On September 11th, 2001, our nation came under attack by a twisted and evil man, Osama bin Laden, and his Al Qaeda movement, targeting the freedoms we enjoy. In his horrendous assault, two symbols of American financial prowess, the Twin Towers in New York City, were destroyed, killing thousands.
Nine years later, a new assault has been launched against our nation, targeting our founding beliefs. At risk is our Constitution, specifically, the enshrined rights of all citizens to speak and worship as they see fit. The argument over the proposed Manhattan Islamic community center and mosque is the battleground, and a group of extremists who oppose this “Ground Zero Mosque” are putting our fundamental beliefs as a nation at risk. Their argument is based on misconceptions of the nature of Islam and works to undermine the rights of our citizens, just as Al Qaeda wants.
Islam is a monotheistic religion, grounded in the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism and Christianity. By the very nature of its name (derived from its Arabic root), Islam preaches peace and service to God. Historically, the religion spread through peaceful means and negotiations, and it has been tolerant of other belief systems compared to similar religions. The concept of “jihad” in the religion is often misinterpreted- in fact, it is a very minor item that came about when the Muslim community, in its infancy at the time, was under direct attack from surrounding tribes. It has been rarely invoked, and does not rationalize the horrendous actions taken by terrorists.
Thus, it is clear that one of the greatest tragedies in our nation’s history was caused by a group of misguided individuals, much like the perpetrators of the Oklahoma City bombing. These criminals may veil their evil deeds by quoting a religion, but their bastardized Islam is nothing like the true religion. Any ties between Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and Islam are patently false.
Every time there is a push to curtail the ability of one group or another to voice their opinion in a peaceful manner, or the ability of a group to worship in a peaceful manner on their private property, it is one step closer towards the America that Osama bin Laden wants: an America that stands in opposition to liberty and discriminates against minority groups, especially Muslims. When they attacked America, Al Qaeda wanted us to be fearful and abandoned our defining freedoms in the pursuit of ‘security’. They wanted to blind us to the fact that America’s strength lies in the diversity of its citizens, that almost no other country on Earth has been as welcoming to people from all over who share our beliefs in self determination and equality. They realized that their dreams of dominating and oppressing the world will always be vanquished by the spread of freedom, and the only way to fight freedom is slowly deteriorate it with fear. If this project is blocked because of these baseless fears, then it starts a fall down a slippery slope that could limit more of our freedoms in the future.
We must fight terror, and we must respect the sacrifices made on that fateful day in September. The best way to do that is proudly embrace our nation’s diversity and freedoms. Barring any legitimate reasons to not construct this Islamic community center on Manhattan (such as financial improprieties, zoning concerns, etc), building this center would not only help build better national understanding of Islam, but will be a symbol of the strength of our nation and founding beliefs.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Senate Republicans cost Michigan jobs and make our roads more dangerous
All I have to say is: What the hell, Mike? What. The. Hell.
Today, MDOT had to cut over 243 road funding projects, projects to put Michigan workers to work, make commutes for the rest of us to and from our jobs/leisure spots safer, and save us from having to buy new tires and suspension setups every time our cars hit a huge pothole.
What, pray-tell, would cause our state government, staring down the barrel of 15% unemployment and worsening roads, to do such a thing?
From the Detroit News:
"The commission was forced to cut the projects due to continued declines in state gas tax revenues and the state's inability to match federal dollars beginning in 2011."
In other words, the state had to cut these projects because they weren't able to raise enough internal money to receive a free grant from the federal government.
Chief reason for this? Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, whose dogged determination to cut taxes and government services has just cost Michigan free money and hundreds of jobs. By refusing bi-partisan proposals to restructure our state road funding system, we weren't able to raise the revenues necessary to qualify for federal funds needed to make these projects a reality in our cash-strapped state.
This isn't a new problem. For a long time, Michigan has known its gas tax funding system, which last saw a rate increase over a decade an a half ago, was inadequate to deal with the changing structure of our state's finances. In 2008, Michigan lost out on road repair revenue when gas was topping $4- a time when other states with percentage excise taxes were solvent despite the decrease in gas consumption. 2009 saw no improvement, and with the general fund continuing to decrease, road groups tried to lobby to maintain the funding needed to keep our infrastructure afloat.
Of course, this fell on deaf ears. The Senate's majority caucus's slavish adherence to the mythic "Read My Lips: No New Taxes" mantra has cost Michigan thousands of jobs and will continue to for years to come. The canceled projects would have been creating jobs through 2014.
For a caucus that talks about 'running government like a business', you'd think they would know a thing or two about investing in your future. Successful business owners know that you have to be willing to spend a buck to make two- maybe not tomorrow, but a month or a year down the road. Businesses that don't know how to do this quickly fold. By refusing to make the relatively small investment needed to keep our vital lifelines, our roads, safe and smooth, the Senate leadership has proven it is determined to drive Michigan to the point of collapse.
