I thought we were supposed to be building something together…

Precursor: If you write some crazy comment I dislike, I’ll delete it. So don’t waste your time. My blog is not a democracy.

Things that infuriate me: The criminalization of a people that don’t deserve it. Things that infuriate me further: when companies perpetuate that criminalization.
Today I went on Facebook and saw a link to a site entitled “25 Dumbest Comments On Lowe’s Facebook Page About “All-American Muslim.” Now, I’ve never watched the show. However, I live on a street that has many Muslim families, and my best friend is Muslim. And my view on Muslim culture comes from these people. And since none of them have ever tried to blow up my house, I’m going to go ahead and give them the benefit of the doubt like I would with anyone else. (Although the woman across the street did come over one day carrying a suspicious box…full of donuts. To apologize for taking up parking space during her father’s funeral. Because clearly, the goal of the terrorists is to send my family into a diabetic coma.**)
So apparently, Lowes pulled their commercial backing from the show because a Christian group got up in arms about the networks positive portrayal of Muslim culture. This resulted in a series of postings on their Facebook about it, which range from downright stupid to downright hateful. So I’m reading them. And I’m going to comment on their comments, but first…I’m not going to go so far as to liken the stereotypical view of the Muslim culture to the Holocaust, but…wait. Yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.

During the Holocaust, the general train of German thought was that Jews were bad. Simply because of their culture and religion. Now, time, as well as what can best be called trial and error, has led us to understand that the Holocaust was a bad thing. That judging people solely on their race (see also: Civil Rights Movement, 1955-1968) or on their beliefs (see also: McCarthyism, 1948-1956) or even genetics (see also: Human Rights Campaign, 1983-?) is morally wrong. And even those uber-Christians that like to pull out Bible references for everything cannot deny “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” Stop judging, people. It hasn’t worked out very well in the past, and aren’t we all supposed to learn from our mistakes? Or did we miss the day in Kindergarten where we learned the Golden Rule?

Now, below is the article.
Right HERE.

And here is my response to the comments made. Numbers of my responses correspond to the numbers of the comments.

1. America was founded as a place of religious freedom. That’s why were here. Sure, it was Puritanical freedom, but freedom none the less. Ergo, American values stand for freedom, not persecution.
2. If a Muslim comes to this country and applies for citizenship and is granted it, they are indeed an American. And their children, born in this country, are certainly “All American.” Ergo, there is indeed such a thing as an All American Muslim. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you are not a Native American, and that your ancestors also applied for citizenship. Therefore, you should know this.
3. You’re a douche. I’m trying really hard to not use a lot of swearing or insults on my blog, but seriously…you are a douche.
4. I find this more ignorant than offensive so I’m going to ignore it.
5. If were going to persecute an entire people based on some poor examples, then lets assume that all white males are serial killers, since they make up the largest percentage of people who commit such a crime. Also, calm yourself. Not every sentence needs an exclamation point.
6. See number 4, and add this: It’s not a Christmas present. It’s marketing.
7. Lowe’s is not standing up for Americans at all. Those people on that show are American. They aren’t standing up for them. And I’m sure they’ll appreciate your business, because they sure as hell lost mine.
8. I HATE that I agree with you, because you’re calling everyone gay. But you’re right. Even if your argument is ruined by a whole other kind of bigotry.
9. Yes. As do American Muslims.
10. I don’t have much to say to this except I’m very happy I went to Valu to buy chalkboard paint today.
11. I don’t, actually. And I’ve been an American since 1983.
12. Hush, you.
13. Oh, so now we’re “traditional” Americans? How many generations need to live here before one gets called “traditional?”
14. Did I miss the memo where Freedom of Religion ceased to be an American value? Let me check…yup, US Constitution, 12/15/1791, First Amendment. Apparently I am not on the mailing list for changes. Okeydoke.
15. That is true. It’s totally constitutional to be a shmuck.
16. Freedom of Speech, sure. Other Freedoms? Meh.
17. Text Message to Sahar: Would you consider the Muslim support of American freedoms to be some sort of sham? Response from Sahar: “I don’t speak on behalf of every Muslim, but I wholeheartedly believe in and support our freedoms as Americans. And that’s no sham.”
18. FYI, I don’t know about the rest of you, but when someone asks me where I’m from, I say Ireland. Even though I haven’t been there. And I’m not a citizen. But because I live in a melting pot where everyone comes from someplace else, and that’s where my people come from. I would appreciate it if more people thought about how they got here in the first place.
19. They TOTALLY laid down to fake religious oppressors…the difference is that it’s the kind of oppression you’re ok with.
20. I’m not going to try to read the rest of that because I’m not sure of the point you’re attempting to make.
21. Dear TLC, I do not support those gun shows you have. But since, according to my apparently outdated constitution, the Second Amendment says we have the right to bear arms, I’m not going to throw a hissy fit. Because that would be Un-American. Instead, I’ll exercise my Freedom of Choice, and watch Extreme Couponing instead.
22. Here ya go. http://www.ehow.com/how_4822037_write-grammatically-correct-sentence.html
23. Pretty sure that Muslims care. Pretty sure that the ACLU would care. Pretty sure I care. And I was on a bus. Next to a Muslim woman. Who was just as upset as everyone else.
24. But feel free to buckle to anyone without a high school education. Those are your meat and potatoes, apparently.
25. I wouldn’t go to Lowe’s if they were giving away free cars full of puppies. Just like I’ll never go to H&R block because they pulled advertising due to an uproar from the TLC (Trichotillomania Learning Center, not The Learning Channel.) And the crazy part about that is that I’m a SUPPORTER of the TLC. But I am not a supporter of people who can’t stand up for themselves.

Now, I know, I’m snarky. I don’t know these people from a hole in the wall, but I do know that despite what I am sure are other, wonderful qualities, the only thing they show to me is that they are loud mouth bigots. But that’s fine. You have every right, as an American Citizen, to be as such.
And I have every right to call you out on it.
I once wrote I wanted to be more like the Westboro Baptist Church. I hate those dudes and everything they stand for, but at least they have no problem standing out on the street with a sign and preaching their cause. I, too, would like to yell my beliefs as far and wide as I can, and if no one agrees, ok. I’m cool with that. They’re MY beliefs, and you don’t have to live by the rules I’ve set for myself. But for GOD’S SAKE, when are the people in this country going to attempt to make INFORMED decisions?!
Make sure you put your brain before your mouth, America.

**I feel I should note that my sarcasm is implied, in case it doesn’t quite transfer via text.

By the way, there seems to be alot of emphasis on the “Christ” part of the word “Christmas” in these posts…so if anyone could please explain to me what the apparent Muslim agenda of stealing Christmas is all about, that would be cool.

Advertisement