I am ashamed and I apologize for my initial reaction to the construction of a community centre several blocks from Ground Zero by the local Muslim community. Some days I wonder what goes on inside my head. I had read enough to change my mind by the time I closed comments on Of Mosque and Men but ran into these two articles today which really clinched it for me.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/20/AR2010082004795.html?waporef=obinsite
http://www.slate.com/id/2264754/?from=rss
I'm proud of you, Dad.
ReplyDeleteAnd so am I proud of you. Changing one's mind though should never be a cause for being ashamed.
ReplyDeleteNothing tests Freedom like exercising it does. King certainly knew all about that.
Thanks to both of you.
ReplyDeleteHard to do, that whole "I was wrong". Good for you. My enlightenment came from this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cracked.com/blog/3-reasons-the-ground-zero-mosque-debate-makes-no-sense/
SEriously, read it.
Hi, Zoe. I read it. Quite good article and several good comments too.
ReplyDeleteWell done, BF!
ReplyDeleteIn America it's the hate d'jour. Let me see first the Indians then Chinese and the Irish and the Germans and the Italians and the Pols and the Mexicans and the Mormans and the Jews and on and on and on. Pick a race, religion or nationality and they've been thumped on.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in that observation, Demeur, but this one is occurring in very different circumstances from some of the others (I think).
ReplyDeleteI worry about riots (Kristallnacht) and murders triggering a national crisis. If the Islamists have an undercover in America, now would be the time to assassinate a well placed opponent of the community centre. Or the Right could pull it off themselves and blame Muslims. Lots of precedent for either.