For months now, we have been subjected to a manufactured controversy over a proposed mosque “near” the site of the World Trade Center so I was almost relieved to hear that France’s parliament just passed a law prohibiting burqas in public: it’s not just our country but the whole world that’s gone mad!
What is wrong with you people? I can not conceive of a single legitimate reason why anyone would oppose either a mosque in lower Manhattan or a veil covering the face of a devout Muslim. It is completely insane. Sure, I’ve heard the “reasons” for not wanting the mosque built: “it’s too close…” (this is NYC–everything is close), “it’s disrespectful…” (of YOU to associate the hijackers with everything Islam), and even “it could become a terrorist training ground…” (much like the FOX News offices). The big reasons for France passing the burqa ban seem to be “to protect the rights of women…” (to not be able to practice their religion) and “it’s against our national character…” (of racism).
Freedom is our battle cry and we toss that word around so much that it has lost all its meaning: “Freedom isn’t Free” is the bumper sticker that infuriates me more than any other because it says that you have absolutely no clue what Freedom actually means. If you think that a really really really expensive army is truly protecting anyone’s freedom, you’d better think again about what that presence really does. If your bumper sticker said “Freedom isn’t Fear”, then I might think you understood the concept of Freedom, but claiming that Freedom is a market commodity is asinine. The Bill of Rights is an incredible document and grants all people under our Constitution the most basic and important freedoms that we could require; it is simple and beautiful and we should respect it ALWAYS, even if that means allowing our population the freedom to practice their own personal religion anywhere. Restricting Freedom is the most dangerous act a government or military can make and should be done only when, on an individual basis, someone takes away another person’s freedom by stealing or killing. Religion is not a threat unless we make it one and we are doing that very well right now, antagonizing and persecuting Muslims for no reason other than their worship of Allah. I am afraid, but not of their religion: I am afraid that our own fear is eating away at our own freedom and if we lose our ability to rationally and unemotionally consider the reality of our laws and prejudices, we have actually become the society we sought to save.