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| Blogs > igotplentytogive > ravings of a lunatic mind |
Stranger in a strange land.
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Stranger in a strange land. So it was not my intention to write a blog post for the V.S., I dont write a lot of posts, and when I do I prefer to write about more goofy topics or make fun of myself... or both. But earlier today I read an article over on Yippe-skippy that really cheesed me off, and several hours later as I was lying in bed I just couldn't shut my mind off and this article was running through my head on a loop. There is a state rep from the state of Oklahoma who decided to 'protest' an annual peaceful gathering of Muslims by denying them access to his office (and thus himself) unless and until they filled out an ugly, ugly questionnaire. This questionnaire asked such questions as 'your own prophet (name redacted by me) was known to have killed Pagans, Christians, and Jews that did not agree with him, do you agree with his example?' And, then even more subtle asking weather or not they felt that sharia law should rule over non muslims. I have never been more embarrassed to be an American then when I read that article, lets set aside for a moment that there is supposed to be a separation between church and state because pssst Mr. State Legislator, you are in the government and as such you are supposed to make yourself available to the people you supposedly represent! You don't have to like them, or agree with them, or even do whatever it is that they want you to do... but guess what buddy? YOU DO HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM!!! That's kind of in your job description. But set aside, for the moment, that this... gentleman.... is supposed to do this as a part and parcel of his job and lets focus on the facts here: 1) by giving this questionnaire out to every particular person you are saying that ALL muslims are terrorists. So then does this mean that every person alive in Germany in the 1930's and 40's was a nazi? Or what about the people in Russia during the last century when Stalin was going nutso? Or that every single person living in the south during colonial days was a slave owner? Or are all North Koreans responsible for the acts that their leader is perpetrating? And even if we somehow put some kind of a blanket statement out there, then what does that make what you are doing? Are you, and the rest of the United States by proxy, really no better than the North Koreans? Do you, Mr. State Representative, really want to be (credibly) compared to Kim Jun Un? Wow. Fact 2) you are hiding in your office until those who are different than you answer questions in a way that you want them to answer. So you are admitting to all and sundry that you are afraid of Muslims! You refuse to meet with your own constituents until and unless they renounce many (if not all) of the tennants of their faith, therefore I must conclude that you are afraid of those tennants and what they represent. That is just sad. Fact 3) by willfully committing such an open act of aggression against someone different than you are, you are discouraging that someone from the sort of open dialogue that we need in order to make this country, and by extension the world, a better place! You are not helping an already tense situation, you are making things worse! The very people that you have snubbed are now angry with you, and they have every right to be! I know this because I am angry too, I am angry at you and I am angry at this state of mis-trust that exists in our country right now that allows acts like this to go seemingly unpunished! In a just world your own constituents would be demanding that you step down from your office immediately, if not sooner. Did it ever occur to you, Mr. State Reepresentative, that by being inviting these Muslims into your office that you might have been able to actuall learn something? Or that perhaps, just perhaps, you would have encouraged an open dialouge and maybe, just maybe, you could have made things better for the people of your state? All the people of your state, and not just the ones that look like you. Sometimes what is 'strange' can be freightening... and you know what, i sort of understand where he is coming from.... words like ISIS, and al-Queda, and Taliban frighten me too! But to dislike, or even hate, all of a people just because they are different than us is despicable and childish. We shouldn't be frightened of someone or something just because they look different than we do, thats the Klan's job. Are you really no better than the Klan Rep. John Bennett? I know that this post is taking on soap-boxian dimensions (new words are fun) but I just couldn't let something like this pass... this was the straw that broke the camels back. Congratulations, I am now ashamed to be an American! |
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Magic comment
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Wow and I have logged this into VS for you (Virtual Symposium Group) use Virtual Symposium Group
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The politics of hatred seems to be gaining ground acorss the world!  
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That story bothered me as well. Blog on!
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Do not be ashamed, not all Americans are responsible for some elected officials, tolerance is sick everywhere right now and it's nice to see that there are always people who do not succumb to the fear of foreigners. Nice post. Sommaire Et la souffrance vgtale L'être idéal ? Un ange dévasté par l'humour. E.M. Cioran
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