Or bigotry. Because union carpenters are the new Muslim. Or something. Here's a refreshing exchange of free speech (italics mine):
...at an anti-Mosque demonstration down in Lower Manhattan, when a black man walking through the crowd was... mistaken for a Muslim by the crowd -- angrily.
The video, shot by amateur YouTube videographer "lefthandedart," opens with chants of "No Mosque Here!" as it traces a black man wearing a white cap walking through the crowd. It's not clear where he's coming from or why the videographer had decided to film him, but the man seems to be trailed by a cameraman, a thin man who wanders behind him in a blue sweatshirt and what seems to be a woman hectoring him. He shoos her away angrily. There is a call of "coward!" "I'm not even Muslim!" he exclaims. Suddenly a big guy in a blue construction helmet is in his face. The chant of "No Mosque Here!" flares up again. The whole thing is very ugly and jarring.
"Wow, the crowd turned on him pretty fast," says the videographer, who described it on YouTube like this:A man walks through the crowd at the Ground Zero protest and is mistaken as a Muslim. The crowd turns on him and confronts him. The man in the blue hard hat calls him a coward and tries to fight him. The tall man who I think was one of the organizers tried to get between the two men.
So - was this guy one of the Mosque organizers? A secret terrorist? A secret Muslim? A non-secret Muslim? Nope, not according to the videographer: "Later I caught up with the man who's name is Kenny. He is a Union carpenter who works at Ground Zero. We discussed what a scary moment that was for him. I told him that I hoped it did not ruin his day."
Admittedly, he's union and that's like TOTALLY terrorist (and TEH SOCIALISMZ!!). But beyond the obvious dumbitude, I do have a couple of points, though:
1) I wonder if the asshole in the blue hard hat is union? Way to harass one of your brothers. If not, I'm sure a non-union carpenter in NYC would be really popular...
2) Suppose Kenny were Muslim. What on earth did these idiots think they would accomplish by intimidating him? For all they know, he agrees that the community center is a stupid idea. It's almost like they want to intimidate and bully him for its own sake. OK, that just explained itself.
3) New rule: These assholes are never allowed to use the phrase "They hate us for our freedoms."
4) With all of the confusion the 'Muslim-looking' cap caused, it would just be easier--and prevent future problems--if Muslims had to wear special clothing. Or maybe an arm patch...
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{Real American impersonation}The arm patch is a good idea on the generic level, but you really need to be able to identify specific Muslims so you can better question why they are in sensitive areas like Ground Zero, Manhattan, or America, so you will also need something like an ID number that you can tattoo on their arms.{/Real American impersonation}
love the one tag and "hear hear" for rule 3!
(but it's also like the teabaggers who claim they want "limited govt", when in reality it's "limited of what i don't like, unlimited of what i do like")
That's not quite right, VikingMoose. Limited Government is code for Christian Theocratic Government only. All other forms of government should be banned in order to limit government to the one true faith. Now does it make sense what they're saying when they spew that crap?
When is the last time that these right-wingers used the phrase "They hate us for our Freedoms"? I haven't heard them spout that platitude recently and for very good reason. I enjoyed reading this column.