Sunday, August 22, 2010

A Re-Thinking Of One's Stupidity?

Given all the outside right wing media push over the really non-issue of "hallowed ground" and the Islamic community center's proposed building, this little tidbit from today's pro and con rally caught my attention:

Michael Rose, 27, a bespectacled medical student from Brooklyn, approached the opponents of the mosque around noontime with a handwritten sign, reading “religious tolerance is what makes America great.” He was immediately surrounded by protestors, some of whom angrily pointed a finger in his face. One man, his face red, leaned in to Mr. Rose and hissed, “If the cops weren’t here, you’d be bleeding right now.”


Mr. Rose was escorted by the police back to the "area" where the "for the building" group were allowed, and as the reporter was talking to him, this happened:

Just then, the red-faced man who had threatened Mr. Rose re-appeared. He had followed the medical student a block from the protest. He stuck out a hand and, in a terse voice, said: “I’m sorry.”

“You have a right,” the man continued. (He would not give his name.) “I am sorry for what I said to you. I disagree with you completely, but you have a right.”

Is there a scintilla of hope in that gesture that maybe, just maybe, the stupid people can be woken up from their stupor?

2 comments:

Arno said...

There's a scintilla, there. So awful many of these people are caught up in an emotional wave, and yet a few might have the conscience to at least realize, and apologize. That's hope.

Dichwhippin said...

Nah, his old lady chewed his ass out after the incident and made him apologize or be in the dog house.