From the Angle I Am at Now

On my way to the city, again heard the news on the planned mosque near ground zero and how some are against the idea. I don’t know. Maybe it was the heavy traffic. But this time around, instead of shrugging the news off – in one ear and out the other – I actually dwelled on it. And two other topics that I’ve avoided taking a stand on.

So, from the angle I am at now – who knows if the angle will change – am taking this bold step to state my stand:

On the mosque. Line from the news that called my attention “… religious freedom is one of the foundations of our democracy.”

Agree. We cannot be against all things “mosque” based on a sweeping generalization that all Muslims kill others and self in the name of and for Allah. We are not our religion nor our god. Wouldn’t it be a great thing though if we were? Allah, God, Jehovah, Yahweh, etc, etc, etc. These names supposedly stand for all things good. So, if we are our religion, if we are true to what our gods stand for, there should be no killing. There should be no ground zero. The perpetrators of ground zero are human beings, first and foremost, before they are Muslims.

What I am interested to find out though are: how near is the nearest mosque to ground zero? What makes ground zero an ideal location for a new mosque? In other words, why a mosque … now … at ground zero? Maybe these parts of the news I missed.

On the death penalty. Ok. Here, my religiosity comes in. I am not the source of life; therefore, I have no right to take life. Is life imprisonment not enough? What can be worse punishment than spending life in prison? I just hope that we can think of something fast though to make sure we don’t have more convicts than prison cells.

On same sex marriage. Maybe it’s the word “marriage” that throws me off balance. Hey, I’m that way. And I will move and live in with a partner when the right one comes along. But I don’t think I’ll ever drag marriage into the picture. Marriage is way older than me. Thus, I choose to respect its heritage and legacy.

Rights and privileges of married couples? Call me plain and simple stupid, but won’t living and/or last will and testaments address this concern? Ulk.