Since I'm stabbin' along I want to try this topic out.
As delicately as I can, please allow some pontification on this post.
We are told, by various people in the media and personal accounts, that the Tea Party is an astro-turf enterprise rooted in racism. More or less, right? Even though no official platform lucidly articulating their loose movement is forthcoming. Agreed so far? All we have are snippets of some among them acting like racists and others, in their honesty, believe to be doing a good thing free of any racial thoughts.
But that doesn't stop people tagging the "baggers" as racist. Anectodal evidence for the most part I reckon.
Now let me draw and drag in the Muslim community and Islam. We're warned to not take the misguided words and distorted views of a few and apply them to the whole of Islam. Even though there's documented evidence that so-called "moderates" are not immune to, say, conspiracy theories on 9/11 or that the United States was an 'accessory" to what happened on that day. Is it that much of a stretch that this line of thinking exists among even the most moderate of Muslims? Which, in turn, spurns suspicions among parts of the population. Of course, it proves little, since non-Muslim Americans can think the same thing.
Point is: You either apply the sensible law of not "painting all with one brush" or you don't. Until the Tea Party states its overtly racist, it's tough to accept them in its entirety as such based on suspicion. People are entitled to suspect but not to indict.
Likewise, it's tough to accept Muslims at large to be sympathetic to "accerssory" rhetoric even if it comes from the mouth of one guy until Islam as a whole declares it to be so.
I don't see that. I see lotsa pickin' n choosin' depending on what side of the ideological fence you sit.
One more note about this. If Sarah Palin is attacked for her connection to Dominionists, then how is it different for Rauf and his connections to unsavoury elements of Islam? One is mercilessly scrutinized, while the other is not?
Not sure where to start... so much confusiong going on here, I wouldn't want to get sucked in.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll begin with saying the Tea Party is racist, even though I myself have argued on occasion it is not. They aren't really anti-black so much as they are anti-Hispanic, however. If these supposed "anti-regulation" Tea Partiers wish to really oppose regulation and end the immigration problem, they should remove the racist immigration quota laws enacted after the Ellis Island era in the early 20th century. Let people come legally, and boom: no more illegal immigration. Problem solved.
But I suppose this isn't racism, so much as blatant ignorance of the issue at hand. What's one form of stupidity versus another, though? Eh. I'll cave once more and pretend they "aren't racist" if you would prefer.
I'm very confused by your 9/11 conspiracy mention, because I have actually talked to Muslims about this and never heard one say anything besides, "I'm sure Al Qaeda did it." White males between 18 and 35, on the other hand, jumped right on board with the conspiracy theory (especially if they hated Bush to begin with).
It's never good to assume an entire group thinks a particular way, though if the group's policy is certain, there's nothing unjustified with criticizing the group. This is why I have no problem criticizing Islam, even though I have never met a Muslim who was as extreme as Protestants I have met. I just also dislike Protestants, and Catholics for that matter. And don't even get me started on Mormons...
What I am perplexed by are the people who supported "Draw Mohammed Day," and are now trying to argue Islam is a peaceful religion. You can support their right to build near Ground Zero, but don't lie and say "Oh yeah, Islam, that's a peaceful religion. Islam means peace!" Islam means submission, specifically to a stupid, flawed prophet who hated women, gays, or anyone who didn't agree with him.
There's a thousand things to criticize Sarah Palin for, least of all her husband's misguided belief that secession leads to anything but war. Every border that is drawn today is a battle we will have to fight tomorrow, and I very firmly believe that, because it is inevitable that we unite as one or destroy ourselves in division.
sorry about double post, please delete the first one if you can. Thanks. I was getting weird errors from blogger and made some corrections to the second one ni the process.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you about the apparent hypocrisy if not double-standard. I'm gonna post something in a sec about that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, well, last I checked Canadians aren't illegally flooding the States. It's very Rome like how Americans are being very gay in not protecting their own damn borders. You guys are like drama Queens. No nation on earth would tolerate it.
The only thing Canadians are invading are Target and outlets in Vermont and Plattsburgh.
ReplyDeleteI know more people from Canada than Mexico, but I do my own yard work, so...
ReplyDeleteFrankly, I'm more threatened by Canadians who actually compete for jobs I might get. If you're threatened by Mexicans... how fucking useless of a person are you that can't compete with people who don't even speak the language? Zero sympathy.
Liberal, unemployed, uglier than a dog AND funny.
ReplyDeleteGold, Jerry, gold.