[jan in Colorado]

Let me start by saying I am going to do something here that we aren’t suppose to do. I am posting a vanity so you have been given fair warning. If you're not interested, don’t read it!


Well, here I am at last on the Border thread. This one has been as entertaining as the last one. I was so excited to revisit this topic as the last Border thread is where I met most of you and many of us have become FRiends.

Like Former Dodger, who fought long and hard on the first Border thread, I have been reading the posts with a mixture of amusement, awe and disappointment.

I tend to shy away from posting since I am not as articulate as most of you, and many of you know a lot more then I do about this subject! However, when I write, I write from the heart

I know some of you here on BOTH sides of this issue. What may surprise you is that you all have a lot more in common then you may think. All, at least all the Freepers I know here, love this Country, love the freedom it gives us, and want to keep it safe, strong and protected!!!! ALL of YOU!!! If you don’t feel that way, then go to DU…you will find your soul mates there!

So, if we all want the SAME thing, why is there so much controversy? Well. Should it surprise us? Look at Christianity. (and I AM a Christian). Within one’s own congregation its members can’t agree on the way things should be done etc. so why does it surprise us that right here on this topic we have different opinions? Isn’t that the beauty of this Country? Not only can we have different opinions, we can express them!!!!

I disagree with people all the time. Debate can be fun if done correctly. Treating opposing views (unless they're liberals) with respect is how, as adults, we should behave! (I’m kind of kidding about the liberals. There are a few like Zell Miller, that I respect).

Life is a journey. One in which we should always be searching for knowledge,wisdom and most importantly the truth. We should NEVER think we have all the answers. When we stop learning we stop growing. We should always remain "teachable".

Personally, I do think Islam is dangerous to this Country and to the entire world. I also think the ACLU, CAIR, Secularism, liberalism etc are ALL enemies of this country.

What do we do? We educate ourselves and others. That is the beauty of FR. We have many resources to study and learn from but just because something is written down, doesn't mean it is true! Conservatives should know that better then any one. Let’s step back and get facts before we jump to conclusions. We need to be the rational ones when it comes to the protection of this great Country!


I do believe Islam is a threat to this Country and we need to pay attention to what is going on and not allow it to get any stronger then it already is. However, that does NOT make Muslim’s the enemy. I see Muslim’s as the victims. For those of us who are Christians, what are we instructed to do? To love our enemies and to forgive as Jesus forgave.

I don’t think Texas Cowboy will mind me sharing this. Right before he got sick, we had several discussions on this subject and he did realize as Christians we can “hate” the ideology of Islam, but not the individual. He was fired up about teaching Muslims about the love of Jesus Christ! (We love you TC, keep fighting)

I know this is easier said then done. But for those of you that are Christians, and I know many of you are, Jesus teaches us to love them. So, why not teach them a better way of life? A life of love, acceptance and forgiveness, rather than a life of hate, fear, and revenge.


Venting is good and does serve a purpose, but let’s try to be respectful and remember WE are all on the SAME side we just have different ideas on how to get there!

OK, I'm stepping down from my soap box now...

Thank you all for everything that you have taught me. I enjoy your posts and your friendship.

Please remember Texas Cowboy in your prayers as he has a very tough battle ahead of him!

God Bless you all!

Jan

[Bennett46]

You are far more articulate than any of us Jan.

Thank you for your eloquent post.

You have been entrusted with a special Gift, you know.

God bless you, my friend!

[Fred Nerks]

AND THE HIGHEST AWARD, THE RED FROG, GOES TO JAN IN COLORADO!

[Gondring]

Sorry, Mom! ;-)

You're right, of course... :-)

I highly respect Texas Cowboy and the courage he showed in his response to your earlier post. I highly respect you for playing referee and reminding us all that while we disagree, we should be clear not to let our venting cross a line. I highly respect those who remind us of the origins of Islam. I highly respect those who also lost a great deal on 9/11.

And you're right...I hope we are all on the SAME side, and just have different ideas how to get there. One thing I don't want to happen is to have the terrorists drive a wedge between good people.

Again, thank you, Jan. I love your writing.

And I'll try to play nicer...lest I get sent to time out. ;-)

[Former Dodger]

Beyond EXCELLENT Jan!

I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis and statement. It is the fact that we are all supposed to be on the same "team", so to speak, that the name calling and posturing gets to me.

Friends can sit down and discuss anything from sports, through religion to politics and beyond and disagree, while still respecting each others opinion. Sometimes you may change a friend's mind, or your mind may be changed, or you may simply agree to disagree.

The same should be true when you are speaking with FRiends posting here, and it doesn't sometimes.

Allow me some "soapbox time" now if you will:
On the old border thread there was outright hatred due to the comments of one or two posters who liked to bandy the words BIGOT and FASCIST around, thankfully they are gone, but it created an atmosphere of distrust for contrary opinions.

Added to that problem is the problem of being a too strict in one's ideology and adopting an ACLU-like attitude towards rights, instead of trying to see the sitution from other angles and trying to actually understand why certain posters feel as they do concerning the "rights" of those they see as enemies, traitors, Quislings, etc.

It all begins and ends with September 11, 2001.

It is easy to quote the Constitution and fret about the rights of alleged American citizens, it is not easy to sit there and listen to such a defense when someone lost friends and relatives in the slaughter.
It is not easy to stand idly by and worry about the rights of certain people when someone believes that they are somehow in league with the spawns of Satan that flew thos planes into their innocent targets and killed thousands whose ONLY crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I believe strongly in the Bill of Rights and the entire Constitution, but I also believe that we need to adjust ourselves to the fact that we are now living in a "New" America, and accept a loss of some freedom for the greater good of all Americans, with the hope that those freedoms will be fully restored one day, when the evil has been eradicated, not jailed, GONE!

Those of you who disagree with me go ahead and rebut me, but don't ping me because I will not debate you on this, I will NOT change my mind.

A real American understands and cooperates with the tough, nearly impossible job, faced by our country to protect us within our country, and unless you experienced a personal loss on that "Black Tuesday", and smelled the odor for weeks afterward, and watched the barges of debris sail by on a daily basis for weeks, thaen you cannot tell me I am wrong in how I feel.

The Muslims at the border should have just shut their mouths and dealt with it, like good Americans who understood that the country had changed...
All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.

We now return you to your regular programming.....

[RS]

I'll drink to that !

[Kretek]

You'd think that humanity would have learned the horror of religious-targeted terrorism. That's not true; from many of posts, we see that there are plenty of people who are OK with religious persecution just so long as *they're* the ones doing the persecuting. They never learnt that "Never Again" doesn't apply only to Jews.

[Gondring]

PRAYER REQUEST for Abu Faraj al-Libbi!

I ask my fellow FReepers to please lift up al-Libbi,

that he will provide many juicy details about his operation and his buddies, and will receive a conviction and punishment that is as close to fitting as is possible.

Congratulations to the Pakistani forces. I guess they don't like assassination plots against their leader--nor the continued implications that they aren't helping the search for OBL enough.

In the picture released, this scumbag reminds me of a character from a Twilight Zone episode with odd makeup...