“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. ” ~Dalai Lama
Every election there’s the inevitable Thing – from here on known as The Thing. It’s The Thing that drums up controversy but has nothing to do with what is actually going on in the real world. It gives something a little more exciting and enticing for voters to talk about: This Thing that can either make or break an election to an unwitting candidate. Could you imagine being Kendrik Meek in Florida and being forced to comment on something that is located a thousand miles away nowhere near the Gulf of Mexico where you have actual problems? But alas not, this Mosque and positions on it will be the cross to bear of politicians this year. Well, the Mosque and jobs but unemployment figures don’t pack quite the wallop as “Did you hear that they’re building a Mosque ON Ground Zero?”
You can read anywhere that the Mosque isn’t physically on Ground Zero. It is near Ground Zero and requires walking and perhaps a stop at Duane Reade on the way there. But who cares about those minor details. The Mosque is not being built because the ‘terrorists will win’ it’s being built because there was probably space. I dunno, cheap space, perhaps? It is Manhattan after all. And they figured why the hell not? I truly do not know. What I am very well aware of is how this Mosque that is NEAR and not DIRECTLY ON TOP OF Ground Zero is taking away from the real situation at hand. It’s a diversion of sorts where the magician wants us to focus on his right hand as he pulls a bunny out of hat with his left.
This midterm seems not more volatile but more out there and in yo’ face than any other midterm I have experienced and there are still 77 days to go! Midterms are usually quite boring unless you a) are in politics for a living or b) there is a brand new President and this midterm is the bellwether for his entire presidency. Or something. But that is an entirely different post. What happens to be driving me crazy right now is not just general discussion about Mosque and the debate on the Mosque from the right (They aren’t real Americans and people who agree with having a Mosque ON Ground Zero aren’t patriots) and the left (Well, everyone has their freedom of religion and they should be able to worship where they’d like) and the Tea Party (Well, I mean, yeah that whole defend the constitution thing but do we still want to defend the constitution when Muslims are allowed to practice the First Amendment? Have we decided on that one yet, guys?) It’s just that it seems so very constant. So! Instead of discussing a real solution to the unemployment problem, whether or not a July 2011 is actually feasible to be out of Afghanistan, what USDOE would like to do to public education or did I mention the 9.5% unemployment? Instead of discussing all of these very real issues we keep talking about the Mosque that realistically will not directly affect 97% of us. Because quite frankly the former aren’t all that sexy but a Mosque? HOOO BOY! Pass me a fan.
I have received several emails about the Mosque and my feelings on it and whether or not I wanted to debate the merits of “Having Hamas right next to Ground Zero” and I have to politely decline. To me it’s just The Thing. It had to happen soon enough and if we’re lucky we might get another Thing in the next 70 plus days but right now just watch and listen and politely turn the conversation back to jobs, jobs and more jobs.
Mosque related reading if you are so inclined (or bored):
Pelosi’s Preposterous Pontificating On the Ground Zero Mosque
8 Comments
Very magnanimous descriptions of the ideologies involved. As a girl with a brain and an opinion myself, I happen to know that’s not an easy task. Well done, and well said, all.
Follow up comment. I had to laugh (better that than cry) at the front page of Drudge just now. Tiny little print about the worst job numbers in nine months. Huge headline about a ‘shock poll’ that 1 in 4 think Obama is Muslim. Really. Just…REALLY!?!?!
Okay, I will admit feeling that building one there now is in terribly poor taste.
And some pundit’s comment of (something like) “putting a mosque there would be a declaration of victory because Islam has some age old practice of placing mosques where they feel they have prevailed and conquered?”
Yeah, it kinda eats at me,
BUT…
If a mosque had existed there long before the day that lasted forever this would all be moot.
I know this is a controversy manufactured by people who care about manipulating elections, not about the building itself, but I find it so deeply, deeply offensive that I can’t ignore it.
First, there are actual facts: that the mosque (not actually a mosque but more a mini-mosque in a community center) is not all that close to the former location of the trade center (two blocks from the enormous construction site and six blocks from the closest tower site; that constitutional rights can’t be rescinded based on public discomfort; that an actual mosque already exists in the neighborhood; that these particular (moderate) Muslims were in the neighborhood before 9/11.
But discussed far less is the deeply offensive idea that 9/11 is something that is collectively the fault of all Muslims, and that we are in war against Islam, not a war against terrorism. Are we really a nation of bigots? If a fanatic Christian blows up a planned parenthood clinic and kills a doctor, are we to cast blame on all Christians? Perhaps prohibit the construction of a nearby Church? It’s a ludicrous and bigoted idea, born of parochialism and distrust – that a religion must take responsibility for the horrible acts of it’s most fanatical members.
I say this as a New Yorker, who lived downtown and worked near the Trade Center on 9/11. There was a long time when the steel remnants of the tower remained and the debris continued to burn for months. Each night the dust of the destruction would settle each night on the cars and buildings, and even corporate high-rise a/c couldn’t filter out the pervasive burning smell. Long before they built viewing platforms over what appears to be a generic construction site, I would walk past what was left of the buildings and – I don’t know how else to explain it – anger would well up in my throat and choke me. There was plenty of anger in New York. There is still plenty of anger in New York. But it is inexcusable for that anger to manifest itself in a way that denigrates – not respects – the memory of the people who died there.
I was going to say what Kate said, but not nearly as eloquently. So I’ll give you this: Ditto.
Yes, it is The Thing, but can they not be so ridiculous about it. Six blocks away is not all that close, let alone “on top of” and every time it gets brought up I think, “Really, this?” Bah. Frankly if people want to get up in arms about something it should be that it has almost been ten years and no real progress has been made in regards to what the heck they are going to do with that space.
I love the Poliogue posts by the way.
Here’s the thing well actually first of all: You all are far more eloquent than I. Second: It is annoying and infuriating and totally blown out of proportion. This should not be dominating the news and yet it is. The one good thing about all of this is that it will soon blow over. Just like we got over the other Things, the media will soon move past the misinformation of the mosque.
And to Christine – glad you are enjoying the Poliogue posts. Soon Poliogue will be its own separate site. I’m pretty excited.
You’re right. I don’t know why we’re discussing it. I had a long comment here, but deleted the whole thing because I was discussing it. I don’t need to. However, I could really use a job.
First of all – I also love your Poliogue posts – your unique view of politics is precisely why I love reading your blog!
I agree with you and Kate – this is just ridiculous. I mean, 1/5 of Americans believing Obama is a Muslim is ridiculous, but what is more ridiculous? 1/5 of Pakistan is underwater, nearly 1/10 Americans are out of work, and we’re discussing whether we shouldn’t allow Americans who are practicing Islam exercise their 1st Amendment rights. It’s like “You may have the freedom to practice your religion anywhere! (Except if you are a practicing Muslim and you want to worship within X blocks of Ground Zero.”
This is sick. The emergence of bigotry in politics this election cycle is alarming – I mean, really terrifying me.
I hope you are right that this will soon blow over, and I hope the community center gets built right where they want it – blocks from the WTC site. Because to me, showing that we embrace people of all religious and ethnic backgrounds is what makes me proud to be an American – and hearing people discuss this makes me ashamed that we have people in Congress, in our state governments, and in our hometowns that can’t embrace the things about people that make them different. It doesn’t matter what religion we practice, we are still all Americans.
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