Hello again!
Today's topic is a little bit more serious than the past two posts. Today, I want to talk with you about the building of a Mosque near ground zero. And since 9/11 is literally right around the corner, I sincerely believe that the mosque and Reverend Terry Jones is something that needs to be talked about.
Firstly, no one can deny that what happened on 9/11 was not a tragedy. The attack on the World Trade Centers lead to a war, although honorable, is not a war that can be won by removing a single terrorist group from a single country. It's a war that will span generations. It's a war based on anger and fear. There will always be people that want to hurt another group of people because of their skin color/religion/ethnocentric ideology etc etc. The list just keeps going.
But, America is a country based on people being able to have religious, economical, and social freedoms. Yes, a small group of people that preach an extreme form of Islam attacked us because our beliefs differ from theirs. But that doesn't mean that we should not allow a house of worship to become "official." The proposed mosque is within the rights of the American people. I get that people are upset that this mosque will be disrespecting the memories of those who died that day. But wouldn't it be disrespectful to the firefighters who ran into the burning buildings without asking whether the people they were saving followed the teaches of God/Allah/Buddha/Flying Spaghetti Monster? Wouldn't it be disrespectful to the ideas of the people who traveled from months, leaving everything they had behind in England so that they could practice their religion in peace, without fear of persecution?
Those firefighters didn't ask questions because the only thing that mattered was that they were saving a life. And after they pulled one person out, they turned back around. Some of them never made it out. Our ancestors gave up everything they knew so that they could follow their religion in peace. They left friends, family, homes...everything that matters for the chance to create a world where they wouldn't have to be scared or discriminated against.
Which leads me to my next point: Reverend Terry Jones, the man who has named 9/11 "International Burn a Koran Day." This single man is inciting hate towards people of the Muslim faith. Why? I don't understand why he hates Islam so much, or why this man, this single man, has the ability to open partially healed wounds. It has been 9 years since the attacks. 9/11 should be a day of mourning and respect for those who died. Not a day of hate.
To me, denying the building of the mosque and burning the Koran would be destroying everything this country was built on. Fear creates Fear and Hate creates Hate. Yes, there were some extremists that followed Islam. But a small group does not represent a whole nation of people.
I guess, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think that people should be upset about building a mosque near ground zero. And I believe with my whole being that Reverend Terry Jones is wrong to burn another religion's holy book because we where wronged by a few.
Reverend, I know you will never read this but maybe, just maybe, someone who believes what you believe will. The Christian faith teaches us to forgive those who trespass against us and I may not be the most religious of people and I may not believe everything in the Bible but I understand what that message is saying. Please, turn the other cheek.
Maybe, Rev. Terry Jones is just scared. Just like the rest of us. But the only way to win a War Against Terror is to stop being afraid... Whether the fear is caused by someone from another country or someone in our own backyard.
To all my readers out there, I'm sorry that this wasn't my usual post. To those just joining, I hope, even if you don't agree with me, that you will respect my opinion as I will respect yours. Feel free to comment.
Peace
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