9/11/10

It's been 9 years. 9 years ago today, the towers collapsed and we lost so many heroes. Today, we are still embroiled in the war against terrorism and we are still dealing with repercussions from the attacks that day.

I'm not going to sit here and argue about the war with you. I do believe the war against terror is a valid and needed war but I believe it has been grossly mismanaged and there have been many lives lost due to that mismanagement (think Vietnam). When decorated veterans like my FIL (before his death) and my father, sit around and shake their heads and comment on how the politicians never ever learn lessons when it comes to warfare, when they say that we've lost the fight because we aren't allowing our soldiers to truly fight, well, at that point, I think we can all agree that the train has left the tracks.

No, what I want to talk about today are a few incidents that are loosely tied to the 9/11 attacks...the threatened Quran (or whatever spelling you chose) burnings, the attack on the Mosque site in Tennessee, and the proposed Mosque/Community center across from Ground Zero. First of all, the right to build a Mosque/Community center directly across from Ground Zero is protected by law. If that group is granted a contract, lease, whatever that says they own the property or have leased it to use at their discretion, we MUST allow it to happen. However, there is nothing to prevent us from responding in a uniquely American form of protest. Since the Muslim group that is planning to build that Mosque/Community center says they are trying to foster understanding and a tolerance of diversity (strong American ideals) by building there, I say we should all support Greg Gutfield's idea of building a club that caters to young Muslim homosexuals next to the Mosque/Community center. After all, what better way to encourage the Muslim community to overcome their long held vilification of homosexuality than by exposing them continually to that very group in a club that accommodates the Islamic ban on alcohol. Furthermore, I think we should encourage this Muslim group to accept American ideals and diversity by building a Southern barbeque joint on the other side of their Mosque/Community center. After all, we aren't demanding that they eat there. We are simply bombarding them with the wafting smells of deliciousness and the ever present pictures of pigs in an effort to change their minds. See, when American's are faced with the thoughtlessness and total disrespect of a group wanting to build a Mosque/Community center across from Ground Zero, we have a tendency to want to respond in kind. And, yeah, I know answering one wrong with another isn't acceptable. However, since we've established that there was nothing but goodness and light in their hearts when they picked the location, I think we can trust them to understand we have the same good intentions present in us. While we are at it, I think we need a Catholic youth center, a Jewish community center, and maybe a Southern Baptist church right there too. Diversity and understanding for all!

As for the destruction of the mosque site in Tennessee and the proposed Quran burning in Florida, those are reprehensible acts committed/proposed by narrow minded, disrespectful bigots and I think those individuals are the antithesis of what we as Americans should stand for. Hell, the so-called pastor in Florida now claims "will 'not today, not ever' burn a Quran" and it was just his way of exposing a radical sect of Islam. That is the stoopidest damned excuse I've ever heard. Burning or threatening to burn the holy book of one of the largest religions in the world is a shitty thing to do. You are attacking and offending all groups in this religion, not only the so-called radical sects with threats like that. Terry Jones needs to grow up and lead his flock by example not through asinine behavior.

Today should be a day dedicated to remembering the heroes and victims of 9/11 not a day for dealing with assholes.