This whole case is interesting and infuriating to me for several reasons. I am a cinic by nature towards American media, and the first thing that comes to mind when I hear about this situation, is the rediculous ammount of media and world wide attention that this red-neck, bigot from Florida has gotten. But on a more intelligent note, there are several issues consequently arising, among them, the safety of our troops and the safety of Muslim civilians who warship peacefully in this country.
The glorification of this story in the Media has sparked unwarrented violence in Afrghanistan and has given the Taliban the fuel they need to further ignite a fire of hatred towards America and lead Muslims to believe that America is further waging a war against Islam. Protests of thousands broke out throughout Afghanistan and as reported by the AP, pamphlets distributed by the Taliban read statements like "it is Americans who are doing this," and "this is the brutal policy of the enemy of Muslims."
Listening to NPR this morning I also learned that threats are being made against troops overseas and the Sgt. General, the man in charge of the safety of the men and women in service, was urging the pastor to call off his plans to try to give rest to this surge of violence and hatred.
On another note, this story (which reighns over the media hand and hand with the buildaing of a Mosque at ground zero,) sheds light on the problems we have in this country with fear and xzenophobia.
We live in a 'free country' where much of the white, christian American society are afraid of and look down on people with dissimilar beliefs. One fear people have of Islam is that they are trying to spread the teachings of the Koran by building Mosques and that it is a violent and irrational religion. But no one has ever questioned or tryed to stop the spread of christianity and the building of churches, and really have we even stopped to look history in the face and accept how christianity became the number one religion in America?! How we went about spreading our religion and our churches. I know a rational, non-hypocrytical stance on the violence we witness ONLY through tedious selections by the media moguls is far from reality, but the truth is right there.
This is a counrty of laws and morals based on a constitution BASED on our Judeo/Christian beliefs. The religious implications which deny gay men the right to marry and deny us the right to buy booze on sunday and the sabbath. And we are accusing other religions of trying to spread their laws and beliefs.
So when we give some guy, some bud in a can drinking, little boy fondling pastor from the south, the micrphone to spew things like 'radical islam,' and 'take over....enforce upon us...' it sparks fear and in our vulnerable and neurotic state, the ball is in the hands of the terrorists.
Maybe thats what the media wants..... more fear... more war.... more money.. more oil... who knows. But really I am just sickened because everyone cares so fucking much about some joe shmo..... and little does ANYONE know.... people have already died because of him. And we STILL put him in the news.
"Is he gonna do it?".... "Nope he postponed it." ....."HES GONNA DO IT!"....."hes thinking about it asking god and preying on it."
Really people?
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