"Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong"

When I first created this blog, my original intention was for it to become a place where I could put my feelings, thoughts and emotions on (internet) paper, voicing my opinion on all sorts of topics as so many of us do. What came afterwards was an influx of posts mainly on my love and admiration of the Atlanta Braves and Jason Heyward. Occassionally there was a post on a random occurance in my day but for the most part it seemed my blog became a sports centerfold.

After a very long time without posting on this blog, I have returned to write on a much more serious matter. I've had mixed feelings about it because it involves politics and high emotions, a result that is inevitable whenever politics is injected into a conversation. However, it has been eating at me for some time, and perhaps it is more of an outpouring of pent-up frustration and sadness than anything else. Whatever it is, it caused me to leave the comfort of my bed at 12:20 A.M. and busily type this post.

Unless you've been living in a cave for the past week and a half you will know that New York City has recently approved the building of a Muslim "community center" two blocks from the spot where, nine years ago this year, two planes veered into the World Trade Center, eventually causing them to completely collapse. When the dust had settled, roughly 3,000 innocent lives were lost.

An uproar ensued, naturally, and in response we have heard a many different people voice their support for the building of said center. CNN anchor and political scientist Fareed Zakaria stated his support for the center, and denouncement of all opposition to it, by stating it was a step in reforming the segment of Muslims with potential terrorist ambitions.

"If there is going to be a reformist movement in Islam, it is going to emerge from places like the proposed institute. We should be encouraging groups like the one behind this project, not demonizing them. Were this mosque being built in a foreign city, chances are that the U.S. government would be funding it."

Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg declared emphatically that "we would be untrue to the best part of ourselves – and who we are as New Yorkers and Americans – if we said 'no' to a mosque in Lower Manhattan."

He continued.

"We would betray our values – and play into our enemies' hands – if we were to treat Muslims differently than anyone else. In fact, to cave to popular sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists – and we should not stand for that. "

In addition, Daisy Khan, executive Director for the American Society for Muslim Advancement said "We need to take the 9/11 tragedy and turn it into something very positive.”

I've heard all of the arguments from those supporting the building of this "community center". I've heard that it is the ultimate example of separation between church and state. I've heard it will be a wonderful step in building bridges between Muslims and Americans. I've heard that we should support this because it is about freedom of religion, our constitutionally-protected right we hold dear and have spilt blood to protect. Last, but certainly not least, I've heard that we should be tolerant and sensitive to this organization as they build the center; that we should not be bigoted or ignorant, but understanding and accepting.

Excuse me for being blunt, but all those arguments fail the Bullshit test.

Do we remember these photos? Do we remember the shock of the newscasters as they broadcasted live during the horror that occurred that morning?

Fortunately, we live in the greatest country to have ever existed throughout world history. We live in a country where success has been long and earned over the space of centuries. We enjoy daily the modern conveniences other places only dream of having. And we have the greatest amount of hope borne by the opportunities that are at our fingertips. Unfortunately, for these same reasons, we have selective memory loss.

I wonder how long it took for people to not think about Pearl Harbor on a daily basis. I always wondered pre-9/11 if I would ever experience what our "Greatest Generation" faced when Japan attacked us without warning that December day in 1941. In a post-9/11 world, I live with a constant reminder of that September morning.

My life changed 09/11/2001. My perspective and view of the world and extremism completely changed. I started paying attention a little more. There was more interest in current affairs and in threats that faced me and my family, my friends and my country. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about that nightmarish morning.

To me, it isn't about trying to stop this group from building what will become a "community center" and mosque. It isn't denying them their right to private property, which has been well-documented. This isn't about me wishing to deny them their right to freely worship how they choose. Legally, they have every right to erect that edifice upon the ground where the dust had settled nine years ago. But in that same vain, I have every right to be incensed and chaffed by it.

I constantly here the "need for understanding" and "being tolerant of other people's views." These arguments are coming, most likely, from the same group who refuse to believe we're at war with Islamic terrorism, who desire to go back to pre-9/11 ideology. Many of those who cite tolerance are the same ones who form mobs and kill close to a hundred people as they go into a frenzy upon the news some European cartoonist drew a controversial cartoon involving the prophet Muhammad; the same group wishing to blow up a truck filled with explosives because some irrelevant T.V. show on Comedy Central insulted that same figure. Those who chastize opponents to this building may also fall into the category of those who would've had lunch with Arafat if given the chance.

I'm not asking the government of New York to prevent this legally acquired building from construction. I'm not asking for discrimination to be hurled at those of Islam. What I am asking, no telling, is that for once in my lifetime, that someone else be the tolerant, sensitive one. There is a constant drumbeat of calls for the United States to remain calm, not be offended, and learn acceptance and tolerance. For once I ask those who support this structure to be sensitive to our feelings. For once, let that burden fall upon those on the outside.

Words like tacky, classless, and distasteful just don't quite describe accurately what I think of this project. In a society so well-respected in elitist sections of our country and around the world, so well-thought of, you would think these people building the center would have learned a thing or two about having class. For these views, I'll probably be called "intolerant", a "bigot", or even racist. But I, as well as those who would say such a thing, know that you don't have to be a bigot to be opposed to this; to want someone else to be tolerant. Batting in the "tolerance" clean-up spot of the batting order, sub-in Imam Feisel Abdul Rauf for the United States people.

Maybe we should be tolerant like these people?

As the great Dennis Miller always used to say after every one of his rants, "of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."