From: Jenn

Ya know, you have a really good point! We should not show the fear that those assholes want us to feel. We do need to get up, dust off and show them that they can’t bring us down. If more people looked at it like that, there would be no issue. I think the emotional ties are piloting the anti-community center bunch, as it is me. Thanks for giving me that insight. I pride myself on being a strong, can’t hold me down type of girl, but after the devastation that happened that day, I have definitely lead with my emotions rather than my head on anything having to do with the terrorists. You are a good man, Moose!
Jenn, PAWS volunteer www.pawsofgreenecounty.org/

From: “Moose” <Moose@desmoinesradiogroup.com>

Hey Jenn,
Thanks for the well-thought out and measured response.  I can appreciate your connection to the tragedy of 9/11 and value your opinion.
My feeling is that I understand it must be tough  for relatives/family/friends of 9/11 victims to go to that area but I’m a staunch believer in pulling yourself back up, shaking off the dust and getting back in the game.  Not just literally, but figuratively as a democracy and the greatest country on the planet.  I believe we are a tolerant society who won’t be held hostage by either terrorists or pundits who WANT us to be scared.  The vast majority of muslims (as I’m sure you know first-hand) are peaceful people who have been unfairly classified as terrorists and enemies of the state jUST because 19 assholes used their religion as a toilet to shit on and do with it what they would like. We’ve GOT to be better than that, we HAVE to maintain our identity as a tolerant and diverse nation and when we scream that we don’t want an Islamic Community Center (yes, it DOES have a prayer room!) 2 blocks from ground zero, we’re telling terrorists that we are scared and we’re telling the assholes who reinforce the stereotypes (ie: falafel vendor is a bomb-making jihadist) to KEEP spewing lies and distorted facts.
Look, do I take a second look when I see an arabic person getting on the same flight as me? Yes, I think that’s only natural at this point in history, but do I try to rise above it and be a better person? Damn right I do!
Bottom line is that everyone with New York City’s zoning and local government is cool with it going in (it’s not even a mosque!) so why can’t everyone else?  I’m sure they have their own relatives or friends stories that involve 9/11 yet they still think it’s okay.  So why can’t the rest of the country?
Thanks for listening,
Moose



—–Original Message—–


 Hey Moose and crew. Just listened to your discussion about the WTC Mosque controversy and wanted to throw in my two cents. I grew up in Jersey. My husband worked in North Jersey and my father in law worked in one of the towers. Luckily he was off work that day. We moved out here two weeks after 9/11 to get away from that scary crazy event. Anyway, I am fully against the mosque being built there. Not because i am anti-Islam, my sister converted to Islam and married a Muslim man and my niece and nephew are Muslim. But I am against it because it is completely disrespectful to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11. They dont need to go to that site to remember their loved ones, and have to walk past a building that would remind them of what caused the greatest tragedy in US history. I understand there are other mosques already there, but to build a new one so close, is just unneccesary. It just isnt something that is needed. Thanks for “listening” to my point of view. Love u guys! Lazer rocks!!