So, a prayer room was ok then but not now...

Crusader AXE of the Lost Causes is not sure which is more likely on this one although given the choice between ignorance, bigotry and hypocrisy, I'd probably go with ignorance and bigotry for the fruitcakes in Florida and elsewhere who are so vehemently opposed to the Park 51 Project. Some of the leadership trying to push this for publicity purposes are of course driven by hypocrisy.

But the presence of a prayer room in the South Tower for Muslims is really troubling...are we, as a people, so ignorant as to not recognize that the World Trade Center was not just part of New York but also a somewhat seperate community, a vibrant and incredibly diverse community? Barring any faith from the area based on the fatuous sacred ground argument is evidence of an evil spirit flowing through our national psyche -- Bar one faith, bar them all and make it a secular monument to profit? Really -- certainly, a lot of people really worship Mammon but still not all.

There were probably Muslims at prayer when the aircraft struck the towers. There were Muslims killed by the terrorists. The ash and debris included Muslim Prayer Rugs, ritual materials and, yes, Korans. And now, a bunch of pinheaded crackers led by Mustache Pete there outside Gainesville are reaping publicity from this debacle cum disaster cum disgrace.

While I know my friend IOZ and a bunch of other people are finding this amusing and probably wondering what the hell is wrong with AXE, and my brothers are probably metaphysically seeking the cold towels to wrap me in, here's the deal. The Muslim Community behind Park 51 are proposing a Community Center. It will contain an Islamic Prayer Room; it will also contain a Christian Room and a Jewish Room. Muslims are no more basically oriented toward inclusiveness than Christians or Jews -- I remember being told that I was a devil worshipper because I was a Catholic by my Protestant friend while I was in 2nd grade. I remember being told all sorts of weirdness about Protestants. Bigotry binds religions together in ways that amaze the anti-theist. (By the way, as Keith Obermann pointed out on Letterman, the Park 51 Iman has not provided a secular liberal prayer room or an atheist reflection room in his plan, and probably should do so...) The Park 51 Community has responded to their better spirit and the hope of Islam as a religion of peace. And, those so incensed and those so ignorant as to demand it be moved away from the stip clubs and delis and the rest of the New York neighborhood to show respect for our White Christian Dead are so wrong as to be funny.

It's been said that God takes care of fools, drunks and the United States. I wonder if he protects the United States from our homegrown fools and drunks. By the way, the Park 51 site will begin to accept donations next week through it's blog. I recommend going back to it and I will do my best to not go totally insane and repost the address then.

Comments

[sglover]

Yeah to all that you say, but it's pathetic that Gates phoned these attention-craving subnormals.

[Crusader AXE]

Yeah to that -- having to pay any attention to these clowns is sad. However, now the great unwashed American boboes know how to get attention and will hold people metaphysically hostage until such time as someone calls them out and holds them accountable for there idiocy. However, I'm not sure anyone in government or politics has the balls to do that.