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September 11
Sep. 11th, 2010 11:44 pmToday is the 9th anniversary of the Attack on the United States by Muslim extremists.
And they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. We have lifelong US citizens, who presumably think of themselves as patriots, actively advocating abandoning our dearly held and hardly fought Constitutional rights. Rights that thousands of US soldiers have, so they tell us, died to protect in Afghanistan and Iraq.
So on the one had I hear these folks telling me and every other American to Support the Troops! They're putting their lives on the line to protect my freedom! And from some of the self same people I hear Ban the Koran! Stop the ground zero mosque! (Which is neither at ground zero nor a mosque.)
I'm having a tough time wrapping my head around the idea of being told to support those who vow to uphold and defend our Constitution by ... advocating withholding Constitutional rights.
In the face of controversy to burn the Koran as a perverted way of commemorating September 11, we went to a candlelight vigil this evening to oppose burning Korans and support the Park51 project.
The Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford was a particularly appropriate place to hold such a vigil. Built in 1876, it is the first Jewish temple in Connecticut and required an amendment to the state Constitution to build it. Back then only Congregationalist churches were allowed to be built in Connecticut. No Methodists, Catholics, Baptists, Jews or Muslims allowed.
We haven't progressed very far, I sometimes think.
On a brighter note, this morning we also went to see the M. C. Escher: Impossible Reality exhibit at the New Britain Museum of American Art. (This being American Art evidently by virtue of the fact that two New Britain residents saw it in Greece and are also members of the NBMAA.)
It was fascinating and has many different kinds of art from all periods of Escher's career. Well worth going. I'm very glad those two people saw it in Greece and brought it here. It moves to the Akron Museum of Art in Akron, Ohio next.
And they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. We have lifelong US citizens, who presumably think of themselves as patriots, actively advocating abandoning our dearly held and hardly fought Constitutional rights. Rights that thousands of US soldiers have, so they tell us, died to protect in Afghanistan and Iraq.
So on the one had I hear these folks telling me and every other American to Support the Troops! They're putting their lives on the line to protect my freedom! And from some of the self same people I hear Ban the Koran! Stop the ground zero mosque! (Which is neither at ground zero nor a mosque.)
I'm having a tough time wrapping my head around the idea of being told to support those who vow to uphold and defend our Constitution by ... advocating withholding Constitutional rights.
In the face of controversy to burn the Koran as a perverted way of commemorating September 11, we went to a candlelight vigil this evening to oppose burning Korans and support the Park51 project.
The Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford was a particularly appropriate place to hold such a vigil. Built in 1876, it is the first Jewish temple in Connecticut and required an amendment to the state Constitution to build it. Back then only Congregationalist churches were allowed to be built in Connecticut. No Methodists, Catholics, Baptists, Jews or Muslims allowed.
We haven't progressed very far, I sometimes think.
On a brighter note, this morning we also went to see the M. C. Escher: Impossible Reality exhibit at the New Britain Museum of American Art. (This being American Art evidently by virtue of the fact that two New Britain residents saw it in Greece and are also members of the NBMAA.)
It was fascinating and has many different kinds of art from all periods of Escher's career. Well worth going. I'm very glad those two people saw it in Greece and brought it here. It moves to the Akron Museum of Art in Akron, Ohio next.
