Every once in a long while I find myself up really late. I mean, like, really late. In fact, on these rare occasions I am awake so late that I’m able to watch this Red Eye program on the FOX News Channel. Maybe it’s because I’m more to the right than the left on most issues or maybe it’s because of the dry humor on the program, but I like Red Eye. I like the back-and-forth between Greg Gutfeld and Andy Levy and Bill Schulz. They’re hilarious in my book.
All of that being said (written?), I couldn’t help but to chuckle (kinda) when I read a post on Gutfeld’s blog, The Daily Gut. I’m sure you’re heard about the Islamic group that wants to build a mosque down by Ground Zero. If not, you can infer the situation from Gutfeld’s post below.
So, the Muslim investors championing the construction of the new mosque near Ground Zero claim it’s all about strengthening the relationship between the Muslim and non-Muslim world.
As an American, I believe they have every right to build the mosque – after all, if they buy the land and they follow the law – who can stop them?
Which is, why, in the spirit of outreach, I’ve decided to do the same thing.
I’m announcing tonight, that I am planning to build and open the first gay bar that caters not only to the west, but also Islamic gay men. To best express my sincere desire for dialogue, the bar will be situated next to the mosque Park51, in an available commercial space.
This is not a joke. I’ve already spoken to a number of investors, who have pledged their support in this bipartisan bid for understanding and tolerance.
As you know, the Muslim faith doesn’t look kindly upon homosexuality, which is why I’m building this bar. It is an effort to break down barriers and reduce deadly homophobia in the Islamic world.
The goal, however, is not simply to open a typical gay bar, but one friendly to men of Islamic faith. An entire floor, for example, will feature non-alcoholic drinks, since booze is forbidden by the faith. The bar will be open all day and night, to accommodate men who would rather keep their sexuality under wraps – but still want to dance.
Bottom line: I hope that the mosque owners will be as open to the bar, as I am to the new mosque. After all, the belief driving them to open up their center near Ground Zero, is no different than mine.
My place, however, will have better music.
For investment information, contact me at dailygut.com
I gotta tell ya, I’m not sure whether to laugh or just be weirded out by this entry. And no, I’m not weirded out by the fact that it’s a gay bar, but rather the fact that I’m pretty confident that Gutfeld isn’t joking here and that the ultimate response to his activities will come from the extremist fringes of the Islamic community. In other words, what Gutfeld started as the perfect “taste of your own medicine” will probably end up much worse for him than for the folks behind the mosque.
It’s times like this and situations like these where one has to wish that common sense was still the law of the day. Should there be a mosque down by Ground Zero? Of course not. Is there anything that legally prevents one from being built there? Of course not. So, at the end of the day, do the folks behind the mosque have the “right” to build one there? Of course they do. But sometimes you have to use common sense and know that having the right to do something doesn’t mean that you should act on that right.
However, in today’s litigious society if someone is told that they should use common sense and refrain from exercising one of their rights the extremists on the left go bonkers. So we’re going to wind up with a mosque down by Ground Zero – which makes no sense whatsoever. And when that mosque is built I hope that Gutfeld’s plan (is real) gets approved and there is a 24 hour gay bar next to the mosque.
If we’re going to push common sense aside in the name of tolerance, then let’s do it right and go balls out (pun intended).
Granted I’m not an American, but I don’t see what all the fuss is about. It doesn’t matter what religion the September 11th attackers were, what matters is that they were maniacs. Let’s just pretend for a minute that the people who brought down those buildings weren’t muslims, but rather those insane “god hates fags!” Christians who protest at all of the military funerals. Do you think for one second that if somebody wanted to build a Christian church near the site that there would be any uproar at all? Not a chance, because oh you know, those people don’t represent the Christian faith as it truly is. Not wanting a mosque there is complete intolerance, nothing more, nothing less. People don’t want them anywhere, even on the opposite coast where nothing has been attacked.
We had a similar situation in my town that’s just now finishing playing out. A group wanted to build a Sikh temple, and suddenly there were a whole bunch of concerns about parking and traffic in the area and this that and the other thing, all kinds of stuff that you never hear about when a mainstream religion decides to set up a house of worship. Even when accomodations were made, people still weren’t happy. Why do you suppose that is?
You know, I do hope the mosque and the gay bar end up right next to each other. I think it’s an awesome idea. And if some of the religious fanatics complain, I hope they’re told to bugger off and to live and let live, just like the people against the mosque or the cultural centre or whatever they’re calling it should do.
Ehhh… I still say common sense says not to put a mosque there.
I must be lacking in common sense then, because I don’t see why not. It would speak volumes about the kind of country America is if it went up without much in the way of protest. All of that give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses stuff would be worth a lot more than it seems to be most of the time. As an outsider, it looks like you’re saying give us all of these people, as long as they fit into our narrow and safe view of what the world is, and please don’t let those scary brown people anywhere near us.
Then I guess you’re lacking in common sense!
Although, I do find it interesting that your immediate response to the majority of Americans not wanting a mosque at Ground Zero is that we’re all xenophobes. Talk about an extremist, off-the-wall reaction!
Every major attack on America for the last 25 years has come from Islamic terrorists. The vast majority of these terrorists were associated with imams or spiritual leaders that had connections to moderate Islamic organizations. It’s all in the 9/11 Commission Report and it’s really eye-opening.
I’m not saying that, what I’m saying is that to people outside of America that’s how it appears. I can definitely understand how people might be upset about it, I just want some equality in the outrage is all. You have to admit that not every muslim is going to blow up a building, and I see so many people who aren’t willing to admit or have no idea that this is the case.
And every major attack on American soil? What about the Oklahoma City bombing? I may be forgetting something, but I think those people were motivated by hatred for the government rather than by religion necessarily.
I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I see your point, but I’ll never agree with the idea of painting millions with the same brush based on what are, relatively speaking, the actions of a few. I’m not a religious person and I’d rather religion didn’t exist so that a lot of the reason for war and division amongst people would be gone, but even though I can’t stand religion I don’t think that every catholic molests children or that every christian is a pushy pain in the ass or that every evangelist is out to take money from gullible morons, or even that every muslim is out to kill America. There are good people in all walks of life, and it’s not fair to punish them for what’s being done supposedly in their name.
We can agree to disagree. However, I’d just add that when you speak of painting people with a broad brush, you’re painting me and everyone else who believes common sense dictates that no mosque should be placed near Ground Zero with a broad brush as Muslim haters and xenophobes. I’m just a guy who looks at what has transpired over the last 25 years and suggests that it’s blatantly apparent that you shouldn’t put a mosque down the street from Ground Zero. I certainly don’t have any new-found hatred for any religious groups or any particular population of people. I don’t have time or energy for hate in my life.
And folks love to bring up the Oklahoma City bombing as proof that not all crazies are Islamic terrorists. I prefer to use that example as the exception that proves my point. So that’s one attack on American soil by a homegrown, anti-government terrorist. Should I run down the list of dozens and dozens and dozens of Islamic attacks on Americans? I’d prefer not to, I think that the hardcore conservatives have done a good enough job of that already.
Well, if you feel I’ve painted you with a broad brush I apologize. That’s not my intent. My intent is to state my disagreement with the position taken by a group to which you happen to belong.