Today, MDOT had to cut over 243 road funding projects, projects to put Michigan workers to work, make commutes for the rest of us to and from our jobs/leisure spots safer, and save us from having to buy new tires and suspension setups every time our cars hit a huge pothole.
What, pray-tell, would cause our state government, staring down the barrel of 15% unemployment and worsening roads, to do such a thing?
From the Detroit News:
"The commission was forced to cut the projects due to continued declines in state gas tax revenues and the state's inability to match federal dollars beginning in 2011."
In other words, the state had to cut these projects because they weren't able to raise enough internal money to receive a free grant from the federal government.
Chief reason for this? Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, whose dogged determination to cut taxes and government services has just cost Michigan free money and hundreds of jobs. By refusing bi-partisan proposals to restructure our state road funding system, we weren't able to raise the revenues necessary to qualify for federal funds needed to make these projects a reality in our cash-strapped state.
This isn't a new problem. For a long time, Michigan has known its gas tax funding system, which last saw a rate increase over a decade an a half ago, was inadequate to deal with the changing structure of our state's finances. In 2008, Michigan lost out on road repair revenue when gas was topping $4- a time when other states with percentage excise taxes were solvent despite the decrease in gas consumption. 2009 saw no improvement, and with the general fund continuing to decrease, road groups tried to lobby to maintain the funding needed to keep our infrastructure afloat.
Of course, this fell on deaf ears. The Senate's majority caucus's slavish adherence to the mythic "Read My Lips: No New Taxes" mantra has cost Michigan thousands of jobs and will continue to for years to come. The canceled projects would have been creating jobs through 2014.
For a caucus that talks about 'running government like a business', you'd think they would know a thing or two about investing in your future. Successful business owners know that you have to be willing to spend a buck to make two- maybe not tomorrow, but a month or a year down the road. Businesses that don't know how to do this quickly fold. By refusing to make the relatively small investment needed to keep our vital lifelines, our roads, safe and smooth, the Senate leadership has proven it is determined to drive Michigan to the point of collapse.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hansen Clarke for Governor 2010
Despite loosing a great contender for the Democratic nod to become the next Governor of the State of Michigan, we've gained another.
State Senator Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) has just filed papers to run for Governor. From his personal Facebook status:
Hansen Clarke filed papers at 2:31pm today in Lansing to run for the Office of
Governor in the great State of Michigan.
As well, MIRS picked up on the story as well. Expect other media outlets to follow. The final confirmation came from Hansen's wife, Choi, who wrote:
Choi Palms-Cohen is extremely proud to announce that her husband, Sen. Hansen
Clarke, has filed papers today to run for the Office of Governor of the great
State of Michigan!
I think this is not just great for Senator Clarke, but also for Michigan. Hansen has been a long-time advocate of the little guy in Lansing, and, while others 'play the game' to get bills passed, he's stuck to his guns and refuses to do anything that violates his moral or ethical principles. Furthermore, I've never seen him turn away an idea without giving it proper consideration- given the status of our state's economy, a leader who is willing to listen and consider all options before making a decision is exactly what we need.
I personally worked with the Senator for two years in his office. Beforehand, I had worked in other government offices and for other candidates, and since have left to join the private sector. While some may think this makes me biased, I believe it gives me a lot of credibility in assessing his merits to attain to the highest office in the state. My assessment is that he is one of the most decent and honorable people I've met in my life, and a true example of a concerned citizen who broke into politics with a message that hasn't let that message be muddled by special interests or insider politics. I believe he will make a great Democratic candidate and a strong leader to take Michigan out of its Lost Decade and into a prosperous future.
State Senator Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) has just filed papers to run for Governor. From his personal Facebook status:
Hansen Clarke filed papers at 2:31pm today in Lansing to run for the Office of
Governor in the great State of Michigan.
As well, MIRS picked up on the story as well. Expect other media outlets to follow. The final confirmation came from Hansen's wife, Choi, who wrote:
Choi Palms-Cohen is extremely proud to announce that her husband, Sen. Hansen
Clarke, has filed papers today to run for the Office of Governor of the great
State of Michigan!
I think this is not just great for Senator Clarke, but also for Michigan. Hansen has been a long-time advocate of the little guy in Lansing, and, while others 'play the game' to get bills passed, he's stuck to his guns and refuses to do anything that violates his moral or ethical principles. Furthermore, I've never seen him turn away an idea without giving it proper consideration- given the status of our state's economy, a leader who is willing to listen and consider all options before making a decision is exactly what we need.
I personally worked with the Senator for two years in his office. Beforehand, I had worked in other government offices and for other candidates, and since have left to join the private sector. While some may think this makes me biased, I believe it gives me a lot of credibility in assessing his merits to attain to the highest office in the state. My assessment is that he is one of the most decent and honorable people I've met in my life, and a true example of a concerned citizen who broke into politics with a message that hasn't let that message be muddled by special interests or insider politics. I believe he will make a great Democratic candidate and a strong leader to take Michigan out of its Lost Decade and into a prosperous future.
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