I swore this space was not for politics, but I am pissed off now.

It appears that the world of blog is just one big high school, replete with cliques.

On the one hand, you have the Bleeding Hearts, which I myself was called yesterday. These blogs include A Small Victory, Ilyka Damen nearly got it, and myself (on Jim's lovely blog). I am surprised our boy Bunsen didn't get it for his rather subdued report on September 12. In fact, rarely have I found a sentiment I agree with more: let's all go about our own way of forgetting. Michele created Voices, a lovely memorial and her way of grieving. Others have maintained a day of silence. Still others would have us believe that all Muslims should be condemned simply because they view us differently. And that's where I part company, ya'll, thanks very much.

On the other hand, you have the rabid right-wing defending anything remotely right. Like Rachel Lucas. Michele's antagonist, John Hawkins. And that's fine, I support their right to have an opinion, fight for it, and defend it. I think they are interesting blogs and interesting reads, although I do not necessarily agree with them.

Here's a bit of political low-down: I support the death penalty, in fact I don't think we use it enough (and would like to include not only capital murderers but child molestors in the ranks or executees, too). Not a popular position in Europe, trust me. I believe in the woman's right to abortion. I think that religion should be kept out of schools. I also support the Three Strikes law.

I lived in Texas most of my adult life. As such, I owned a gun. That's right. I owned a 20-gauge shotgun, a sleek, smoky, sexy beauty that I kept under my bed in case someone broke in. I lived in a rough neighborhood of Dallas, and I was prepared to defend myself. It was my right to own a gun. I was fulfilling that right. The sound of a round being chambered was such a lovely, chilling sound.

The truth is, I never once shot that gun.

But one thing broke through to me and put me off guns for good-Columbine. After the massacre, I could not bear guns anymore. I was all for gun control, and stricter measures to ensure that children's hands could never get near guns. I gave my gun away. The NRA would have me believe that it's everyone's right to own a gun, based on a law that was put into the books back when we were battling Red Coats. They even have a fucking NRA Youth organization! That's right, let's get 'em young, boys!

The trucks in Texas often sport stickers that said "You can have my gun when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands."

Sounds like a challenge to me.

I have never in my life been considered a Bleeding Heart. I don't know whether to cheer or be distraught. According to some of the comments on Michele's site, I am a Bleeding Heart if I want to feed starving children FROM MY OWN FUCKING COUNTRY. Yup. Then bleed my heart does.

But if being a Bleeding Heart means that I am unlike those that would promote genocide and a regiment of hate, then I will go bleeding heart anyday.

Let's get one fact clear, here: I am an American, and I respect the values and individuality of our country. I am always going to feel horror and disgust at what happened on September 11, and it will always give me reason to pause and mourn.

But it does not translate into hate for me, and it will not. I find it even more repugnant to hate an entire population of people simply for the acts of a radical few. As an American, I will NEVER find it ok to take after a whole race because a handful of the race have become fucked-up fanatical zealots and would send the world into a pissing contest.

Those of you who have posted comments (on other sites, including Jim's) or mailed me to the effect that you would want to bomb the shit out of anything remotely resembling an Arab? Well, acquaint yourselves with some others in your caliber: Milosevic. Mussolini. And I am not even going to go into the big names. That's right. Because, in reality, you are advocating genocide just as fervently as those guys. And just because America was attacked and provoked doesn't make it any more right.

So those of you that would base your anger on elimination, instead of justice, I have only one last thing to say to you:

>

Are you really so ready to practice what you preach?

Bring on the hate mail.

-H.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 09:38 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 813 words, total size 5 kb.