Dear [Mr. Gingrich/Ms. Palin/Mr. Beck],
I was, of course, proud and heartened to see your absolute commitment to defending our Constitution and our guaranteed freedom of religion except in the case of this one community center, with this one religion, within this one semi-defined radius, due to special circumstances.
It especially warmed my heart to hear you say, over and over, that your objection to building an Islamic community center within several blocks of Ground Zero has nothing at all to do with bigotry or intolerance. How could it? It’s simply a matter of circumstances and sensitivity to the needs of others.
That’s why I know you’ll be proud to support our proposed Lower Manhattan Polytheistic Worship Center. This project will give everyone from Druids to goddess-worshippers to free-form animists a place to meet, learn, and pray to the gods and goddesses of their choosing. (No need to worry – Christians are always welcome! Please rest assured that Jehovah will always have an equal spot in our pantheon, just like Freya and Baron Samedi.)
As you have said so often, America needs religion now more than ever. Can I also count on you to make a personal donation to this project? Just $25 can help ensure a beautiful Beltane for children across the community. And a Naiad-level $500 donation gets you free admission to our monthly Pan cake breakfast.
As a stalwart defender of our religious freedoms, I know that I can count on you to be a prominent and vocal champion of this center.
Whether you choose to donate or not, I look forward to your enthusiastic public statements on our behalf.
Blessings,
The Lower Manhattan Polytheistic Worship Center Project
*smirk*
I sort of like it, but it’s a flawed analogy; Pagans like ourselves didn’t destroy the WTC in the name of…pick one…and then try to build a temple there.
The Muslims’ original plan had closer to the emotional effect and impact of the KKK opening a meeting hall near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL.
By: jonolan on August 17, 2010
at 1:25 pm
It’s not an analogy. I’m suggesting that the people who are saying the protests against the Muslim community center is not about religious intolerance are full of it. Their tolerance only extends to a pretty damn narrow range of what they’re comfortable with.
And, no, this is NOT like the Klan building near a hate crime site. You’ve bought into the far right’s publicity campaign – and you as a Pagan should know better than to accept a bigot’s depiction of someone else’s religion.
Islam is a major world religion, and the majority of its adherents are just as appalled by murder and terrorism as everybody else. It has radical offshoots that twist the religion, just like any other. It’s unfair to equate all Muslims with the worst psychopaths that call themselves Muslims – just like it would be unfair to say that all Christians are clinic bombers or share the views of the hatemongers at the Westboro Baptist Church.
By: Ali Davis on August 22, 2010
at 9:53 pm
Funny how everyone who think this mosque is a good idea refuses to actually listen to the complaints against. I never said that all Muslims were terrorists or that they were, in fact, the same as the Klan. I said that they’re attempt to build the Ground Zero Mosque had the emotional impact of the KKK opening a meeting hall near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, AL.
By: jonolan on August 23, 2010
at 2:49 am
Yes, that’s what you said.
And that “emotional impact” argument only applies if you refuse to understand that Muslim does not equal terrorist.
The Klan is WHOLLY DEVOTED to hate and hate crimes.
The terrorists were part of an offshoot group that perverts the peaceful message of Islam.
It’s not the same thing. It’s a criminal shame that Amercians have been bamboozled into believing it’s the same thing.
By: Ali Davis on August 23, 2010
at 7:12 am