December 15, 2008

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw

Bigotry. In a town north of here the town council has allowed Muslims to put up a 'star and creasant' in the same park with a the traditional Christmas tree and Hannuka Menorah. The newspaper article is followed with 6 pages of posts most very biggoted against Islam. Sad stupid bigots.

Amazing. I have been in a dialogue with the Arabs and Muslims in this county for 13 years. We focus on Westchester, not the world (think globally, act locally) Before 9-11 we held public programs. These people all live here, some very long term. This is their home, it is our home. Our children attend schools together, we live next door to one another. We can't move our houses of worship.

Many of these community members have had to flee religious prosecution as they were in the minority of their countries. And here, in our county and our country there is bigotty so fresh that it might as well be Iran. This is very painful and absolutely not American.

They are deathly afraid of the 'war' coming here. They watch their neighborhoods for danger. They don't want Westchester to become Gaza, they want to be Americans and yet maintain their religion. These people are not terrorists.

One of their leaders got his medical degree abroad, he lived there in a neighborhood with Israelis, attended their Israel Independence day parties. He is an honored physician, but these bigots can't see past his bowing in prayer.

The Jewish and Christian holidays have nothing to do with one another, they sort of coincide on the calender. The Jews celebrate their Independence and winning back the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, important but not as major as Yom Kippur. The Christians celebrate the birth of the Son of G-d, with Easter it is the most important holiday of the year. Some attackers of Islam complain that there is no holiday at this time. Well, their is a holiday, not as important as the holy month of Ramadan, but celebrating the end of the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca season. Important enough.

They offered me condolences after the brutal murder of Jews in Mumbai.

And yet, their neighbors call them names. I am disgusted that Americans would act like the same fanatical bigots in Holland, England and France.

This is wrong.