Grateful Dead

ALL radical fringes, EVERYWHERE..... take that advice.....though, of course, it won't be right away.....darn it

And I still have to reiterate that I'm against burning anybody's holy books and building anything Muslim anywhere near Ground Zero. Insensitivity and bad taste are not against the law though. As today is the 9th anniversary of 9/11, I think it is in good taste and appropriate to remember all those victims who lost their lives nine years ago today. It was an unbelievable act of barbarity that has spread pain and suffering around the world. When will we ever learn to share the bounteous harvest of this planet? Not soon enough (sighhhhhhh!!) . : ~ {{ Just what kind of insanity does the radical fringe of Islam believe in that they get their rocks off doing this kind of thing? They need to study nonviolence and the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi. I pray that they reflect and change their ways before we all live in a police state where the only thing that is not under tight control are the thoughts in your head!

exactly what I was trying to say!!

To clarify my position on free speech: "When push comes to shove" (as someone once said) I would actually defend the nut in FL's right to burn the Koran. Losing free speech is very frightening to me as well. I am just saying that when people exercise their free speech it would be in everyone's best interest if they did it responsibly. Regardless of what I feel, the government may at some point decide to restrict speech they consider dangerous. Its been done in the past, usually when we are at war, and it is a scary place to go. Many people have expressed their feelings about Muslims, the ground zero mosque etc. in ways that haven't had the government threatening to step in! I'm urging the pastor in FL to moderate his own speech but will resist any effort by the government to stop him.

But to do something with the express intent of hurting someone just smacks of meanness to me. There must be a way to get ones point across intelligently and courteously.

I would agree, TPH1, that Gandhi is one of the most significant figures in recent history. He was a luminary that was way ahead of his time. By having an opponent with a modicum of civility he was able to free his country. But it came with a price we are still paying today. It is called Pakistan. Still, nonviolence is the way of the future and Gandhi was the Godfather.

If you don't use your rights you will lose them. Burn flags, burn the Koran -- THAT is called freedom (as long as they are your flags and your Korans). When people start to riot and commit real crimes against living things and property that is not their own, they become criminals, they have crossed the line. I am so sorry to see everybody so willing to give up their rights. That is frightening to me. WTF people???

That will be a learning experience for sure tphokie! I may not overly enjoy by job but I will say that where I work it is very ethnically, culturaly and religiously diverse. By mingling with these diversities over the past decade I have learned a lot about tolerance and even acceptance of others' beliefs. I may not totally buy into what they are saying but I at least respect their views. "The dire wolf collects his due while the boys sing round the fire"

tphokie1......that's something we should all do more often...from politics to everyday life, extend a hand!!...I wish more people would understand that WE are ALL "those other people".

Tphokie. I think that is a very important point you are touching on-it's easier to be afraid of Muslims (or any other people) when you don't actually know any. I have been fortunate enough to have fact to face conversations, and also friends from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Bosnia, Turkey, and a muslim minority refugee from Montenegro. A wide range of people from different places who practise Islam. More importantly, thank goodness, so have my children. I could tell stories from heartbreaking to hilarious that happened amongst us-the same as happens during any other interaction between human beings. ********************************** By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity -- another man's I mean. Mark Twain