It is said that every revolution carries its own seeds of destruction. In looking at America today, I wonder if those seeds from our revolution have taken root and are starting to sprout. If you were to ask someone overseas what was America’s essence, they would tell you that it was individual freedom, and indeed it was. America’s Founding Fathers embedded the concept of individual freedom in everything they wrote and said. The Constitution says that as citizens we the right to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, and yet look at us now.
Americans are now little more than economic serfs. We have a debt and tax burden which is unsustainable. We’ve created an entire underclass, which is expanding and ever increasingly depended on the government for their survival (“entitlements” they’re call); the majority being black Americans who have been lured into trading their masters of old for new ones rather than seeking economic independence. In a society such as ours, capitalism must be ever expanding in a perpetual self-created world of obsolescence. Large multi-national corporations regard governments simply as another tool to achieve their economic ends and keep the populace in line. Employees are just another liability to be used and discarded; another cost to be cut. We’re less citizens and more captive consumers. It seems that somewhere along the line, we’ve forgotten “pursuit” and inserted the word “right”. But such “rights” come with their own chains. What the government gives with one hand, it takes a large piece of with the other.
Americans by and large are a religious lot, whether or not we attend a place of worship on a regular basis. We deeply cherish our freedom of and from religion. We have no national religion. We stand by the separation of Church and State as matter of national principle. We are one of the few countries which have freedom of speech and a relatively free and open press (the integrity of which comes into question from time to time, however, that very fact is a visual demonstration of that very freedom). While we may argue amongst ourselves over issues, we stand together in defending our right to speak our minds.
So, how to we defend that right when discussing a religion which would like nothing better than to imbed itself in government; to create a theocracy? What do we say to this growing religion which openly espouses the destruction of our government, of our Western values and our religious beliefs? We’re speaking of a religion whose sole aim is absolute global domination; elimination of all other religions; forced compliance with their religious laws; abolition of basic rights such as open and free debate, equality among sexes, religious tolerance, religious courts with the right to issue beatings and death penalties.
We are a nation of immigrants. It has been our diversity which has made us the most successful nation in the history of the world. We brought with us the best of our native countries and eagerly blended them with others. No other phrase was spoken with such feeling by our immigrant ancestors as “I am an American”. Nowadays, we’re fast becoming a nation of ethnic groups. We see people walked down the street in their native costumes. We have a population who refuses to learn our language and, in fact, demand that we learn theirs. Where, else in the world can an immigrant population demand that the host country cater to their language and customs? Politicians only see voters and the next election. Businesses only see consumers. The American People see their nation unraveling.
When asked why America is the world’s destination, the answer is the same now as it was in past: a better life. Yet, we have millions coming here illegally. America is a sovereign country governed by laws like every other country, but we find ourselves unable or unwilling to act to secure our borders. Our federal government ignores the overwhelming will of the people with greater and greater impunity on this and other issues. The end result is an ever increasing burden on an already overburden infrastructure. Those who claim that illegals “pay their way” overlook the fact that the majority who pay any kind of taxes are at the extreme low end of the economic scale and thus are unable to pay even their share of the tax based services they use. These same individuals also have very low levels of education and not only don’t know the language, but many actively refuse to learn it or allow their children to learn it. The result is the creation of yet another subclass.
Americans pride themselves on their right, as guaranteed under the Constitution, to self-protection. Perhaps it’s our national individualist streak; maybe it’s because our Founders knew government couldn’t always be trusted and therefore the citizenry had to have the means to fight back, but either way, we cherish our guns. However, there are those who believe that individual ownership of guns does more harm than good; no guns equals less violent crime. These same individuals seem to ignore Man’s propensity to violence with or without guns. Man is a natural killer. We’ve been doing it for hundreds of thousands of years. We’re very good at it. When someone knows they’re likely to get killed doing something wrong, they tend to go elsewhere.
So, how do we get out of this rabbit hole? Will we have to destroy America in order to save it? How to do reconcile religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and free speech with groups who aren’t merely trying to incite media attention, but aggressively attempting to destroy us while hiding behind our most cherish rights to do it? How to we end economic serfdom while keeping at least a measure of capitalism? We’ve reached an over saturation point in current debt and taxes. Our grandchildren are coming into the world with an estimated $42,000 tax debt tied around their neck. Of course, we must somehow break the current business-government exploitement of working America.
Unions did much to counter the corruptive power of corporations in the latter half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century, however many unions became as bad as some of the companies over time. As a result, the reputation of organized labor became forever tarnished, and membership dropped (and with it, political clout). Perhaps it’s time to revisit those early unions once again and not become the cash cow of either political party this time.
