Six days ago I posted what turned out to be a universally unpopular opinion. It’s my own fault. I foolishly broached the no-win situation surrounding the Ground Zero Mosque. You can click here to read it again. For those of you who can’t stand my writing (which is understandable) here is a Cliff Notes version:
- The Ground Zero Mosque is an obnoxious idea created by a dickhead for the express purpose of fucking with us.
- No matter how true #1 may be, private property is private property and Americans can build any damned thing they want on their land.
I thought this was a pretty clever idea; if only for it’s simplicity. I posted it and forgot about it. Later I read up on the subject further only to discover that I was the only person on planet earth to hold both #1 and #2 simultaneously true.
The left can’t consider a person a dickhead unless they’re white, Christian, and Dick Cheney. I manfully tried to listened to NPR while they attempted to paint the guy as a boon to all mankind. I really tried to understand their point of view but as far as I can tell it boiled down to “people who piss off the Right are misunderstood angels”. Fortunately, the illogical dissonance caused my radio to overheat and implode before I suffered permanent brain damage.
The Right is no better. Apparently “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” does not apply to dickheads. Nor does States Rights in what amounts to a zoning ordinance in one city in one state. It all came down to “all people are equal under the law except people who piss us off”. I’d already smoked my radio and this came close to frying my laptop.
I resigned myself to my usual situation of being internally unconflicted yet pretty much one lone island in an ocean of Fail. I can handle it.
However, through the magic of the internet, I’ve discovered one other blogger dumb enough to post original thoughts about the same idea. Especially in reference to Republican party dithering about the Constitution when it applies to obnoxious dickheads. Over at Postcards of the Hanging you’ll find quite an impressive writeup. Here is an excerpt from his excellent article:
Constitutionalists, of which I consider myself one, believe that constitutions mean exactly what they say, and nothing more. The United States Constitution is silent about whether “sensitivity” is predicate for pressuring someone to abandon their rights to religious freedom and private property. I’ve heard more talk about “sensitivity” from Republicans in the last three weeks than I have in the last thirty years. These assholes aren’t just acting like liberals, they’re starting to sound like liberals, too.
Once and for all, if a public pressure is used to make someone surrender their rights, they aren’t really rights at all. And if this were any issue than a mosque that isn’t a mosque and isn’t actually at Ground Zero, they would all be taking exactly the opposite position than they are now. The hypocrisy is nothing less than breathtaking.
It’s nice to hear a second voice in the wilderness. (Though I really think the word dickhead is virtually essential for covering this story.) Skippy Stalin covered it with a minimum of frothing at the mouth (something I couldn’t quite do). That’s why I suggest you check out Postcards of the Hanging.
A. Curmudgeon. I have to quasi agree and strongly disagree with you. Yes he is a dickhead. If the Mosque is to promote awareness and healing and all that other officially stated bullshit then it, by being built, will not achieve this goal. The question is, “Why is it being built?” Yes to “fuck with us”, but more importantly to serve as a victory monument for the Islamic world. From a military point of view this provides “aid and comfort” to the enemy in the form of motivation. This will create more problems for the United States in the future. But then again. That is it’s purpose.
As far as private property rights are concerned, you can’t do whatever you want on private property. We unfortunately have zoning laws and other intangible things that city councils miracle out of the air when they don’t want something built like a quarry. I guarantee you local government can come up with a reason if they don’t want something built. I am not saying it is right. It’s just how it is.
A proposed solution: Have a christian church and Jewish temple be built on either side of the “cultural center”. I would bet that the Muslims in favor of this mosque would scream bloody murder if this were to happen.
On a related note. A Christian church in Florida is planning on burning a Koran on September 11th. All of the folks that are usually engaged in Flag burning or burning an effigy of a Republican President are now protesting this Church. Apparently matches are bad now. Why aren’t Muslims respecting his right to burn it under the First Amendment. Again, the church have the right to do it. But should they do it? No. The consequences are much bigger than their actions. I agree with General Petraeus that this could harm the U.S Military mission in Afghanistan. Just as the Mosque at Ground Zero will irreparably harm Muslim relations in this country.
Each of these parties is narcissistic and interested in creating civil unrest. Shall we allow the country to descend into a monkey shit fight? I believe the founders also wanted us to use our brains.
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
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