For those of you who’ve read Late Bird you know the Big Fella Upstairs blessed me with a curious mind which made school (except for French) relatively easy. I remember debating teachers when they marked some of my answers wrong. “That is your perception” I told a professor once, “I see it differently”. Needless to say I didn’t get an A in that class (or a B).
In fact as I continued through my education I realized (other than math and conjugation of verbs) most subjects could be argued or rationalized to any belief system.
Both History and Psychology (my two favorite subjects) had all kinds of debatable possibilities if you were so inclined. I was so inclined.
But to be able to responsibly debate issues I began arguing both sides. I would try to poke holes in my own beliefs over and over again. Once I couldn’t poke any more holes in a subject I knew I had factual data. Occasionally I would purposely argue with friends taking the side I knew was wrong. I did this to see if I could change someone’s mind by acting as though I KNEW I was right even though I KNEW I wasn’t. When the person would vehemently argue back (as they should) I would smile and extend my hand.
“If you believe you are right, bet me,” I would say. “Put some money where your mouth is.” Most of the time no one would take the bet. Simply because I ACTED so sure I was right.
Afterwards I would tell them they were one hundred percent correct. “Don’t ever let anyone convince you that you are wrong just because they said so”.
On the rare occasion someone would extend their hand I would wait until the last second to pull mine back, laugh, and say “Good job. You were right the whole time”.
“I knew it!” one of my friends said one time. “You almost had me but I was pretty sure I was right. I heard my parents talking about it”. (Two parents in a household builds confident children).
The reason I am talking about this today is simple. We are being inundated with “information” on a daily basis. Today I was reading a financial article about Gold. The writer had an opinion. People who read the article left comments with theirs as well. By the time I finished the comments readers were calling each other names in regards to whether Gold would rise or fall in value.
Again calling each other names in regards to Gold. A shiny precious metal that cannot talk, think, or act had people going at each others throats. The reality of this is no one KNOWS whether Gold is going to go up or down. But people became nasty to each other over it. Can you imagine if we talked about a controversial subject like…Islam?
I actually have talked about this before as well as created a video. I personally believe our debt is of more importance as well as securing the border. However Islam is becoming more of an issue everyday. Notice I didn’t say extremism or radical. I am not compartmentalizing this issue. Islam is a system. Just like Communism, Fascism, Buddhism, or Capitalism. These systems fall under two types of cultures. Freedom or Oppression.
Freedom is the practice and defense of an individual’s right to live their life the way they see fit as long as they can provide for themselves and aren’t abusing others.
Oppression is the practice of abusing others to meet the needs of the oppressor.
I am sure there are many different ways of saying this but for this particular exercise we will use these simple to understand premises.
Islam is male dominated. It is misogynistic. In Islam women and children are property to be dealt with in whatever manner the husband/father deems necessary. This includes beatings and in too many cases murder. They call it “honor killings” but murder it is.
Woman have to cover their bodies. This is done to keep the MEN from having sexual thoughts. Please notice I haven’t discussed bombings, be-headings, or sexual mutilations. I haven’t discussed a little girl being shot in the head because she wanted to read or the murders of political cartoonists.
“That’s not all muslims” so say the critics. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. Are all muslims running around murdering people? No. Otherwise most of Europe and the entire Middle East would be in flames. But let me pose it to you a little differently.
Germany’s Fascism or Nazism allowed for the murdering of Jews and Homosexuals. (Hmmm…where have I heard this recently?). Did every Fascist engage in this? No. But they stood by and did nothing. With their silence they tacitly approved. Had Germany been successful in its takeover of Europe virtually every German in the Fascist SYSTEM would have gone along. Again did everyone of them murder, rape, and pillage. No. They just provided the labor that made the tanks, guns, ammunition, and food for the one’s willing to murder, rape, and pillage. Hmmm…again I am sensing a theme.
Many guilt ridden apologists will argue that these things aren’t Islam. Just turn on MSNBC. Last night I listened to a Muslim proclaim Islam doesn’t mean peace. It means submission. Now I now the apologists will argue this means submission to God but I don’t see God anywhere in Islam.
I don’t believe The Big Fella Upstairs wants me or you to “submit” to anything. We weren’t given free will so we could submit. We were given free will to learn, create, work, and enjoy this beautiful place called Earth. Or for most of you reading this the dream called America. Where we are free. Where we embrace the laughter of children and the loyalty and love of dogs. Man’s best friend. Of course they are.
What is DOG spelled backwards?
We don’t submit to bullying. We don’t embrace oppression. Which is exactly what Islam is. Oppression. Over here if a woman is beaten for any reason we don’t call that a religion. We call it a crime.
What’s that? It’s the woman’s choice to stay in that type of religion.
Over here that’s a pathology. It’s called Battered Woman Syndrome.
I am an American. My culture is Freedom. I will never embrace or tolerate oppression regardless of what it’s called…or what I am called.
Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
America is the Lion…and Lions roar.
Roar with me.
Jason Kraus
