I apologize in advance for this long-winded essay wherein I seem to do nothing but gripe about my fellow citizens, but this has been in my head for a few weeks now, and I have finally figured out how to get it out, so here goes:
When did we (Americans) turn into a country filled with Muslim loathing xenophobes?
I don't understand why lashing out everyone who shares a set of religious beliefs all because a percent of a percent of people who have those beliefs did something horrible.
What if it had been a group of Christian white guys that day? Would we be shunning Christians? Would millions of Americans have converted to Islam or Judaism? Probably not. We would have probably decided that was horrible, but the actions of a handful of people do not represent the majority of those people.
I know some very nice, very personable, very hard working Muslim folk. They don't like the people who did all those things any more than the rest of us do.
I finally read up on the whole Islam Culture Center project in New York, and is it just me, or is the proposed site about three blocks away from where all the drama went down? Why is it such a big deal about where someone wants to build something. I see the argument about how it is insensitive to the families of the victims, but isn't that just racist to hold an entire race responsible for the actions of a handful of people as mentioned before? Especially if one of the purposes behind this building's existence is to educate people?
I realize this country has a rich history of racism, bigotry, and general hatred. The Puritan witch hunts in the 1600's. The Native American wars in the 1800's. Slavery. The Army - McCarthy Communist hearings. The equal rights movement. Gay marriage. I still can't believe we put Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War 2. It almost seems like this country needs some ethnic group to have issues with. I do not understand that in the slightest.
Why is there an issue with two men or two women getting married? A Church is well within their rights to have an issue with that if it goes against that particular religion's belief system, but the United States Government should not even be involved. You should be able to, at the very least, go to the courthouse and get married there. How does that affect me? How does it affect the people next door? How does it affect some completely random person in oh, let's say Wyoming, Michigan? It's quite simple...It doesn't! Why is there even a question of whether or not it's legal?
Is it just me, or was this country founded on the logic that everyone is equal? Don't we as a people exist due to the fact that this country was founded by immigrants? Yes, I realize that the international diversity starts to disappear starting with the second generation, but that is no excuse to hate on someone who came here looking for a better life.
Someone who came here looking for a better life, and did it legally. I should say.
I am not really okay with the whole illegal immigration thing, but I will admit I have known some nice, hardworking illegal Mexicans. We gripe about how the Mexicans are crossing the border illegally and stealing all the jobs here. My question to you is this: Did you apply for that job, or were you already collecting unemployment, and suddenly you have a "legit" excuse to not have that job picking tomatoes? Did you ever have any intention of ever applying to flip burgers at McDonalds? I hate to say it, but people will hire Mexican illegals because they WANT TO WORK. I'll let that sink in for a moment.
I have worked with way too many people who don't want to actually do the job they get paid to do. They feel the job is beneath them, they don't want to work the hours they are scheduled. Some stupid excuse. The thing is, the Mexicans (They were Chinese 150 years ago), are willing to come in on time, do the job, and do it well. Why? They want to be able to provide for their families. They like the idea of being employed.
Yes, there are people I don't like, but I don't hate all Jehova's Witnesses because a few of them once came to my door and tried to sell me their religion. There was an Indian guy on the highway this morning who almost got me killed, but I don't hate all Indian folk because of just him. Why? That would be crazy. At least in my opinion.
Sorry this has jumped around so much, but what it boils down to is that I don't understand why we (have to?) hate those who are different from us. I know it happens, but why does it happen? Why do we care that old man Smith down the block doesn't go to church? Why do we feel like those hippie kids two streets over that worship the oak tree in the back yard are Godless heathens? Why are we quick to jump into our neighbors' business, but even quicker to get angry when they jump into ours? So you have a gay couple living across the street? You don't agree with their lifestyle but they are not hurting you, so just let them be! Same with the Muslim family. Chances are if you actually talk to them and get to know them, they are pretty similar to you.
I will probably clean this up at some point in the near future, but as I said, I needed to get it out of my head, so there it is.
lovecharlie.
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