As I sit in my bed reading the news this morning, I am confronted with a sad truth. It seems that despite progress made since 1964 (Equal Rights Amendment of 1964) we are as bigoted as ever. What I mean by this is that we (Americans) hate just as readily now as before, just that the target is different. Islam seems to be the preferred target. Though I am not a proponent for Islam, I feel that they deserve the same religious tolerance I get from our Constitution. If you dive into the meat of Islam, you will find that they too abhor the type of violence we are seeing in the world. Religious extremism should be our target, not Islam. I am sure that if you have not been hiding under a rock, the Westboro Baptist Church (godhatesfags.com) will have been noticed. They are just as extreme as any of the radical Islamic people out there. Their message is just as poisonous to American culture. Though I do NOT agree with their message, I declare that they too have a right to exist. Why, do you ask? Because our Constitution guarantees religious freedom and freedom of expression. If they were not allowed to exist, our Constitution will have failed us and we may as well draw up the world around us and become as corrupt as the same zealous religions we are hating. Again, I do NOT agree with their message.
In this light, I come across the article in USA Today about Tamerlan Tsarnaev being denied burial. I agree that he participated in a heinous crime against humanity, but he is dead now. He paid the ultimate price for his treachery. Why are people denying him the right to burial? Because he committed a crime?? What about Bundy, Dahmer, or the other myriad of murderers that have died (or been executed) over the years? What gives them the right to be buried and not Tamerlan? Because he is Islamic, that's why.
Since September 11, 2001, the world has been bombarded with anti-Islamic tainted news stories designed to keep fear and loathing alive. Everyday I see news stories about Al Qaeda and radicalized Islamic insurgency--11 Americans Die, 4 Americans Die, etc...Never do we hear about the peaceful Islamic people fighting against the radical ones. Do not think for a second that I am pro-Islam, I am not, but nor am I anti-Islam. I am pro-peace, and pro-coexistence. The United States was built on cultural diversity and differences. As long as we perpetuate this negative view of cultural difference, we will fail to be all the USA was meant to be.
In conclusion, I would like to close with a quote from one of the most famous American Patriots, Ben Franklin. "Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither." Despite the actual meaning of the quote being obscure, I feel that it brings home an important point. The USA was built on freedoms...if we continue to give them away in the name of security, then we deserve what we get. The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, in my opinion, was the biggest breach of liberty ever experienced in the US. It continues to illicit fear and hatred of different cultures in the name of security.