No less important is whether we can remain a single united nation with both business and our elected officials promoting multi-culturalism to the point where we are losing common cause with each other. The only result, if we continue along these lines, is a defacto Balkanized country if not a divided nation.
All nations rise and fall. Perhaps now is our time. Then again, perhaps Americans will decide that it’s time to start over.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Burning of the Koran: Fuel for Thought
“Where they have burned books, they will in the end burn human beings---Heinrich Heine.
As hard as it is to believe, a Pentecostal minister had proposed the burning of a religious text. The pretext was over his opposition to the ill-conceived building of a mosque at Ground Zero; near the site of where the Twin Towers stood (the mosque is to be named the “Victory Mosque”). Didn’t that go out of fad in the West during the end of the Middle Ages?
Reverend Terry Jones had planned on using the anniversary of 9/11 to create a media event by burning copies of the Koran outside his small 50 member church located in Gainesville, Florida. According to Jones, the Koran “espouses evil” because it teaches something other than “biblical truth” in accordance to Reverend Jones’ beliefs.
The minister has come under intense pressure not to follow through with “stunt” as President Obama put it, and claimed that it would put US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in additional harm’s way. US Secretary of State Robert Gates made a personal phone call to Jones and asked that the event be cancelled. Even the Pope weighed in and suggested the reverend reconsider.
After meeting with Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, and praying for a sign from God, the minister agreed to postpone, for now, the fiery demise the Moslem’s holy text, in exchange for moving the Ground Zero Mosque. Reverend Jones has agreed to fly to New York with the Imam to meet with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, leader of the Islamic Center building the mosque. Jones had commented that an agreement was reached to relocate the mosque away from the site where Moslem terror-cowards hijacked two passenger planes and rammed them into the Twin Towers.
Imam Rauf said, however, that no such agreement had been reached. If fact, the imam rather defiantly said, "I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans. However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony." Jones stands by his claim, and said "I verified that three or four times with witnesses. I trust that man who gave me that. I believe he is a man of integrity, a man of his word, I do not believe that he lied to me. If the mosque is not moved, Jones added "then I think Islam is a very poor example of religion. I think that would be very pitiful. I do not expect that."
Word of the planned burning spread rapidly in the Moslem World with counter burnings proposed amid mass protests and chants of “Death to Christians” throughout even the most moderate of Moslem countries. So what are we to make of all this?
First, I think this was a nothing more than a publicity stunt to promote Jones and his church. Sure, his disgust over the building of the mosque at Ground Zero is probably real enough. Who isn’t ticked off at its audacity? Historically, a mosque has always been erected at or near the site major victories. Is it any wonder the Ground Zero Mosque is unofficially known as the “Victory Mosque”? Of course, the new offical name is Park51. It was changed from Cordoba House. But, having said that, Jones was successfully in getting some attention for his church and perhaps, some donations from some well meaning souls. Will he be successful in getting the mosque moved? Of course not. Nevertheless, after the book burnings of Nazi Germany, how can anyone call for the burning or for that matter, even the banning of books, especially a religious text? In the end, you only destroy paper and cardboard while the ideas contained in the books are only inflamed by the fire.
Secondly, if Reverend Jones, or someone else, stages a Koran burning now or in the future, would it put US troops in danger? I think the answer is obvious, and not only US troops, but civilians as well as Westerners in general. Remember, non-Moslems are allowed to practice their religions only as courtesy of the host nation not as right. There is no such thing as religious freedom there. Non-Moslems are afforded little legal recourse against discrimination or even attacks based on religion. Christian churches, as well as Hindu and Buddhist temples (some centuries old) had been vandalized and even destroyed with no punishment of the perpetrators. The occasional public “anti-West’ demonstrations and burning of the Christian Bible, the Jewish Torah, and well as other sacred texts are not that uncommon. So, we certainly have a double standard that the West, at least, seems to be willing to play along with.
So, what’s the solution? Obviously global religious freedom, tolerance, and sensitivity would be a good place to start, but don’t look for that to happen as long as some religions have an “all or nothing” mentality and are quietly (and not so quietly) working to bring about their version of the Armageddon. While the Islamic Center in New York has a Constitutional right to build a mosque wherever zoning ordinances permit in this country, something their own religion denies to others, their insensitively to the location barely masks an arrogance and contempt for America.
