The Man In the Iron Mosque.

this might put me on a no-fly list, but i dont travel that often, so here's my take on the whole Mosque at Ground Zero situation. I think it needs to happen. for the greater purpose and propagation of America and all she stands for, it does. in the immediate, it'll cause political strive, division, protesting, litigation, and arguments. but in the long run, it'll reestablish this country as the harbor of freedom, acceptance and tolerance that it was founded on. this issue goes all the way to the top. aka, Obama. now of course it's not his decision, but he'll take the heat or the glory, depending on the perspective. just as Hoover and Bush took the crap for the downfall of the economy of their respective eras (though one was more 'guilty as charged' than the other), just as Nixon (though it related directly to him, he didn't have as much say as history likes to say he does) in watergate. Obama will catch the political fire, and if it happens in time, it may loose him the presidential candidacy in 2012. i doubt it'll go up that fast, and the wooden torch will be passed to the next, but it will still be on fire, waiting to burn someones hand. to ensure his place among Lincoln, Washington, Kennedy, and the other great presidents, (which i believe he deserves, as he is a symbol, not only of the acceptance and positive possibility of change in this country, but of the odds he's had to overcome), this needs to be his magnum opus. i'm writing this 5 hours after watching him on tv telling the american people that the war in Iraq is over, which is great, but history pays attention to the first strike, not the last. (the exception to that rule is the atom bombs on Japan, but that's because of the impact it had on so many different areas of politics, science, pop culture, etc.) healthcare, the economy and gay rights are going to fall away in comparison to this. there needs to be a large ceremony, and he has to be there, and make a speech. he needs to assert the division that the american people should make between good muslims and bad al-queda members. the same distinction was made during ww2. especially in the media. watching movies from the time period, there are always good germans, and bad nazi's. he needs to point to the heroes of old. Washington establishing a nation of acceptance, Lincoln not only freeing the slaves but also reuniting a country (as he has had to do). kennedy for breaking down race barriers, (even possibly siting his current job title to that end). assert that he never wanted this war. diplomacy was always his 1st choice, and that it still is. site the fact that muslims were treated badly after 9/11, and this is a major step in rebuilding that bond, and bringing it back into the melting pot that not only is new york, but america as well. site its community building and positive infulence. reference the freedom of religion that we all enjoy, thanks to the men and women in uniform. site how great this country is, site how far its come in its development of not only a free people, but an equal people. talk about how our childrens children will look back on this time and see a a great leap forward in citizenship and equality, and freedom of religion. finish with God Bless all of you, and God Bless the United States of America. get in the limo and drive away. don't take questions. leave them to think of what you've said. to realize that this is the greatest country on earth, and that we are all damn lucky to live here, and do what we do. Middle America will quote to their grandkids watching this speech on tv. Middle america is what this country is really about. Middle america is not fox news, its not cnn. it's not The tea party picketers. it's not the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas. It's families. it's friends. its beers in the driveway on friday nights. its ballparks and barrooms. its dinners at the table, and sunday morning church. middle america isn't concerned with differences in religion. they're just trying to raise their kids, and provide for them, what they couldnt have for themselves. america is a friendly place. a place where people are accepted, not because we're forced to, but because we want to. we realize that we have more freedom than most places in the world, and we also realize we're not perfect. but we love our country, and we love one another.

more politics.....

so, i just got done watching "fall from grace" a documentary about the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka Kansas. You might know them from their picket signs: GOD HATES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR IED's, etc. before i start, let me get one thing strait, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE SAYING. IT'S STUBBORN, IGNORANT, CHILDISH, FOOLISH, AND GOES AGAINST EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. However, what i do agree with is their act of picketing for a cause they believe. no one does that anymore. no one really stands up for what they believe. Obama sort of lucked into the presidency, because a huge percentage of the country was anti-republican at the time, and the country wasn't/isn't ready for a woman president, so he was basically a shoe in. in any case, Fred Phelps (i dont really care if i spelled it right or not, you know who i'm talking about), is screaming at the top of his lungs, something that he believes. its a very very (very very) small opinion, but he's voicing it so loudly, it sounds bigger than it is. what ever happened to that in america? what ever happened to standing up for what you believe. this is what this country was founded on! this is why this country was created! so anyone and everyone could have a place to come and voice their opinion, without being chastised, or thrown in jail, or killed for it. i mean, have you read the declaration of independence? that was the colonies standing up for what they believed in! they weren't gonna take the subjugation and the manipulation any longer! so they stood up, picketed, yelled at the top of their lungs for what they believed in, and founded a country, and defended that country, so they could have that right. i think we all need to start picketing for what we believe. we dont do that any more, we dont act! we blog! (ironic, i know). but i mean, cmon! the tea partiers are picketing for........what ever it is they believe, but Pastor (can you call him a pastor if the church is comprised solely of his own family?) Phelps is specific in his intent, though its widened in the few previous years, but he's still out there, old timer that he is, and i celebrate his right to protest. i hate what he's preaching, i think it goes against everything he claims to stand for, but the theological argument is what it is. but he's doing what he's doing because this is america! he's here, and he's not leaving. know why? b/c this shit would never fly in europe, or asia, or africa. France is trying to get rid of the burka for pete's sake, you think religious intolerance is gonna fly over there? theyre trying to do away with religion entirely! asia is all buddhists who wouldnt listen, and in africa, they'd probably just shoot them. (fingers crossed! jk, jk). that's why he hasn't gone to canada, or mexico, or Britain, or France, or germany. because in america, we give you the right to say what you want, no matter what. whether it's god hates fags, or god hates Phelps'. Thank the forefathers next time you see a picture of them, besides, they're the ones footing the bill.