But Seriously

GZ Mosque Controversy is Bizarre

Mark the moment: The battle over the Ground Zero mosque has passed through the looking glass and into the wonderland of insanity.

Surprise, surprise, the "summit" of national and local Muslim organizations early this week turned into a rally-around-the-mosque gathering. While that was predictable, the logic justifying the move is as scrambled as the landscape Alice discovered behind the mirror.

It is now the "extremists" opposed to the mosque who are the reason why it must be built, according to the Muslim supporters. At least one of whom, not incidentally, is a big supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Growing out of the fetid swamps of moral equivalence, where extremism is in the eye of the beholder, the gathering illustrates how a preposterous sense of victimization is now the driving force behind the mosque. The initial vow that the facility would help heal the breach of 9/11 has vanished.

Instead of the interfaith bridge, developers and supporters delivered a superhighway of grievance and false claims of discrimination. In a flash, the mosque has gone from a plan to assertions of legal right and absolute moral authority.

To merely question it is to be a bigot. It must be built or the whole country will be labeled anti-Islam. And you know what that means — kaboom!

They threaten violence, and we're accused of being intolerant.

In fairness, we can't blame this switcheroo only on the shady cast of slumlords and tax scofflaws behind the project. Mayor Bloomberg and then President Obama showed them the way by foolishly inflating a fairly routine land-use controversy into a historic test of American values.

see more at www.foxnews.com

I haven't been keeping up with the news lately.  All the political posturing around election season wears thin on me after a while.  Today, I decided to find the latest news on the abhorent Ground Zero Mosque and Terrorist Community Center (GZMTCC).  While there was no "news" per se, I did find an opinion column written by Michael Goodwin about a week ago.  Goodwin does an admirable job of expressing my opinion and my take on the GZMTCC situation.  

Essentially, if this building is supposed to be a bridge between cultural differences and if it is supposed to heal wounds, it is failing miserably and it has not even been built.  Some supporters of the Ground Zero Mosque and Terrorist Community Center have also been shown to be supporters of terrorist organizations like Hamas.  These same radicals decry opposition to the GZMTCC as "intolerant," and "biggotted."  They cry "unfair" and now, they no longer seem to care about building bridges (not a big surprise to those of us who were concerned about the project), instead, the Ground Zero Mosque and Terrorist Community Center must be built as a show of moral authority over the hateful (non-violent) Americans who oppose it.  Oh, by the way, if it doesn't get built, it will fan the flames of terrorist jihad and something "bad" could happen.

And the opinion of the one man most responsible for American security?  President Obama says, "We can absorb another 9/11."  I am guessing he means we can "absorb" one if it does not hit the White House.  I don't know about you, but I don't care to "absorb" another radical islamofascist attack.

Goodwin is right, we have fallen down the rabbit hole.  Click the link above to read the full article.

No Quran Burning on 9/11

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A Florida imam says that no deal has been reached to move the site of a mosque at the site of ground zero in exchange for a Florida minister to call off plans to burn Qurans.

Imam Muhammad Musri tells The Associated Press that what he offered was a meeting among the Rev. Terry Jones, the New York imam planning the Islamic center and himself to talk about the mosque location.

Musri is president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida. He says he told Jones that he does not believe the mosque should not be there and would do everything in his power to make sure it is moved.

Jones says he believes a deal was reached to move the mosque and would fly to New York Saturday to discuss it.

via news.yahoo.com

While I recognize the right of any American to practice "free speech" by burning things, I am always appalled when people choose to burn things that other people regard as sacred or worthy of increased respect.

The moment that I heard that a Florida church would have a book burning ceremony on 9/11, I thought, "What a dork." Burning any book has bad connotations in America, but burning someone's sacred book is just not right. Making matters worse, it was a church that initiated the planned burning. Instead of fostering peace, this church deliberately pursued conflict. Way to spread the word about Jesus! (Not).

I was excited today to see a headline proclaiming that the book burning is cancelled and the church in Florida is not encouraging anybody anywhere to burn other people's holy books. I am even more excited that the burning was cancelled in a move that may mean the controversial Ground Zero Mosque (an act of equally bad taste) may be moved to another site. I am disturbed, however, that the AP article above was written by a jounalist who apparently hears conflicting voices in his head and writes in stream of consciousness style. The only point the article makes clearly is that the books won't be burned. Will the GZ Mosque be moved or won't it? This article says both.

Open Letter to President Obama

via www.thebravest.com

If you are confused, disappointed, disillusioned, or outraged about the so-called Justice Department taking over the trials of terrorists and bringing them to New York as the centerpiece of a three-ring media circus, I urge you to click the link above. Read the Open Letter of Protest to President Obama and add your signature if you agree.

Welfare Cell Phones

via www.safelinkwireless.com

Verified by TruthorFiction.com

On the surface, it sure seems nice that our government provides welfare phones to needy individuals. Phones are the best way to contact emergency services, like 911. Interestingly, the purpose of the program is not to provide a means to contact emergency services (even a deactivated cell phone can still call 911). Rather, the purpose of the program is to allow recipients to stay up to date with current communication technologies. According to Reuters, the FCC says it is meant to " keep the right to communicate in pace with technology." Yes, the FCC says communication is a right and therefore, everyone should have a cell phone.

