On Sunday, August 28, Glenn Beck is going to mount the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to deliver a speech about reclaiming the Civil Rights movement and beginning the journey to restore honor to our country. It doesn't take away from the amazing gall to do that to say that he'll stand "a few steps" down from where MLK stood, "because it's appropriate." I have mixed feelings about saying this, but I really do have a dread that somebody is going to take Beck's challenge made a few nights ago and try to take him out. They're mixed because, while I think getting rid of people like Glenn Beck should be a focus of those of us who really believe in the principles that made our country what it is, I can think of nothing that would create a martyr better than the assassination of the man the spokesman for the Tea Party called the "Administrative and Communications Branch" of the Tea Party movement.
I can think a lot of things about Beck, though, like he's not so insane that he didn't make hate a commodity to sell like overpriced gold collector coins, and turn it into a multi-million dollar industry.
When do those of us who still have a drop of decency stand up against the bile spouted by these cretins?
Four days ago I was working with one of my associates, Syeda, who comes from Pakistan. She is a devout Muslim and wears a head scarf to work, and asked permission to be allowed to take her late afternoon break to coincide with prayers. I found out she had been crying in the restroom because she moved here for a better life and education, leaving her family behind and moving in with an uncle and his wife. The uncle, even more devout, does not believe in celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, and it was Syeda's birthday and she hadn't gotten any news from her family in over a week. I bought her a card, and we all signed it and told her "it doesn't matter how busy we are, or what might be going on, we're wishing you a happy birthday and we're happy you're here."
The reason I bring this up is because of what started it all: a customer who quoted Glenn Beck while standing in Syeda's line walked up to one of our Supervisors and said, "If you're going to hire one of those ragheads to work here, I can take my business elsewhere." The Supervisor's response was: "Good."
What I implore you to think on is this: When you read the paper or watch television, it's not a Mosque they're talking about, and it isn't even within sight of Ground Zero. It's a Community Center. The actual Mosque has been in continuous operation since 1979, one block from Ground Zero, and because it's small and there is proof over time no one there has caused the slightest amount of trouble, it doesn't have the impact of the bigger lie.
It's not about the Mosque. It's about politics.
It's time to put aside your emotions on this one. They are valid and you have every right to have them, but you do not have the right to allow decisions involving civil rights to be made based on them. It's time to put aside emotion, and allow the truth to be told.
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