Crying Wolf Alert

“Hi Kevin.”

“YOU’RE RACIALLY HARASSING ME OMG LEAVE ME ALONE I’M CALLING THE POLICE OR MAYBE MY MOMMY OMG!”

Geez. If you’re going to hate on your Muslim neighbors by trying to keep them from building a house of worship at least have the balls to defend your position when someone asks you about it. And if you’re not prepared to do that a simple “no comment” is usually the way these things are done.

Crying “racial harassment” because you’re too lazy to come up with a better argument is a slap in the face to the thousands of people who have faced real racial harassment in this country’s history. Shame on you.



(h/t, Post Politics)

Hallowed Ground Alert

Can’t imagine how we missed this:

Pros and anti's square off over Gettysburg casino proposal

By Angela Couloumbis

Inquirer Harrisburg Bureau

GETTYSBURG - The developer of a proposed casino Tuesday called this historic community the "last untapped gaming marketplace" in Pennsylvania and contended that his casino would rejuvenate the area's recession-ravaged economy while respecting its rich history and tradition.

David LeVan, a onetime Conrail chairman who wants to develop the casino a half-mile from Gettysburg National Military Park, told state gaming officials at a packed hearing that his $75 million Mason-Dixon Resort & Casino would lure new jobs, more tourists, and much-needed tax revenue.

He also said it would not affect the 6,000-acre park, one of the nation's first hallowed grounds, where 160,000 Union and Confederate soldiers fought a bloody battle over three days in the summer of 1863 that helped seal the outcome of the Civil War.

Heh.

What If They Burned A Koran And Nobody Was There To See It?

I guess we’ll find out as Springfield, TN’s Bob Old decided to go through with his copycat Koran burning after all:

But for all the controversy and hype, his Quran burning took place in front of just a handful of people, most of them from the media.

Old and the Rev. Danny Allen stood together in Old's backyard, answering what they say was a message from God.

Well isn’t that special. In fact, eight journalists showed up for Old and Danny Allen’s pathetic “demonstration,” which clearly was a sad attempt to get some attention since obviously his church wanted nothing to do with it.

Also:

Three protesters stood across the street from Old's home, holding signs that read "My husband fights terrorism and your actions perpetuate it" and "Proud of my country but ashamed of my neighbors."

Okay, Tennesseans. Hope everyone is proud of themselves. Now can we all move along?

[UPDATE]: Read John Shuck on our new imperial religion.

Tennessee Wackadoos REPRESENT!

[UPDATE]: Florida's Koran burning has been cancelled. Wonder if this idiot in Tennessee still plans to go forward.

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Not to be left out of all the fun, a Springfield, TN pastor wants to join in the Holy book barbecue planned for Saturday:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Springfield minister says he also plans to burn a Quran on Saturday to mark the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Rev. Bob Old told The Tennessean the Rev. Terry Jones of the Dove World Center Outreach in Gainesville, Fla., is doing the right thing by burning the Quran, and so he's going to do likewise.

Jones' plan to burn Qurans on Saturday has caused a furor of opposition, including an urging from President Barack Obama to call off his plan.

However, Old says not only does he plan to burn the Quran, but he intends to post a video of the burning book online.

Says Old of Muslims in America: "If they want to have their religion, they can have it somewhere else."

Wow that's just SO FUCKING AMERICAN, ain't it? Isn't that what the Puritans were told? "If you want your religion go somewhere else?"

I mean, we just knew that some asshole in Tennessee was going to join in the fun, didn't we?

*SIGH*

Look, I really didn't want to pay attention to this wacko down in Florida because clearly he's an attention-seeking media whore of the Fred Phelps variety. The media circus has already been whipped up, it was inevitable, but I just really hoped I could check out of Crazy Town and just not take part in the spectacle. But noooo, of course not, someone right up the highway from Nashville thinks this is a stellar idea! The nation has clearly gone off the rails and frankly I'm tired of having to say "you don't represent me!" over and over again.

People have a right to burn books in this country, it's part of the whole "free speech" thing, so enjoy yourselves. But I just have to wonder at what these folks are going to be thinking come Sunday morning when they show up at church for worship. As you arrive on church property and smell the acrid burned-ash-and-ink smell of your little holy flame fest, are you going to be proud of yourselves? Will you think that God is proud of you? Do you think Jesus looks down from heaven on you and smiles at setting flame to some ink and paper? Really?

Or will there be a tiny bit of shame in your hearts? Maybe the smallest shard of embarrassment that the entire world has looked upon you and your congregation, not with awe at how much you love, but with horror at how much you hate?

Is this how you represent God to the world?

"Vide", inquiunt, "ut invicem se diligant" - ipsi enim invicem oderunt - "et ut pro alteruto mori sint parati"; ipsi enim ad occidendum alterutrum paratiores erunt.

Nobody Could Have .... Awww, Screw It

Tennessee anti-mosque activist Laurie Cardoza-Moore, who got pwned by The Daily Show last week, now claims she’s getting death threats:

Laurie Cardoza-Moore, an outspoken opponent of the mosque, said she has also received a death threat by phone. The threat said, "We are coming after you. You cannot stop us."

“It was a shock, of course, but not a surprise," said Cardoza-Moore. "It was an Arab-speaking individual. He addressed my name. He said Allahu Akbar, and it was very clear to me who he was."

Yes, I’m sure it was very clear who he was. Probably someone pissed off that you portray all Muslims as terrorists. Moore told the local Fox affiliate:

"I was upset justifiably so. If this is the religion of peace why am I getting death threats," said Moore.

