Now the Islamic Community Center is a Symbol

The political silly season is upon us!

Thanks, Republicans, for restoring what is an August tradition...insanely stupid tangents that play into the cultural fear spots.

We got yer anchor babies right chere! Our strict constitutional constructionists have discovered the need to advocate the repeal of the 14th amendment.

We got yer Ground Zero Mosques right cheer! Forget that it's an Islamic Community Center two blocks from Ground Zero, or that it's a neighborhood with a large Muslim population. It's an affront to all Americans everywhere because...okay, that's where I lose it. WE'RE NOT AT WAR WITH THE MUSLIM RELIGION. Let me repeat that. WE'RE NOT AT WAR WITH THE MUSLIM RELIGION.

To equate this center with putting up a Nazi sign near the Holocaust museum is not just a bad analogy. It shows a wanton misunderstanding of what happened on 9/11. You're equating the second largest religious faith on the planet with Hitler-centric fascism of the Nazis. Is that really what you want to say. A more apt comparison would be if they wanted to put a monument honoring the political movement Al Quada on the site of Ground Zero. Al Quada is a political movement that uses religion to justify itself. This should not be an unfamiliar scenario to those who from the land where Timothy McVeigh and Eric Rudolph warped the Christian faith to fit their needs.

The very core of what being an American is about is now tied into this debate. De we stand for freedom of religion or not? Do we consider all Muslims terrorists or not? Is the site of Ground Zero going to stand for the unity of all peoples of all faiths against the forces of hate and fundamentalism? "Or do we descend into the madness of the silly season?

We have no choice now. We must make the statement of support for American values. We must support the Islamic Center or risk exposure of the dark underbelly of the American culture. The instincts of tolerance and freedom must triumph over the cold hatred bred from intolerance and fear of the OTHER.

My Current Favorite Cartoon Books

This is a comic from my collection, one I recently sold. If you sell on eBay, you have to be prepared to only get about 10 to 20% of their listed value. And be prepared for a myriad of opinions about condition. It would almost be worthwhile to give the ones I don't want to keep to a worthy cause.

At 55, I'm still an avid collector and reader. These are some of my current favorites -

I really like Terry Moore's Echo, about the woman with living metallic armor attached to her. It is a well-crafted gem from the creator of Strangers In Paradise. Alison loves it, too.

We also read Jeff Smith's RASL. I love it's alternate universe travel and it's riff off Tesla. It is published very infrequently and there is a long wait between issues. Jeff Smith and his wife Vijaya are one of the few celebrities Alison have ever met. We helped assist them when they were honored at Pogo Fest, and ate with them, partied with them and other artists, and showed them around the Okefenokee Swamp Park.

I Like two Stephen King mini-series, The Dark Tower and The Stand. I think The Stand is one of the best comics out right now, and certainly one of the best adaptions I've ever seen.

I like the main Batman title, but not much else. I also like Jonah Hex, although the quality varies from issue to issue. And I'm a huge Legion of super-Heroes fan, going back to some of the earliest comics I bought.

In Marvel, I'm primarily into the old mainstays, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four. I really don't like the retro-elimination of Peter and Mary Jane's marriage, but I'm enjoying the thrice-monthly publication, and I have to admit the stories are well written with a great use of supporting cast. I also get The Uncanny X-Men, and am primarily a Shadowcat fan - a smart Jewish girl who's not drawn like an uber-busted bombshell - gotta love it!

I love The Justice Society of America. It is what I call the Thread, with elements of continuity reaching back to the Golden Age. And with Bill Willingham as the writer - hot! hot! hot!

I mostly collect Vertigo comics as graphic novels, although I like to regularly get Fables and Jack of Fables...that darn Willingham again!

But first and foremost I am a Superman fan...Superman, Action comics, Adventure comics, Supergirl, I can't get enough of the never ending battle! I love his sense of decency and sticking up for everyone who needs it. And I'm thrilled with the new storyline of J. Michael Straycynzki called Grounded, where Superman meets and deals with regular, everyday people.

And that's what I'm reading at present. In the future, I hope to discuss the terrible price increases and circulation problems there are plaguing the comics industry.

Inexplicable Musings

Another season of So You Think You Can Dance is wrapping up, and for whatever reason, I have failed to keep up my blog. I really desire to write, but I have so little discipline. I have to make it more of The One Thing.

My thoughts remained scattered over many things. I noticed from the movie Julie & Julia that the blogs that catch have some gimmick that requires repeated viewing. But I don't really want to go through a recipe book. I thought maybe chronologically reading a Superman comic book each day for a year. Somehow I don't think any one would want to make a movie of that.

I remain involved in community theatre. I finished Alice Though the Looking Glass with my son Benjamin. I've started on Barefoot In The Park, playing a part I did in 10th grade. So I may have some pictures and topics on this.

It bothers some people but I'm very interested in politics. I'm fairly progressive in a very, very unprogressive area. I love to vent, but I also don't mind dialogue. I seriously think I'm on the verge of re-conceptualizing our tax system, but I would love feedback while I'm doing it. And, of course, my chief issue is single payer health care. I also am very worried that global warming is being taken less seriously at a time when we're rapidly passing the time we can do anything about it.


i love reading, and would like to comment more on what I'm reading. Right now, I am reading Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Vanity Fair by William Thackeray, The Future of Faith by Harvey Cox, and a Worlds of If Science Fiction magazine from 1952 featuring Let My People Go by Walter Miller, Jr. I also am a lifelong comic book fan and would love to discuss any of that.

I am a fan of storytelling, and yes, that includes television and movies. I loved Lost, Buffy, The Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr and Twin Peaks. Movies are great, especially Mel Brooks movies and anything with imagination and fire. The most recent movie I loved was Inception.

I consider myself part of the Christian left, enjoy the Episcopalian church, and am open to discuss faith in an open and tolerant manner.

I have a great family and love to talk about that, and share pictures.

Finally, I hope to add more chapters to my New Coast story.

I hope I'm back. I hope I carve out time and take advantage of opportunities, and I hope I'm worthy of reading and considering.

Your friend in Blog-O-Land,

T.M. Strait