voices

Where are the shrill, hate filled, uninformed, intolerant voices of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, John McCain, anyone on FOX News, when innocent Americans in this country are now being targeted as enemies of the state? Where are those loud and proud cowardly voices who promote “we” vs. “they” after Americans are attacked because the voices of ignorance, politics, self serving are sent out across the land? Where are the good Christian, God Bless America, Flag and God men and women protesting the violence condoned by spineless bullies, shouting ‘… this is not how Americans treat Americans’?

Where are the people who actually care about the true meaning of our Constitution? The people who ask for reason, who seek truth, who understand tolerance and want consensus? Where is the outcry from religious leaders who know that the God they believe in does not wage war, does not discriminate, does not act human?

When does this insanity of bigotry and bias end? When do we hold accountable the men and women of this nation who quickly exit the theater right before they shout FIRE? When do all of us who say nothing begin to realize that once a scapegoat is found and punished, the same mob, the same hooligans, the same insecure individuals who promote violence against them will seek out others, perhaps you and me?

When do we begin to look for answers instead of blame? When do we first correct our faults before pointing fingers to others for our own self induced misery?

This country has become so tuned into pointing fingers away from our own mistakes, missteps, misuse of democracy. Hate loud enough and the facts become useless. Hate loud enough and all eyes turn away from us. Hate loud enough and step on the rung of the ladder kicking anyone beneath you.

We have done it with the Japanese during WWII, Blacks since the Civil War, the Hispanics in Arizona, the Gays and Lesbians who want to marry, and now we have geared our guns aimed our ammunition toward Muslim Americans.

Earlier this week, a mosque in Madera, Calif., had been vandalized with signs referring to the controversial plan to build an Islamic community center two blocks from the site of the September 11 terrorist attacks,

“No temple for the God of terrorism at Ground Zero,” one sign read. “Wake up America, the Enemy is here,” read another. Both were signed “ANB,” reportedly standing for the American Nationalist Brotherhood.

In the latest in a spate of anti-Muslim incidents over the last two days, an intoxicated man entered a mosque in Queens on Wednesday evening and proceeded to urinate on prayer rugs, New York police officials said.

The man, identified as Omar Rivera, reportedly shouted anti-Muslim epithets and called worshippers who had gathered for evening prayer “terrorists.” One witness said the man was “very clearly intoxicated” and had a beer bottle in his hand at the time.

Around 6 p.m. Tuesday evening, a drunk 21-year-old student named Michael Enright allegedly attacked a cab driver in midtown Manhattan who had identified himself as a Muslim.

The cab driver told police that the two struck up a conversation in Arabic before Enright turned on him, screaming “This is a checkpoint, mother----er! I have to put you down.” Enright reportedly proceeded to stab the driver’s neck and face with a Leatherman knife. NYT

Scary situations in this land of freedom and liberty; scary situations in a country founded (but once we elect enough Tea Baggers it will be changed), on separation of church and state and the understanding that this country will not sponsor a national religion; and scary situations that the response from those who don’t remain silent, that these are just scattered incidents. (The closing of Jewish places of worship, the burning of unauthorized books by the Nazi’s, the beatings of Jews across Germany were also embraced by silence and commentary that it was just a bunch of crazies.)

Where did it start and why did it start, from whose voices do we hear dissent, dismay, doom? When do we ALL start healing and helping? …In space, when the astronauts have a concern they say “Houston we have a problem”. I am saying “America we have a problem that will dismantle and disable the freedoms, the rights, the equality, the democracy that has made us unique, safe, and usually on the right side of life. Where does all of this lead and where will it end?