"That does it! When we kick these Indians asses I'm never buying another damn blanket off of them....oops!"
I absolutely hate it when the news is consumed by something that tends to divide us into two opposite groups. Pro and con. That’s exactly what this Mosque controversy in New York City has done.
But, that said, I still tend to find a bit of humor in this whole issue.
I can sympathize with the feelings of those who lost loved ones in 9/11, as well as sympathize with those that point out that religious freedom is one of the staples of America. (this has nothing to do with the store Staples by the way)
So, I tend to look at things differently than most people when it comes to all of this. It’s called seeing the forest beyond the trees, or the trees beyond the forest. I’m not sure which way it’s supposed to be, but you get the point.
Let’s look at some of the conflicts we’ve been involved in over the centuries and apply the same standard of emotion felt with regard to the Mosque controversy.
There was the Civil War that pitted the North against the South. The North won, but many young men on both sides died for the cause. So does this mean that all southerners are bad? Should we boycott SOUTHwest Airlines? Should the actress Ann SOUTHern been banned from acting? Perhaps we shouldn’t have allowed Joe SOUTH to record any records. Maybe the word SOUTH should have been banned entirely.
Then there was the Revolutionary War. You remember that don’t ya? England against those poor colonists. We won that one too, but a lot of people died on both sides. But, Arther Treacher was still allowed to open a fish and chip franchise anywhere he wanted to. The Beatles were allowed to invade our shores. We even named a part of the U.S. after our old enemy, New England!
Then there was World War II. Germany and Italy were the enemies back then. When it was all over we embraced pizza, wine, Lowenbrau beer, Volkswagens, and Hogan’s Heros. I don’t get it!
Vietnam. Another conflict. More innocent people lost their lives, for what? Today there are Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai restaurants all over the place. Not to mention, which I’m about to, Japanese cars. And we fought them too.
Okay, so wars have taken many lives. Many suffered. Over a period of time, the healing process took place and we moved on. At least some of us moved on.
It’s the old routine. Start a war…….hope to win it……when it’s all said and done…….shake hands and build a McDonald’s on our former enemies soil and vice versa. The American way folks.
So now back to the Mosque controversy. Once again we’ve taken sides. My question is this. Twenty years from now will all of this matter? If you’re one of the ones who think that it will, then you’ve missed the point with regard to the points I’ve made about past conflicts, the number of lives lost, and the end result.
All Germans were not bad. All Japanese were not bad. All Italians were not bad. All Vietnamese were not bad. All Republicans and Democrats are not bad. All eggs in the latest recall are not bad. (still, check your eggs just to be on the safe side)
My own personal opinion, and it’s my own to do and think anyway I want to, because this is America…….last time I checked…is that no one group should be singled out for what other members of their group have done. It’s called discrimination. In this case, religious discrimination regardless of your opinion or feelings about 9/11.
Many many years ago a bank that I did business with refused to grant loans to Italians. Eventually they did. Should I boycott that bank today? Should I not buy a Volkswagen because of World War II? Should I refuse to patronize a Japanese or Vietnamese restaurant? Should I dislike Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich for stirring up the Mosque contgroversy?…………..Hmmmm, might have to think about that last one.
The bottom line here folks, pro or con, is that, and pay attention here, the bottom line is that when all is said and done………….when the politicians get through playing their Mosque hot potato election year games, there will be a winner and a loser.
And as I said, twenty years from now, no one…..NO ONE will give a rats ass after this conflict with the Muslim world is over and…………………………
Then we’ll build a string of McDonald’s, Burger Kings and Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises in Iraq, Iran, and every other Muslim country.
It’s the American way.
Do ya think General Custer would be rolling in his grave if he knew the Indians that did him in were today running big time gambling casinos?
It’s the American way.
Copyright 2010 MisfitWisdom RLV
