|
| BY
CHRIS POH, PUBLISHER OF AMERICAN PUBLIC
HOUSE REVIEW |
 Now that there seems to be some genuine
hope that the Macondo blowout is close to being permanently contained,
Americans can turn their attentions to more serious concerns. Instead
of giving reasonable consideration to whether or not we should allow
oil companies to continue to build deep water oil rigs in the Gulf of
Mexico, we can spend our time worrying about whether or not Muslims
should be able to build a community center in Lower Manhattan.
Much of this controversy has been fueled by many of the same folks that
have made it their mission in life to return America to the enlightened
path of Constitutional purity and righteousness as intended by the
Founders and Framers of our governing principles, after of course the
exclusion of the 14th and 17th Amendments. On this particular issue
though, the Bill of Rights squarely comes down in favor of those
seeking to build their community and prayer center in the proximity of
New York’s Ground Zero. So those in opposition to the construction have
no legal recourse other than to plead the political position that the
placement of the structure is insensitive and insulting to those who
suffered and died as a result of the September 11th attacks. And sadly,
a majority of Americans support that argument; but as usual without the
benefit of the facts.
· Innocent Muslims were also amongst the dead and
injured in the
rubble of the World
Trade Center.
· Muslim first responders aided in that rescue
and recovery.
·
Thousands of American Muslims faithfully
serve in our armed forces, and many of those
have been wounded or killed as a consequence of combat
operations in both Iraq and
Afghanistan.
|
Lastly, if there is a case to be
made for honoring this piece of
hallowed ground by vetting what is allowed to be located in its
vicinity, perhaps we might first consider doing away with the nearby
betting parlor and strip clubs. But this after all is America, a
country that is supposedly guided by a spirit of tolerance and
inclusion, and a country that makes its decisions grounded in the rule
of law. If we were to let our citizens decide the lay of the land based
solely upon their sensitivities, personal prejudices and perceptions of
historic events not much of anything would ever get built.
I’ve actually encountered people that are offended by the presence of
the brew pub
close to Robert E. Lee’s headquarters and the Gettysburg battlefield.
And then there’s that contingent of Lakota Sioux that would rather not
have the faces of the white fathers from Washington looking down at
them, after we stole the Black Hills in South Dakota via slaughter and
subterfuge. Now I might be somewhat ambivalent about the possible
demise of Mount Rushmore—but I’d sure hate to lose that brew
pub.
|
