On the whole Mosque thing
Most of you already know my views on religion, which can be summed up as visible tolerance, in opposition to our current policy of (attempted) invisible tolerance, where we pretend that religion doesn't exist at all, and that it shouldn't be talked about, seen, or practiced in public. I think America would have tried making all black people wear white-people makeup to hide their race if the concept had been even remotely plausible. Which of course it is not. But right now the American government is trying to paint everyone's religion, faith, or lack thereof with one gigantic puke-colored crayon, shove it under the bed with all those condoms and contraceptive pills we "don't need because we're abstinent" (because of what? RELIGION) and ignore religious tolerance entirely.
You know what's real tolerance? A mosque two blocks away from ground zero. Quiet time allowed in school for kids who WANT to pray. I'm really sick of us fighting for the "rights" of people who don't want a religion. That's cool dude. Don't worship. But you have no right to tell someone else not to, or where they can or cannot do it. I don't even personally know if I believe in any higher being. It's irrelevant, because I believe in true tolerance. You know what I want to see? I want to see openly Islamic employees being allowed time during the day to pray. I want teachers to be able to say "Happy Hanukkah!" and not get fired. Actually, you could probably get away with that, because it's not an evil, oppressive mean Christian saying it, forcing their religion on everyone by simply wishing them a happy season. Which is REALLY HYPOCRITICAL.
GET OVER YOURSELVES. Stop being offended by everything, stop being offended for people who, quite frankly, are not offended at all. You know, up until this mosque thing I thought it was simply liberal America hating on the Christian religion. But now I see the conservatives are quite actively hating on other religions too. I'm still sick of Christianity being villanized in American media. Really, really sick of it.
Are there problems with Islam? Yes and no; I (and many people I think) feel there is a problem with a group of people/culture that uses that religion to oppress women. Just like there is a problem with people and/or cultures that use Christianity for nefarious purposes, like genocide. Or have we FORGOTTEN the Holocaust? And the Crusades? And the Salem Witch Trials? Before we go harping on other people's cultures, let's remember our own roots, yes? That doesn't justify our past or their present. It's still wrong to treat women badly. I'm just saying that we don't have an untainted past. And our present isn't so spotless either. I'm looking at you, Vatican.
I'm just... so sick and tired of people being offended. Seriously. I just... I can't even explain my frustration with the world right now.
You know what's real tolerance? A mosque two blocks away from ground zero. Quiet time allowed in school for kids who WANT to pray. I'm really sick of us fighting for the "rights" of people who don't want a religion. That's cool dude. Don't worship. But you have no right to tell someone else not to, or where they can or cannot do it. I don't even personally know if I believe in any higher being. It's irrelevant, because I believe in true tolerance. You know what I want to see? I want to see openly Islamic employees being allowed time during the day to pray. I want teachers to be able to say "Happy Hanukkah!" and not get fired. Actually, you could probably get away with that, because it's not an evil, oppressive mean Christian saying it, forcing their religion on everyone by simply wishing them a happy season. Which is REALLY HYPOCRITICAL.
GET OVER YOURSELVES. Stop being offended by everything, stop being offended for people who, quite frankly, are not offended at all. You know, up until this mosque thing I thought it was simply liberal America hating on the Christian religion. But now I see the conservatives are quite actively hating on other religions too. I'm still sick of Christianity being villanized in American media. Really, really sick of it.
Are there problems with Islam? Yes and no; I (and many people I think) feel there is a problem with a group of people/culture that uses that religion to oppress women. Just like there is a problem with people and/or cultures that use Christianity for nefarious purposes, like genocide. Or have we FORGOTTEN the Holocaust? And the Crusades? And the Salem Witch Trials? Before we go harping on other people's cultures, let's remember our own roots, yes? That doesn't justify our past or their present. It's still wrong to treat women badly. I'm just saying that we don't have an untainted past. And our present isn't so spotless either. I'm looking at you, Vatican.
I'm just... so sick and tired of people being offended. Seriously. I just... I can't even explain my frustration with the world right now.