Are We Conditional - I think so...

I just don't know what to think about all of this. I do see both sides- I'm a reasonable man and I think that two blocks away is far enough. Yep, I'm talking about the mosque in NYC. We are in a midst of a civil rights verses respect from two different perspectives of perspectives.

Our Constitution guarantees our freedom of religion. But how many people, and you may have met some them throught the years, I have, want all of us the freedom of "THEIR" religion. Us, not them. Our team. Our agenda. Our beliefs. Our party. Our way of doing business.

Does our Constitution have "conditions"? I think we think it does. Not just with religion, but with basic civil rights. I grew up in the deep South during the 1960's when the Vietnam War was on, Dr. King and President Kennedy were assassinated. I think I remember the funeral of Kennedy on the TV; not sure. I witnessed first hand segregation and secretly questioned why was it like this. Why did we have freedom and justice for all if the colored people couldn't walk into the front door of the Dr. Eddins's office in Monroeville? Why were there different water fountains? Our local laundy had seperate washers and dryers for them. Did they have something dirtier? Of course not. If I dared asked about that out loud, I would be strictly put in my place with threats of a spanking and, "You should know better than to ask something like that". I knew this answer from previous inquires into topics not understood but merely accepted among the tribe. People didn't understand. I think we still don't. I was very confused then and I am now. Have we evolved at all? Learned any lessons? Can't we just get along? Yes, we can.

When our school desegrated I was going into the 7th grade and our school system had taken the black peoples school 1 mile north of us and was going to use it as the Middle School, grades 5, 6, and 7. We were mixed, now. I remember, we stood around looking at each other for a couple of days, shy around each other really, and before you knew it there was no difference. No fights. No fear. No problems. We were fortunate. We were a small community and that played in our favor. Once the dust settled, we gave the African-American teachers the same respect as our White teachers.

I'm not a Muslim. I don't want to be. And honestly, I don't know much about that religion at all. I was raised Christian, have read many written works on different religions and philosphy. I need to continue to inform myself. I feel in time, the same dynamics will occur with the mosque as occured on the playground of my 7th year in school. We'll look around at it, realize there's nothing to be afraid of, release the fear, and gain an understanding and acceptance. Respect will then ensue.