Petraeus vs. the Pastor

[Ben Lahnger]

Back to the topic:

I suspect that when everyone is reading their Korans and their Bibles and other spiritual works on iPads and Kindles and the next great reading device, it won't be anywhere near as satisfying for these nut cases to start a "Delete A Koran" day.

[Ben Lahnger]

Sadly, many people's faith and even some organized religions are about picking and choosing which parts of a holy scripture you choose to believe in and how you choose to interpret them. In this light, Pastor Jones has much in common with the Radical Islamic terrorists he professes to oppose.

[Still Jack]

Now, I'd go along with it if they burned every other book regarded as holy by someone or other, but this is just a tad on the offensive side.

But then again, you'd think they'd have another copy lying around somewhere....

[Despanan]

I don't see what the big deal is.

[Ben Lahnger]

I was saddened to see that after the General, the State Department, the Secretary of Defense and the President all spoke up asking the pastor not to proceed with his Quran burning, at least 4 copy-cat events were announced around the country. I shudder to think what the attention this nutcase was able to get will embolden others to do.

And the unconscionable thing is that even though he's backed down and is not burning any books today, it appears as if this Pastor and his little congregation of 30 people has already caused extreme reactions and protests around the globe that have resulted in loss of life and uncountable harm to the U.S. Government's goal of winning over the hearts and minds of moderate Muslims in the Mideast. And that pisses me off.

[KontanKarite]

What's so fucked up about these guys is that they'd go so far as to burn a book to send a message of hate but to put on the uniform, wield a rifle, and actually kill your perceived enemies... That'd be too much for them. They'd rather have the unattached armed forces to represent their message. While an atheist or muslim for that matter, dies for the American cause, they stay safely at home, chanting their wild outbursts of bigotry. These people are scum. It's not enough that they chose not to do it. It's only enough if they change their hearts and minds. Which wont happen.

[Despanan]

This just in: Fat Midwesterner Makes Ass of Himself:

http://mobile.gothamist.com/2010/09/..._at_ground.php

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by KontanKarite

What's so fucked up about these guys is that they'd go so far as to burn a book to send a message of hate but to put on the uniform, wield a rifle, and actually kill your perceived enemies... That'd be too much for them. They'd rather have the unattached armed forces to represent their message. While an atheist or muslim for that matter, dies for the American cause, they stay safely at home, chanting their wild outbursts of bigotry. These people are scum. It's not enough that they chose not to do it. It's only enough if they change their hearts and minds. Which wont happen.

+1

These people are being led by the right-wing and of course, faux news. If you watch what they are saying on faux, or better yet watch some of the other channels which are commenting on them, they are pouring fuel on this fire and sitting back and trying to say they aren't.

By putting so-called 'experts' in to give views which back their wacky beliefs, it furthers this ignorance.

It's sad really.

Much like the whole anti-Mexican fiasco unfolding in AZ, faux is trying to give valid reasons (i.e. reasons that don't sound racist) to allow people to adopt racist, bigoted views and not sound like racists and bigots.

Reminds me of American History X - the propaganda that white supremacist groups put out there is well thought out and seems to be supporting good qualities and values, but at the end of the day its nothing more than window dressing for hate-mongers.

[JCC]

Faux News is only funny the first time you say it, little mate.

[Lady Sorrow]

Originally Posted by viscus

It's not a mosque, it's the Muslim equivalent of a YMCA, it won't be at Ground Zero but two blocks away, and it's still going to be built. There's no reason why it shouldn't be.

i dont object to the building of it, i just dont think it should be built of ground zero. thats a sacred place, nothing should be built there, in my opinion, except a memorial to the victims.

... i wonder what goes on in a muslium YMCA...hmm...

[Ben Lahnger]

Sheesh! You're an idiot.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by Lady Sorrow

i dont object to the building of it, i just dont think it should be built of ground zero. thats a sacred place, nothing should be built there, in my opinion, except a memorial to the victims.

... i wonder what goes on in a muslium YMCA...hmm...

Did you not see my other post on this?

They are putting in a Starbucks and some fast food places on the site. The site is two blocks from strip clubs.

How sacred is it really? I mean, the same people calling it 'sacred' and saying Park51 shouldn't be built have no problems with the strip clubs, or putting a mickey d's directly on the site.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by JCC

Faux News is only funny the first time you say it, little mate.

I just don't like typing f0x. Makes me feel dirty.

[KontanKarite]

Originally Posted by Lady Sorrow

i dont object to the building of it, i just dont think it should be built of ground zero. thats a sacred place, nothing should be built there, in my opinion, except a memorial to the victims.

... i wonder what goes on in a muslium YMCA...hmm...

You fucking troll...

You know what? If I had my way, I'd build a god damn sinnomosqurch right on top of the god damned site. It's just a fucking hole where something bad happened. Fuck you, bitch. Let the New Yorkers make their decision as to what happens with it.

[Lady Sorrow]

Originally Posted by CptSternn

Did you not see my other post on this?

They are putting in a Starbucks and some fast food places on the site. The site is two blocks from strip clubs.

How sacred is it really? I mean, the same people calling it 'sacred' and saying Park51 shouldn't be built have no problems with the strip clubs, or putting a mickey d's directly on the site.

oops, sorry. i only have so much safe time on here so i have to speed through. ill try and be more careful.

i think it sacred or at least set apart because of all the innocents that died. but thats just my opinion (and its not like big brother Gov't is listening anyway otherwise they wouldnt do anything as retarded as that. [screw Mickey D's.])

[KontanKarite]

Going by your logic then, every square inch of earth on this planet is sacred.

The wars with the natives
The trail of tears
The civil war
Pearl Harbor
9/11
Oklahoma City Bombing
The gay riots of Stonewall
The numerous places where blacks died for equal treatment under law

That's just a small dusting of American history where we could consider a piece of dirt sacred and MOST of them have a fucking Wal-Mart or Starbucks sitting right on top of them with a small memorial if anyone was bothered to care that much about it.

Ground Zero isn't sacred. Once the MickyD's is finished being built there, I'll be sure to eat a Big Mac in honor of your strange sense of emotional investment for that very spot of land.

[Ben Lahnger]

New Yorkers already reached a consensus about what kind of memorial should be built there (so your opinion is worthless, Lady Sorrow), and that vision is nearly fully realized. But thankfully, they've also decided to build real buildings there which can do the kind of commerce that was being done on that site before.

Because just turning the whole site into a tribute to the tragic event that happened there is the equivalent of saying, "Look, here's where the terrorists kicked our ass!"

And the New Yorkers want to send a different message, one that says, "Terrrorists, yeah, you did some damage, but it's business as usual for us once again. So fuck you!"

[Alan]

My issue with that is that if the message trying to be conveyed is "business as usual" then America is making a semiotic statement that it is willing to withstand the occasional blow if needed if it is the price for continuing the established international policy.

[Ben Lahnger]

You know, you're making a fair point there, but I don't think the citizens think that due to our country's international policy we deserved to be attacked. And I wouldn't want this thread jacked too far off topic with a discussion about American foreign policy. You and I are likely to agree that it has been wildly myopic and tragically self-destructive in the long haul, but disagree strongly about what could have been done differently by the citizens of this country ... particularly the citizens of New York who have made the decisions about how to react to 9/11.

[Saya]

Hallowed or not, it makes no difference since its not actually on ground zero.