Excellent question! And if we have freedom of religion in this country why are you opposing the expansion of the Murfreesboro mosque, which has existed peacefully in Rutherford County for 30 years?

Listen, lady. You poke a stick at a hornets’ nest, you get people all riled up at each other, you accuse your neighbors of being terrorists and having links to Hamas, you make a fool of yourself on national television spouting your ignorant claptrap, and then you want sympathy because someone left you a mean telephone message? Take it somewhere else.

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[UPDATE]: Via Pith, Laurie Cardoza-Moore rails against the Islamic faith at a speech in New York City. And she wonders why she gets mean voicemail messages? This lady is batshit in insane.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Or STFU

Arson is suspected at the Murfreesboro mosque construction site because, you know, construction machinery doesn’t just torch itself.

So Newt Gingrich, Charles Krauthammer and the rest of you yahoos who contend you aren’t Islamophobes, you just don’t want those people worshipping on our hallowed ground! ... I just have two words: pony up.

Come to Tennessee and embrace the mosque in Murfreesboro. We’re hundreds of miles from Ground Zero. This ain’t hallowed ground, it’s Rutherford County.

Come tonight for the candlelight vigil sponsored by Middle Tennesseans for Religious Freedom. There will be TV cameras there. I know that's important to you.

Tell your rage-filled minions that Muslims have a right to worship in America, not just legally and Constitutionally but morally, as well. Control your hateful rabble before some innocent person gets hurt. You will have blood on your hands if this escalates. I will blame you for stoking a torch and pitchfork mob.

And when you’ve finished embracing the Muslims in Tennessee you can go to Jacksonville, Florida, where a pipe bomb was found at a mosque. And then take it to Arlington, Texas, where a mosque playground was set on fire. And then take it to Madera, California.

If your beef is really about how special Ground Zero is, fine. You should be the biggest supporters of Islamic community centers and houses of worship in the rest of the nation.

That you stay silent is very, very telling. It's all the proof we need supporting our contention that you’re just hateful bigots stoking fear among your ignorant followers.

Tennessee Laughingstocks

The Daily Show covers Tennessee's own mosque-troversy. I don't know who this crazy lady is who says you can find out all sorts of things on the internet but someone needs to tell her that just because it's on the internet, it doesn't mean it's true. If that were the case then I'd be freaking out about the Great George W. Bush Alien Coverups of 2007.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Tennessee No Evil
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

The View From Ground Zero Today

Russell Simmons lives across the street from Ground Zero. Here's what he did to his apartment windows:



Meanwhile the media seems bent on taking its cue from a crazy lady whose last big claim to fame was announcing President Obama is Malcom X's love child. Well, that and her famous crush on John Bolton.

I remember a time when people like that were gently ushered away from the microphone and sent on a long cruise somewhere for their "nerves." Today's modern Republican Party hands them a Fox News microphone and the national news media decides there must be something to it because, well, they're on Fox News!

Crazy world we live in.

By the way, Leviticus 19:18 referenced in Simmons' window? It reads:

18 " 'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

Gotta love how religious conservatives always overlook just those parts of Leviticus that are inconvenient to their politics.

Calling Bullshit

Today I caught several morning news stenographers anchors breathlessly reporting the latest political “controversy,” which is President Obama’s statement about that mosque thingie in downtown Manhattan. I’ve already written about the mosque here, written about how there’s already a mosque near Ground Zero, it’s been there since before 9/11, blah blah. I’ve since learned there are also a bunch of synagogues and a bunch of churches in that area, plus porn shops and lord knows what else on this so-called “hallowed ground.” The entire thing is so blatantly manufactured in the Frank Luntz Little Shoppe Of Bullshit that you’d have to be truly braindead or a member of the American media to take any of it seriously.

Anyway, the GOP wants to make this an election issue, which is how you know it’s utter bullshit because everyone knows the only election issue worth paying attention to right now is the economy and jobs, jobs, jobs. But of course the GOP says “jump” and the media asks “how high?”

Seriously, I can’t take another election season dominated by silly, emotional, unimportant issues. The media needs to wake the fuck up and stop hurting America. No one gives a crap about a mosque in New York City. How do I know this? I know this because the GOP is trying to make it an election issue. If people really cared, they wouldn’t be flogging this dead horse all the way to the November finish line.

And why do they do this? Because they have absolutely no fucking clue what to do about jobs, the tanking economy, and the rest of the huge mess they left the nation in. If they had a fucking clue they wouldn’t be trying to distract your attention with the shiny-sparkly mosque thingie over there. They’d be presenting their bold plan to kickstart our economy and create jobs. Unfortunately, their sad little plan is more tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation, plus another war in the Middle East for good measure -- the same crap that got us into this mess.

So: different year, same old crap. But dear American media, just because the GOP is having one of its periodic hissy fits, that doesn’t mean you guys need to play along. Seriously, there’s something about having a Democrat in the White House that sets our media off. They’ve got “Democratic President Derangement Syndrome.” Suddenly perfectly ordinary things that presidents do and say -- like, oh, I dunno, maybe defending the First Amendment and defending the rights of private property owners -- are deemed very odd and “controversial.”

It’s very puzzling.

Pullitzer to the reporter with the cojones to point out that the GOP wouldn’t be making an election issue out of a stupid issue like this if they weren’t so desperately bereft of any real ideas on how to solve America's problems.