Suggested Articles:
Religious Police Destroy Temple
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/mar/26/20050326-111002-8593r/
Moslems Attack Hindus
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15923&size=A
Muslims Deny Buddhist Majority
http://hinduexistence.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/malay-muslims-denies-thailands-buddhist-majority-6-buddhists-gunned-down-in-south-thailand-by-islamic-insurgents-for-pan-islamic-jihad/
Moslems Destroy Christian Church
http://hinduexistence.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/malay-muslims-denies-thailands-buddhist-majority-6-buddhists-gunned-down-in-south-thailand-by-islamic-insurgents-for-pan-islamic-jihad/
As hard as it is to believe, a Pentecostal minister had proposed the burning of a religious text. The pretext was over his opposition to the ill-conceived building of a mosque at Ground Zero; near the site of where the Twin Towers stood (the mosque is to be named the “Victory Mosque”). Didn’t that go out of fad in the West during the end of the Middle Ages?
Reverend Terry Jones had planned on using the anniversary of 9/11 to create a media event by burning copies of the Koran outside his small 50 member church located in Gainesville, Florida. According to Jones, the Koran “espouses evil” because it teaches something other than “biblical truth” in accordance to Reverend Jones’ beliefs.
The minister has come under intense pressure not to follow through with “stunt” as President Obama put it, and claimed that it would put US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in additional harm’s way. US Secretary of State Robert Gates made a personal phone call to Jones and asked that the event be cancelled. Even the Pope weighed in and suggested the reverend reconsider.
After meeting with Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, and praying for a sign from God, the minister agreed to postpone, for now, the fiery demise the Moslem’s holy text, in exchange for moving the Ground Zero Mosque. Reverend Jones has agreed to fly to New York with the Imam to meet with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, leader of the Islamic Center building the mosque. Jones had commented that an agreement was reached to relocate the mosque away from the site where Moslem terror-cowards hijacked two passenger planes and rammed them into the Twin Towers.
Imam Rauf said, however, that no such agreement had been reached. If fact, the imam rather defiantly said, "I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans. However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony." Jones stands by his claim, and said "I verified that three or four times with witnesses. I trust that man who gave me that. I believe he is a man of integrity, a man of his word, I do not believe that he lied to me. If the mosque is not moved, Jones added "then I think Islam is a very poor example of religion. I think that would be very pitiful. I do not expect that."
Word of the planned burning spread rapidly in the Moslem World with counter burnings proposed amid mass protests and chants of “Death to Christians” throughout even the most moderate of Moslem countries. So what are we to make of all this?
First, I think this was a nothing more than a publicity stunt to promote Jones and his church. Sure, his disgust over the building of the mosque at Ground Zero is probably real enough. Who isn’t ticked off at its audacity? Historically, a mosque has always been erected at or near the site major victories. Is it any wonder the Ground Zero Mosque is unofficially known as the “Victory Mosque”? Of course, the new offical name is Park51. It was changed from Cordoba House. But, having said that, Jones was successfully in getting some attention for his church and perhaps, some donations from some well meaning souls. Will he be successful in getting the mosque moved? Of course not. Nevertheless, after the book burnings of Nazi Germany, how can anyone call for the burning or for that matter, even the banning of books, especially a religious text? In the end, you only destroy paper and cardboard while the ideas contained in the books are only inflamed by the fire.
Secondly, if Reverend Jones, or someone else, stages a Koran burning now or in the future, would it put US troops in danger? I think the answer is obvious, and not only US troops, but civilians as well as Westerners in general. Remember, non-Moslems are allowed to practice their religions only as courtesy of the host nation not as right. There is no such thing as religious freedom there. Non-Moslems are afforded little legal recourse against discrimination or even attacks based on religion. Christian churches, as well as Hindu and Buddhist temples (some centuries old) had been vandalized and even destroyed with no punishment of the perpetrators. The occasional public “anti-West’ demonstrations and burning of the Christian Bible, the Jewish Torah, and well as other sacred texts are not that uncommon. So, we certainly have a double standard that the West, at least, seems to be willing to play along with.
So, what’s the solution? Obviously global religious freedom, tolerance, and sensitivity would be a good place to start, but don’t look for that to happen as long as some religions have an “all or nothing” mentality and are quietly (and not so quietly) working to bring about their version of the Armageddon. While the Islamic Center in New York has a Constitutional right to build a mosque wherever zoning ordinances permit in this country, something their own religion denies to others, their insensitively to the location barely masks an arrogance and contempt for America.
Suggested Articles:
Religious Police Destroy Temple
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/mar/26/20050326-111002-8593r/
Moslems Attack Hindus
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15923&size=A
Muslims Deny Buddhist Majority
http://hinduexistence.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/malay-muslims-denies-thailands-buddhist-majority-6-buddhists-gunned-down-in-south-thailand-by-islamic-insurgents-for-pan-islamic-jihad/
Moslems Destroy Christian Church
http://hinduexistence.wordpress.com/2010/04/03/malay-muslims-denies-thailands-buddhist-majority-6-buddhists-gunned-down-in-south-thailand-by-islamic-insurgents-for-pan-islamic-jihad/
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