday in the Pentagon chapel. And, in fact, the chapel is in the part of the Pentagon that was hit - less than 100 feet away.

[horizonchaser.livejournal.com]

I feel some bozo's going to lay violence on it, honestly. There's just too much drama about it all.

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

And therefore... what? All Muslims should flee the US before the analogue of the Holocaust?

Or maybe, instead... It should have decent security and regular police attention as a possible target.

[horizonchaser.livejournal.com]

If I was walking to a picnic table and suddenly, someone jumped onto it before I could, started screaming at me that I was the devil and get away from there before I put some evil eye on them, I would have a choice.

First, scream and yell right back at them. What does this accomplish? A lot of screaming and yelling, possibly physical altercations, and my day's ruined.

Call a cop. This will likely mean more escalation, more screaming, more yelling, possibly physical altercations, and my day's ruined.

Find another table. I find a table, loonie's got a table, we're all happy.

No, I didn't stand up for my rights. Why?

Pick your battles. Pick the battles that mean something. Pick the battles that are not likely to have a body count.

Call me a coward, but in my mind, the lives of the people are worth a lot more than any principal.

Because I've seen decent security and regular police attention. No security is perfect.

In this case, I'd say there's too much freaking drama. Oh hey, there's a good spot over there away from the psychos. This isn't a good battle. It's a stupid one. No one wins. Walk away and avoid the body count.

You don't "lose" because you walked away. You don't lose for turning the other cheek. You just chose your battle.

[ailbhe]

This notamosque IS a battle that means something, because it's not an isolated picnic table, it's a symbol (and it it wasn't before the controversy it is now) of the right to freedom to assemble and freedom of religious expression, at the very least.

And soon it will also be a symbol that the rule of law, not mob baying, prevails in the USA. That would be nice.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

reposting as it's germane to this comment:

An interesting twist is that the site was chosen because of it being so close to WTC, and having been a building into which the wreckage fell:

The location was precisely a key selling point for the group of Muslims who bought the building in July. A presence so close to the World Trade Center, “where a piece of the wreckage fell,” said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the cleric leading the project, “sends the opposite statement to what happened on 9/11.”

“We want to push back against the extremists,” added Imam Feisal, 61


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/nyregion/09mosque.html

I found that quote by accident; the blogger pointing to it was displeased in that the NYTimes article originally included another line, "New York is the capital of the world, and this location close to 9/11 is iconic", and now does not.

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

I belive in picking your battles - but I can see a lot of reasons to choose this one.

[holzman.livejournal.com]

What on earth makes you think the loonie's going to leave you alone if you find a different table? Suppose the loonie isn't a loonie at all, but a bully, and if you back down from the bully on table 1, they'll be right after your for table 2?

Free hint: Peter King and Pat Robertson are bullies, not loonies.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

The psychos are going to follow you. It doesn't matter. Move the community center, and the psychos are going to be every bit as much a danger at the new place as they would be at the existing place.

It makes sense to put a Muslim community center where the Muslim community is. Why would you want to move the Muslim community center away from the Muslim community?

Mufreesboro, TN isn't far enough away to placate these people -- I choose that place, because there are currently protests about building a mosque there. If Tennessee isn't far enough away, what makes you think that the bigoted terrorists are going to be satisfied by simply moving the community center to somewhere less convenient and farther away from the community it is to serve?

[403.livejournal.com]

Pick your battles. Pick the battles that mean something. Pick the battles that are not likely to have a body count.

There's a logical flaw in this statement. The battles that mean something often do end up with a body count. (Please see the American civil rights movement. Or, for that matter, the Indian independence movement.) If you pick the battles that are guaranteed not to have a body count, then you're unlikely to accomplish anything meaningful.