Reaping What We’ve Sown

Now, bear with me because we’re going to be traveling deep into dangerous territory here. An ancient and mysterious land full of as many wonders as dangers. Of course, I’m talking about the red states. I hate to link to these sorts of places almost as much as I hate to read them but, well, look for yourself. And remember the next time a mosque is firebombed or some poor muslim’s beaten and left for dead. Oh, sure, these people and their mosque aren’t planning anything of the sort and the people holding the pig race and everything else have every right. Great joke. All in good fun. Perfectly legal. And that means everything’s fine, doesn’t it? Because something being legal always means that it’s morally unobjectionable. They’re just ratcheting up the tension one small notch further. So the next person can come along and do the same. And the next. And the next. And the next. And it’s a short road from there to riots or worse. I mean, I come from a place – many places, really – that have seen the normal order and fabric of society break down thanks to the breeding and gathering of hate.

And make no mistake, it’s hate and the fear it brings that are behind all of this. And, perhaps, people not really considering the implications of their actions.

I don’t even know where to begin with the ignorance and insensitivity on display here. On all sides, really. I’m pretty sure it starts with admitting the other side might have a point (and the right to peacefully coexist) but I imagine that hope’s long faded. Still, some encouragement for the folks at the Katy Islamic Association wouldn’t be out of place. Because I, for one, find little humor in the belittling of others. Instead I find such laughter something much sicker. But, then, maybe the people of Katy don’t realize that the joke’s on them.