The Lifeline cell phone program has been around since 1984. Participants must prove eligibility by being currently enrolled in good standing in another government assistance program (food stamps, etc) and they must verify eligibility requirements annually.

Depending on the state, participants receive a cell phone and approximately 60 minutes of air time. They are able to purchase additional air time if they desire. 

Digging beneath the surface, one must wonder when cell phone communication became a right?  Why does the government feel it is necessary to give phones and phone service away?  Is the program providing a legitimate benefit to people with legitimate need?  Of course it is--but that benefit is more of a "luxury" than a "right."  To my knowledge, there is no audit or oversight of how the minutes are used. How does the FCC assure me that public funded cell phones are not being abused?  I would hate to think that my tax dollars pay for a cell phone to be used to coordinate drug deals or some other illegal activity.

One must wonder if the FCC is attempting to expand this so called right into the realm of the internet through a concept called "net neutrality."  Net neutrality would force internet service providers to deliver the broadband internet bandwidth they promise--which doesn't sound bad.  Take a moment, though, and consider internet bandwidth in terms of traffic: during rush hour, traffic travels significantly below the speed limit.  During low traffic times, vehicles are able to travel at (if not above) the speed limit.  If service providers are going to have to guarantee bandwidth, they will likely guarantee the lowest possible speed to avoid government penalties.  Internet service across the board will become slower and less efficient.  If you visit the FCC's website, Openinternet.gov, you will be able to view a video to explain why the FCC wants to interfere with Internet Service Providers and you will be able to read comments from people who support and oppose the net neutrality argument.  While net neutrality is not built around the concept of government provided "free" internet for all, some of the supporters cry out for free internet service (like this "free" cell phone service).  

I argue that free internet service can already be obtained at most schools and libraries for people who really need it.  I don't think, however, that the government needs to use my tax dollars to subsidize someones internet game habit (or worse).

Remembering 911

Today, I found a few blog postings by people who were in New York on 9/11/01.  They recount that day in their own words and in their own way.  While reading these accounts, my memories of that day returned with crystal clarity.

Reading these words refreshed my anger at the 911 tragedy.  It also gave me a new perspective--an eyes on the ground perspective of that horrible day.

The stories are tragic and touching.  They are real-life in the face of unspeakable terror.  I hope you will take time to read them too; and not just the post, but the comments that follow.

Live from New York, that Unforgettable Day

Remembering the World Trade Center  Chris Sciabarra has written a tribute every year . . . 

I remember September 11

9/11 Islam Delcares War on US the pictures made me cry.  The comments made me mad.

One Liberty Plaza, 9/11/2006

Never Forget please be sure to view his 9/14/01 photo slideshow, linked in the posting

Stiff Upper Lip

Project 2,996 -- Remembering the Slain

Quotes of the Day: Remembering 09/11/01

Blood of Heroes

The Jihad Against America Begins

Five Years Later

If you know of more links, please add them in comments.

A Tribute to Danielle Delie

This year, in memory of the 9/11 attacks on America, I am writing a tribute to Danielle Delie.  Danielle was 47 when she was taken from us.

I am sad to say that I did not have a long time to research Danielle.  I found out about the opportunity to write a tribute on Wednesday night.  Given more time, I would have liked to speak to her family.  I was not able to put it all together with personal interviews.  In my research, though, I did learn the following things about this beautiful woman:

Danielle was known for her joyful disposition and her ever-present smile.  Even friends who had not seen her in 30 years remembered her golden smile.

Danielle was the kind of friend who inspired trust.  She valued relationships and her friends knew they were loved.

She was not just personable, she was genuine.  Known for her warm heart, Danielle Delie was the kind fo person you would want to be around.  On her Legacy.com tribute page (linked below) Raymond Brown, of New York, said this of her:

She possessed the rare talent of combining poise and elegance with a complete lack of pretension and true generosity of spirit. A simple conversation among friends was one of her greatest delights, and it became something special when she took part.

Danielle was smart and strong. She spoke two languages fluently, English and French.  She had a talent for eloquent writing and would complete the NYT crossword puzzle in ink.

As I looked for information about her, I wondered what Danielle would be doing today.  Some things probably would not change:  She would encourage and support her family and friends, she would care for her pets.  Would she still be working?  If so, at the same job?  Would she still live in the city or would she have moved to the country, or even to France?  With her mastery of words, would she have written a book?

We don't know, because she was taken from us on September 11th, 2001.  

I have plenty of questions and curiosities, but there is something I know for sure:  She would have continued to have a great impact on the lives around her.  In finding tributes about her and reading what others said, I found a lot to admire about this woman.  If you knew Danielle, I encourage you to add a comment to this post.  If you did not know her, read the links below--you will find, like me, that you wish you had known her.

Other tributes to Danielle:

MMC Memorial

Terrorist Attack.com

9-11 Heroes

Legacy.com

Seraphim's Journal of Muses

7 Years Later

Never Forget!