I suppose some will call me a curmudgeon, other will say I'm a bigot.
I'm simply TIRED OF BEING POLITICALLY CORRECT."
The other day there was a mini-riot at an amusement park in Rye NY.
An "American Muslim" group from New York City environs traveled to the park to celebrate the end of Ramadan,
No problem.
The problem was that the park has a safety rule - in place for at least three years - that prohibits wearing any type head apparel on certain rides.
This restriction is made very clear, albeit in a positive statement, on the park's ride pages - http://www.ryeplayland.org/thrill_rides.html.
The park has three pages of rides - Kiddie, Family, and Thrill.
On each page some of the rides are marked with a "H" that, according top the legend on each page means "Rides permitting headgear." In other words, if a ride, even a kiddie ride, is listed without an "H" caps, scarves, and, presumably kippot, have to be removed before boarding the ride.
For anyone who can read, no surprises.
But some of the "American Muslim" group apparently feel rules, even safety rules, apply to others but not to them.
This is nothing new.
Ever since Muslims - not, alphabetically, Atheists, Agnostics, and Deists, Bahias, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, or Jews, but Muslims - flew planes into the Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon and tried to fly into the White House on 9/11/2001, Muslims have been claiming discrimination.
Since Muslims the world over celebrated the attacks that slaughtered nearly 3,000 men, women, and children on 9/11/2001, a reasonable person would be hard-pressed to ignore the potential threat posed by Muslims.
The complaints got louder after Major Nidal Malik Hasan murdered his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood TX.
There was no matching criticism of Hasan's actions from the Muslim community.
There's an interesting Web page called Islamic Terror Attacks on American Soil at http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/AmericanAttacks.htm. The page lists 67 Muslim terror attacks in America in which 3,098 people were murdered by Muslims; admittedly some of the murders were committed by Muslims against other Muslims.
Muslim terrorists in Israeli prisons receive monthly payments - a large portion of which is suspected of coming from the U.S.; the longer the sentence, the greater the stipend.
Muslims in several U.S. states complained that drivers' license departments were violating their rights by insisting that female drivers' aces be uncovered for driver's license photographs. Compare that to Saudia - no problem there; women are forbidden to get behind the wheel.
Where are the American Muslims that could explain to the religious right that sometimes, for the welfare of the whole, some extreme positions must be compromised - even if only briefly.
I am a great believer in profiling.
Israel does it and despite being the target of attacks from all sides, seems to keep its people at least as safe as Americans within the 50 states' borders.
If I am suspicious of Muslims it's because of the Muslims
(a) celebration of 9/11 and other attacks on the U.S.
(b) the number of attacks by Muslims on Muslims and on non-Muslims simply because the victim believes or behaves differently.
(c) absolute reluctance (of many) to make any effort to integrate into society; they come to the U.S. for its freedoms and opportunities, then demonize these same freedoms and opportunities.
If American - or any other Muslims - want to live under Shari?ah law, let them move to a country where Shari?ah law is the law of the land - Saudia, Iran, Syria; all places where these people would feel comfortable.
No one is forcing Muslims to come to America or Europe; no one is forcing Muslims to stay in America or Europe.
I'm sure there are good Muslims, but I've never seen one.
What do I expect of a "good Muslim?" I expect the person to speak out against terrorist acts, not celebrate them.
I expect a "good Muslim" to appreciate the freedoms and opportunities of American and to help his fellows integrate into American society.
No one demands that integration include "X" rated movies or scanty clothing or promiscuousness. But expecting an uncovered face for a driver's license photograph or to identify a person at a bank seems as reasonable as my bank insisting that I doff baseball cap and sunglasses when I enter.
Until I begin to see "good Muslims" take to the streets to condemn terror acts against both Muslims and non-Muslims, I won't believe there are any "good Muslims" in America.
