Life in a Theocracy

Okay, so in effort to not shy away from controversy (I’m not sure that I could normally be perceived that way anyhow, but what the hell, lets do it anyway), I wish to comment a little on an article I read today in the USA Today. It was front-page news after all. Anyways, getting on with it... The article was about the demands of Muslim women to get walls put up in gyms and private non-male swimming times at public pool…. THEY ARE FUCKING PUBLIC POOLS YOU IGNORANT BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, that was just a little taste of what I felt when reading this article. Now amongst the requests made by Muslim women were that a Bridgeview, Illinois school play all away female basketball games to an audience of only female onlookers… Do I really need to get worked up again to prove that point? Now the argument for the case of these radical Muslims is that it falls under the First Amendment which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” (Just in case you did remember it from US Government class in high school because I sure as hell didn’t remember it word from word.) A quote from Salam Al-Marayati, the executive director of Muslim Public Affairs Council, read as follows: “Whether a woman wants to cover her hair or not is her personal choice, as long as it’s not imposed on the rest of society then I don’t see any problem.” Well, I have to admit he has a point. Yes, I will fight to my last breath for a Muslim woman to cover head, her face, and even lock herself in a fucking metal chest, but I will damn my own soul before I watch this blatant attack on the establishment of community, which defines the US as the mixing pot of all cultures, turn into something more than absolutely preposterous demands made by religious fanatic! It seems to me that the very Amendment sited by this Salam Al-Marayati works against the Muslim cause. If one’s rights are inalienable as long as the exercising of said rights do not infringe on another’s rights, then why is there a debate over what public services and activities will be able to do? Why is there consideration of these kinds of things? It seems to me that if public schools, pool, and other public services are segregated by sex then I am unable to assemble in the way that my faith permits! Catholics, Jews, and Protestants alike have schools, which are there own…Cool! These religious groups ask nothing of public schools pools, etc. that they will not provide for themselves if so convicted. But, it seems that a few Muslim fundamentalists (and unfortunately barring those who seem to integrate with our laws and society just fine) know no bounds. Will the US (both the country and the people) stand up against this tyranny or will be just accommodate so that we may not offend others. Because, if this were to be tolerated it would no longer be about standing up for the Bill of Rights, but rather, we would be treading heavily on the foundation of our beautiful country.