ad hoc MOM

Aug23Let The Hate Mail Begin…Because I Have an Opinion Y’all
Tonya

Like all moms I want my son to grow up to be happy and healthy…ok, and, in all honesty, successful and smart, and, if it’s not asking too much, for him to buy me a mansion and a sports car.

But I also want him to be free. Free in the sense that he can be who he wants to be, say what he wants to say, and worship how he wants to worship; these rights are provided by our 1st Amendment. But today, I’m saddened and appalled that Americans are about to destroy those inalienable rights by following in the footsteps of the misguided souls who seek to tear down our country.

By blocking the construction of an Islamic Cultural Center a few blocks from Ground Zero we will be letting those few extremists win. Their goal, in blowing up the World Trade Center, was to obliterate the American way of life and if we continue to protest with such prejudice  – against our own people: Muslim Americans — we will be helping them do essentially that. Regardless of your religion and political leanings, we must all remember that first and foremost the USA was founded on the principles of freedom of religion and speech; the very principles that we are now, ourselves, erasing.

I was in NYC on September 11th (it was actually the 2nd terrorist attack I have lived through). Like everyone in the world that day I was devastated and scared. But I refuse to let that fear and sadness cloud my rationality. Just like I refused to move from New York after that day. We must remember that every religion has their extremists, their criminals, their miscreants. We cannot judge an entire group of people based on a handful. If this were the case then Catholics, Born-Again Christians, Mormons, Jews, and every other religion, race, and class would have a lot to answer for. Here are a few examples:

1. Timothy McVeigh was Catholic

2. John Wayne Gacy was Catholic

3. Ted Kaczynski was an Aethiest

4. Ted Bundy was a Mormon then a Hindu

5. Jefferey Dahmer was a Born-Again Christian

6. David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) was Jewish before converting to Born Again Christianity.

7. Berni Madoff is Jewish

8. Adolf Hitler was a Christian (I realize people will argue with me on this so here is a quote from his book Mein Kamf: “I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews. I am doing the Lord’s work.”)

Now, before I open up my email to all kinds of hate mail, let’s get down to the REAL business at hand. These are a few things I believe should NOT be allowed in the vicinity of the World Trade Center:

1. Mel Gibson’s Jewish Community Center

2. A house made of cards (aka, the NY State Senate)

3. A statue of Schneider from One Day at a Time (I’m pretty sure with that tool belt and that ‘stache he was a kid toucher…I’m just sayin’)

4. The Spencer Pratt Marriage Counseling Institute

5. A penthouse for Celine Dion (she annoys me)

6. Anyplace where I’m not allowed to be shirtless and shoeless (cuz I’m that classy, people!)

7. A chicken farm (birds freak me out)

8. A playground for washed-up porn stars (who wants to see that…although I could probably hang there – shirtless and shoeless)

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14 Comments

  1. LM says:
    August 23, 2010 at 10:59 pm

    Hear, hear!

  2. SAHD says:
    August 24, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    Just a minor point; your quote from Hitler doesn’t necessarily mean he was Christian. It just shows he believed in one god (whichever one that was). A Muslim could have said that too.

  3. Tonya says:
    August 24, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    SAHD: In 1941, according to the diary of Nazi General Gerhart Engel, Hitler stated “I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so.”
    However, that being said, I will concede that throughout his reign he did waver between his Catholic/Christian upbringing and the belief that Nazi-ism should be a religion in its own right.

  4. asb888 says:
    August 24, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    No hate mail for this post! Thank you for your clear, rational POV, and thank you for having the guts to state it for all your readers.

  5. Auntie Gloria says:
    August 24, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    How beautifully written and thought out, Tonya. You just changed my mind completely. You are right and I was wrong, and I applaud you. Who says you can’t change your mind at 60? Wow. Keep it up! (Paula’s Aunt, by the way…..) Thank you, thank you. Your words carry a lot of meaning especially because you were there on September 11th. Thank you again. You have my gratitude!!

  6. Paula says:
    August 24, 2010 at 8:53 pm

    I feel crazy strongly that Muslim American friends should be able to build their cultural center. And hello, if anyone should be upset about the choice of location it’s them — I mean, the site is a former Burlington Coat Factory which is undeniably tacky. But I totally support their right to build upon a former Burlington Coat Factory!!

  7. Lee Romano Sequeira says:
    August 25, 2010 at 10:11 am

    Bravo to you for telling it like it is (something I personally love to do). Our great country is chock-full of radical “kooks” (especially if you happen to catch a glimpse of FOX NEWS – eeek!) So this was post was quite refreshing!

    ~ Lee (the “me” in madness)

    p.s. love the “One Day at a Time” reference!

  8. jilly says:
    August 25, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    As a kid I was bothered by Schneider, or whatever the hell his name is. I didn’t understand what his job was (I grew up in the most suburban suburb) or why anyone would choose to let him in their house.

  9. jilly says:
    August 25, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Oh, and, yeah, what you said about the mosque. Totally. You rock.
    j

  10. Ken says:
    August 25, 2010 at 11:51 pm

    I’m so glad to see so many sane comments in one place. This is such an emotionally charged issue. There seems to be no focus on the facts. The news coverage is really pitiful on this one, Fox News or otherwise. Thanks for the post. And thanks all for the comments. It is refreshing.

  11. Ken says:
    August 25, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    p.s. A penthouse for Celine Dion would definitely be another foreign act of terrorism in the financial district. We can never let that happen. Are you with me people?!?

  12. Jess says:
    August 26, 2010 at 12:28 am

    you hit the nail on the head, t. the news coverage of this issue has been so irresponsible!

  13. deborah quinn says:
    August 27, 2010 at 8:06 am

    One of the hallmarks of fundamentalism, of any sort (Christian, Muslim, Tea Party) is the refusal to enter into conversation with those of opposing beliefs. This country is founded on the principle (okay, not always carried out in reality, see slavery, women’s suffrage, etc etc–but the PRINCIPLE is there) of conversation among difference. If we shut down conversation, we’re shutting down one of the primary elements that has historically made the United States a place where things can change, and where people come precisely because here they can speak their mind. Nicely said, adhoc mom.

  14. alonewithcats says:
    August 28, 2010 at 12:05 am

    I will not send you hate mail for this post. Only love mail. Except I’ve been too lazy to send any sort of mail lately. So, you know, it’s kind of a wash.

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