Wait a minute…no…that was “Musk for Men”, that cologne from the 70′s reserved for guys who drove Corvettes. What we need is a Mosque for men, although that may be a contradiction in terms. We’re getting a Mosque, ready or not, but it’s not just any old Mosque. This one will be thirteen stories high and will be built right, plunk in the middle of Ground Zero in New York City. Yes, the same religion that still holds Osama Bin Laden in good stead has decided to showcase itself exactly in the shadow of the spot where 3,000 innocent men, women and children died at the hands of Islamic extremists.
It barely seems necessary anymore to add the “extremist” at the end of that, because even in the wake of 9/11 there was little or no outcry from Muslims living here denouncing the act. There has been little or no outcry since, either. That speaks volumes in my book. Sure, I’ve heard the lone voice here and there in print or on talk radio claiming that the terrorists are in a league of their own…but are they?
The claim I hear most from those defending the Muslim silence is that they are afraid to speak out. Imagine being so beholden to a faith that you fear speaking out against the parts of it that are nonsense. You know…those pesky little paragraphs about killing infidels and Jews. The part about needing to do that to be allowed your passage to heaven. African-Americans should be grateful that Martin Luther King did not share those same fears. See…that is why a Mosque for men would be silly, because there are few real men that adhere to that religion and philosophy. Cowardice is the badge that these people wear.
How else do you describe flying an aircraft full of innocents into two of the world’s largest office buildings? How about the beheading of Daniel Pearl? Courageous? Strapping bombs to women and children and even developmentally disabled acolytes to have them bid the dirty work? The strategies of brave men?
In a way, I am glad this is happening. Not for New York, or for the relatives of those lost on that dreadful day. Not for the families of firefighters and other first responders who died on that day, or since from complications derived from it. I’m glad that such a simple, black and white statement has been made by the Muslims who call America “home”. It lays in stark terms, for those who may have missed the message of 9/11, exactly what these people are all about. Every one of them? No…of course not. I have met many who seem like fine people. I have also met some who can barely contain their disdain for Americans, yet they remain here for reasons that are increasingly baffling.
Dennis Miller said it better than anyone I’ve heard yet. He wrote that the fact that we would allow this tells you everything you need to know about us. The fact that Muslims in this country wouldn’t edit this on their own accord, tells you everything you need to know about them. Really, exactly how far over do we have to bend to convince the world, or maybe ourselves, that we welcome all with open arms? Will this mosque finally do it? Will that be enough and then maybe we can go back to having some common sense?
This is an affront to every American, and especially to every New Yorker. If I had one thing to say to Muslims in this country, assuming you see any good in this country at all, that there is even a shred of you that wants to be, even a little bit…American…please, have some manners.