Giving into the Dark Side
Dave Winer is a smart guy. But when he writes something like this, I have to wonder if he realize what he’s saying. Karen Hughes and Howard Dean voice agreement that a mosque should not be near the site of Ground Zero. Instead of asking why two people on opposite poles of the political spectrum thinks this way, Dave Winer writes a post calling for their deportation because he doesn’t agree with them. Does Dave Winer not realize that Hughes and Dean have just as much right to voice their opinion about the mosque and Ground Zero as anyone else?
If Dave Winer wants to defend the religious freedom to build a mosque near Ground Zero, he should write a thoughtful post about it that acknowledge that he understand the argument of the opposition. Instead he posts pictures of strip bars he found near Ground Zero, as if that proves there is nothing symbolic or important about Ground Zero. Dave Winer’s pictures only shows that he has given into cynicism about the whole mosque and Ground Zero discussion. Calling Karen Hughes’ op-ed “positively Nazi” without taking the time to refute Hughes arguments is mean and wrong. Dave Winer owes Karen Hughes an apology.
Agreed. See Godwin’s Law ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law ). It states: “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”
I didn’t take those pics but I wish I had.
Anyway, please explain the rules. How far away from the world trade center location can you build a community center sponsored by a religious organization?
Please citevthe laws or regulations that support this.
There are no rules and there are no laws. Rules and laws sometimes do not reflect people’s feelings. Have you ever seen “Bowling For Columbine”? Micheal Moore showed the NRA holding a gun rally the day after the shooting. Did it hurt a lot of people’s feelings who had just gone through the tragic events at the high school? Yes. But was it within the NRA’s right to hold that rally? Yes. I’m not saying that the Muslim Community Center should not be built near Ground Zero. But to just talk about laws, city codes and regulations without acknowledging the feelings of people who are affected by 9/11 is a little insensitive.
The question isn’t how far away the community center should be build but when. I believe time will heal the wounds of 9/11, Iraq, Guantanamo, Afganistan, etc. Just as time is healing the wounds from Vietnam and all the wounds of history.