[Vision2020] Re: Never Letting Go

[Joan Opyr]

On Apr 1, 2006, at 10:10 PM, Ted Moffett wrote:

> All:
>  
> Many of those who proclaim the "progressives" who oppose the presence 
> of NSA in the CBD are hypocrites violating their own standards of 
> promoting diversity and religious tolerance might sing a different 
> tune if instead of NSA in the CBD, there was a Madrassa teaching 150 
> Islamic youth that the USA was "the Great Satan."
>  
> Then we would see who the hypocrites really are in this attempt to 
> turn progressive values against progressives! 
>  
> Suddenly the violations of zoning law involving placing a tax exempt 
> higher education institution in the CBD, taking parking and business 
> away from other tax paying businesses, might be a hot issue for those 
> who think Islam is not the true religion of God.  In fact, I suspect 
> it likely such a school in the CBD would have been stopped based on 
> the zoning regs. before it was even established.
>  
> Selective enforcement of the law is a cornerstone of bigotry and 
> intolerance, with favors and a "wink" handed out to those who confrom 
> to the values and ideology of those in power.
>
> Ted Moffett


Very well said, Ted.

Your use of the Madrassa analogy is more apt than my comparison of Doug 
Wilson to the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.  Here in Moscow, we see that 
claiming to be a Christian institution offers the serial zoning 
violator the perfect cover for willfully flouting the law.  If we 
critique Doug Wilson or his college, New St. Andrews, we're accused of 
religious persecution and, as "Godless liberals," we're presumed guilty 
-- this despite the fact that the three men who filed the zoning 
complaint are all professing Christians.  How is it that we keep losing 
sight of that?  Doug Wilson's persecution claims have resonance in our 
current political atmosphere because the Christian right has been 
leveling these charges to great effect for the past twenty years.  How 
often do we read that Christians, the undisputed majority in this 
culture, feel discriminated against and put upon?  We need look no 
further than Fox TV's irrational tirade about a "War on Christmas."  
What war?  Why, the one in which it's persecution to wish Bill O'Reilly 
"Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."  It's pure fantasy, and 
yet here we are, mean, green progressives afraid to point out the 
obvious -- that the minister has no robes.

I don't care that New St. Andrews is (or makes the pretense of being) a 
Christian college.  The point is that NSA is a college, full stop.  It 
is a non-vocational educational institution and as such it is -- or 
rather was, prior to our former City Council's fit of special treatment 
spot zoning -- prohibited in the Central Business District.  Why is 
this so difficult to grasp?  Because, sadly, it's very easy to hide a 
multitude of sins beneath the mantle of Christianity.  This is the 
power of the majority culture.  This is the ugly face of hegemony and 
privilege.

No, Ted, a Madrassa would never have flown in the old Verizon building, 
not even, I suspect, one that professed mainstream rather than radical 
Islamic views.  Joel Plaskon would never have granted a Madrassa an 
occupancy permit; there would have been no change to accommodate a 
Madrassa in city zoning ordinance; and we would not now have downtown 
businesses faced with a Madrassa hogging up retail space and retail 
parking.  That Doug Wilson has repeatedly written that Islam is not a 
valid faith but an evil and wicked perversion has no bearing on the 
case.  In refusing to tolerate his intolerance; in refusing to accept 
the Hail Mary pass he's been granted by the supposedly secular 
government of our city, we're somehow worse than he is.

Now, I think I'll go out drunk driving.  If the cops pull me over, I'll 
ask if they're Jewish.  If they're not -- if they're Christians -- then 
I'll refuse the breathalyzer.  They'll cart me off to jail and toss me 
in the drunk tank, but I'll sue their polyester pants off, not because 
I was sober (as I've just admitted I was not) but because they're 
clearly persecuting me out of a lack of religious tolerance and 
appreciation for diversity.  How far do you think I'll get?  What if I 
throw in the fact that I'm gay and that they (I'll presume) are 
straight?

Yes, I know: about as far as a snowball in hell.  I should have picked 
a more politically expedient faith.

Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
www.joanopyr.com

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