Pamela Geller, strip clubs and the "hallowed ground" in Lower Manhatten

It has been almost 9 years since 9/11 but people are still processing the trauma of event. Some choose to "wave the bloody flag" of 9/11 by piggy backing a personal political agenda to the event. Some view the truther movement people and anyone who challenges the “official” story of 9/11 as conspiracy theory nuts.   Building 7 is still an explained mystery to me and the official story sounds very implausible and time will tell about the rest of their version of that days events The most newsworthy group embracing 9/11 and stirring up controversy happened in lower Manhattan started, so I will reserve any judgement on them until more facts are in.  The fanatical groups with an agenda about 9/11 are those who are stirring up hatred towards Muslims, like these people in NYC who took a local issue in late July of this year and have escalated into the anti "ground zero masque" lynch mob.  The voices of discontent started as a local, a lunatic fringe of tea party types, libertarians and super Patriots of the right, the others are an easily mobilized group of angry inspired sheeple who are piling on the latest emotional charge issue? No doubt though that those who read the NY Post, as it spun the juicy volatile mix of the “hallowed ground” of the WTC site, stirring up fear of the non Jesus believing Muslims and the alleged desecration on an area that has been thus deemed by the certain media elements and kindred spirits on the right. Local NYC or NY state municipal authority who rules stringently for historical landmarks has approved the mosque to be built, being that no “hollowed ground clauses presently exist. It seems as if some people are selective when to enforce issues of some group First amendment rights.

Facebook has a link for supports a link named NO "MOSQUES" next to 9/11 Memorial Site - NO Cordoba House (mosque).  I don’t have a problem with those haters who also have first amendment rights. Just don’t look to Facebook if you want to advertise your Freedom of speech on their site, which is their right, being that it won’t allow the “Just say now” organization advertise on to join its group because it has a pot leaf logo on it (although it had gained 6,000 followers and the publicity from their censorship will help the cause in a huge way). Apparently a pot leaf is more dangerous on Facebook than spreading and encouraging messages of fear, hate and intolerance.

The manufactured issue of the “ground zero masque” has become the litmus test of where people stand politically, from the alleged Democrat Harry Reid and the Long Island Loony, Pamela Geller on the right and usual voices from the left, NYTs, Keith Olbermann and everyone else that Sara Palin defines as the “lame stream media”. I had wrongly assumed that the political millage out of 9/11 had exhausted itself with Rudy Giuliani and the 2008 Presidential election but the geniuses at Fox News has blown on the embers of hate, fear and religious ignorance to and has created the hottest manufactured news story on the month. A blogger who lives near ground zero summed it up very well with his observation, At this point the only argument against this project is fear, specifically fear of Muslims, and that’s a bigoted, cowardly and completely indefensible position. The blog entry also points out that the his neighbors are not obsessed with 9/11 and there are all kind of hard working people living and working with a variety of businesses a that is just one of many places in NYC.

The existing masque and a couple of strip clubs which have been around for 8 ½ years without an issues but have been gotten some attention lately. The demonetization of strip clubs in general by a right wing politician threaten to build a strip club next to the, well, take your pick, the Cordoba House, Park 51 project or the future ground zero masque. The issue of what is an acceptable compromise has been debated as far what is an acceptable masque free zone, but there have been mosques in that part of Lower Manhattan for many years, one 12 blocks from the trade center, another a mere 4 blocks away. No one got in lather over those places. Might, then, a four-block gap instead of a two-block gap be acceptable? Mayor Bloomberg has address this issue directly, he hasn’t wavered on his stand that the Masque ought to go up and has even address the hallowed ground zone saying, How big should the ‘no-mosque zone’ around the World Trade Center be?’” He added: “There is already a mosque four blocks away. Should it, too, be moved? This is a test of our commitment to American values. We must have the courage of our convictions. We must do what is right, not what is easy.” The mayor has been the voice of reason through all of this, I hope that lucid wing of the media, the residences of a very tolerant NYC and people who are don’t attach their fears and racism to the issue/no issue of the moment emerge as the winners of the outcome of where Park 51 ends up.

Although I have stressed the non issue of the relevancy of this news story getting this kind of attention, an academic, Eliza Griswold made a good point on public radio today that Islamic leaders may view the controversy in New York City over plans for an Islamic center and mosque near Ground Zero unfavorably. She believes that "I think it's sending a message that the West is at war with Islam". The extremist on all sides of these situations spin the negative to achieve their own agendas. Hopefully all people who are quick to judge and get upset over this issue will eventually understand it for what it is, a segue for other emotionally charged issues like religion and 9/11. Mayor Bloomberg put it best by saying this, I know that many in this room are disturbed and dispirited by the debate. But it is worth keeping some perspective on the matter. The first colonial settlers came to these shores seeking religious liberty and the founding fathers wrote a constitution that guaranteed it. They made sure that in this country the government would not be permitted to choose between religions or favor one over another.

Update 10OCT2010

I watched the History Channel on the anniversary of 9/11, where they had a documentary called 102 Minutes That Changed America.  I have watched hours of the World Trade Towers footage and after 9 years of it, I had almost become numb to the same clips of them getting hit by the planes, burning and falling to ground.  The footage has always been filled with narration and commentary, most of it with various agendas, from the right, left, conspiracy theories of how and why they were attached, you name it.  This documentary was totally different though, it was 9 point of view cameras, filming the event from start to finish and the only narration was from that of those who were filming the event (for the most part).  To say that it was disturbing is a huge understatement.  Yet it was compelling in that it gave me a totally different feel to witnessing the event and on more layer of accepting and closure to an day in history that put a whole country and many people through out world a collective post traumatic stress because of the non stop coverage and horrible consequences from that horrible day. 

I will continue to dwell on the that day in this blog, the implications of it because time and distance changes one's perceptive, epically when the official version of how and what happened seems as far fetched and the conspiracy theories attached to 9/11.  Today, 9 years later, I do recall how I felt when I was at an active duty post at a military school, holding a Stars and Stripes magazine with that iconic picture of the firefighters raising a flag on top of the smoldering ruble.  I felt numb, shocked and very sad about New York City loss of these building which was a physical and symbolic loss for the nation.  I felt allot of that all over last Saturday but the impact was less intense.  Some day the a more focused version of the truth of that days events will emerge and if the truth is difficult to accept because of the implications of it; I will experience those emotions all over again if my worst fears about the events of that day are confirmed.

When the NYT did an article on this horrible woman, Pamela Geller, many people who wrote into the paper had never heard of her.  Thankfully, until this article came out, her fame was only known to wonks would follow this type of thing very closely.  The very first letter to the editor, aptly named Sad America, had this to say about her and I find it perfect to be the last word on this matter.

It's hard not to get angry about people like Pamela Geller. It's hard not to offer counter-arguments and get swept up in the sensationalism.

But I think the best thing is to just let her be. I think the best way to combat hatred and ignorance is to be loving and informed. And I hope to teach my daughter that hatred is NOT strength, and tolerance is NOT weakness.

MEDIA COMMODITY Pamela Geller inspires, infuriates and influences with hyperbole as well as bikini shots.
Top row from left: RT America; Atlas Shrugs; ABC News; Atlas Shrugs. Second row: Fox News; Canadian Broadcasting Company; Atlas Shrugs; MSNBC. Third row: CNN; Atlas Shrugs (Three photos). Bottom Row: CBS NEWS; CNN; Atlas Shrugs (2 photos)