The Mosque at Ground Zero

THAT mosque? The one that's not even a mosque, but a community center? The one that's not even at Ground Zero, but several blocks away?

Oh, right. That mosque.

I am confused beyond words as to why this project has met even the slightest opposition. So it's a community center.... with prayer space for Muslims, Jews and Christians! Not just a mosque. A community center with, you know, pools and basketball courts and a library and a trampoline. Plus some prayer space. One built by Muslims, but, let's face it, the average Muslim is just not a crazed murderous Al Qaeda suicide terrorist!

And then there's the issue with distance. So, the community center (with prayer space for several major religions, not JUST Muslims) will be a couple blocks away from Ground Zero. Certainly not AT Ground Zero. That, everyone would have a problem with. So what's the issue? You can't possibly be telling me that 3,000 (regrettably) dead people would mind if a community center (with prayer spaces for several major religions, not JUST Muslims) was built several blocks from where they perished? How is that marring their memory or being a dishonor to America or any other wishy-washy nonsense people have come up with?

Victory shrine, my *ahem*! The people building this community center have nothing to celebrate about 9/11. Plenty of Muslims (other than the crazed murderous Al Qaeda terrorists!) were murdered that day nine years ago!

I am particularly (but not quite) stunned at the statements the Anti-Defamation League issued. They said while they have every right to build the 'mosque' that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do! Then the leader of the ADL wrote another statement because some (sensible, sane) people said that this first statement was bigotry. The leader listed numerous ways the ADL helped Muslims... blah, blah, blah! This second statement was titled, guess what, "The Mosque at Ground Zero."

This didn't come as too big of a surprise to me. The ADL claims to be acting against all bigotry, but all they care about is anti-Semitism. Their whole website is all about Jewish and this-or-other relations. There is other bigotry than anti-Semitism! Lord, even Jewish people defame others!

Anyway (I went off on a little rant there), back to the topic- the 'mosque.'

Both the Christian president Obama and the Jewish mayor of NYC Michael Bloomberg fully support the building of this mosque. Of course, Sarah Palin opposes the 'Ground Zero Mosque,' but I won't waste my time on her.

To be quite honest, I see no problem whatsoever with the building of this 'Ground Zero Mosque.' How do you feel about this issue?

In Liberty's Shadow

Here is, as promised, the NYC/New Jersey part of my trip. First, we spent three pointless hours crusing the streets of Jersey City. First, there are all these one way streets with no way to turn around. Seriously. We went at least four miles in the wrong way before finding a way to turn around! The hotels are all hidden where no one can find them. And the people- well, the drivers are just BEYOND courteous! NOT. We saw a minimum of four middle fingers and heard at least, I dunno, thirteen honked horns. Granted basically all the middle fingers came from the same idiot, as well as at least four of the honked horns. Anyway, we spent 3 and a half hours combing (ish) the city for a Super 8 motel. There is one in Manhatten, but who in the world wants to pay 250 bucks a night (even if it's only for a night)? In our wanderings, we found ourselves at the waterfront, at a dead end, with an enormous monument before us. What suprised us, is what the monument honored.

Katyń- the slaughter of 20-something thousand Polish officers and intellectuals by Russians. Sure, back then they were Soviets- same thing. We had no idea a monument to Katyń stood in Jersey City. It is amazing that this monument to the thousands of lives brutally lost in the Russian wildnerness, actually stands- that it is allowed to stand.

It is a beautiful, true monument. Anyways, back to Jersey City. After hours of searching, wrong turns and middle fingers, we decided to stay at a Days Inn we saw in our wanderings instead of the Super 8 we couldn't seem to find. Our room was on the 8th floor.... and from the window, guess just what we could see in plain view. Yep, the Super 8 Motel.  Turns out it was just up the hill from us, out of view from the main street. We made do without free breakfast, though. The Days Inn offered a trolley to Manhattan. Of course we signed up, but by the time we found the hotel and knew about the trolley the next time available was going to leave us wandering NYC in the dark. Fine with me- Times Square is amazing. Seriously. The library has such long hours! Like until 11pm- my neighborhood library closes at 8 at the latest. Bryant Park has the coolest trash cans in existence, plus an awesome 'sunlight' from a nearby building. Bike buggies (or whatever the name is) are everywhere, as are honking taxis. And people. Including half-naked girls wearing only a cowboy skirt and hat and tiny decals you-know-where. And sporting a guitar. Also including bucket drummers and people with pit bulls with insanely awesome ears. We even saw a cockroach scrurrying across the sidewalk (don't worry, not in Times Square but nearby). And.....

This insanely awesome live camera thing above the Forever 21 store in Times Square! Can you find me? Here's a hint: look above the yellow word 't-shirt' at the bottom on the picture (near the right end of the word). I'm in a colorful striped shirt holding a black camera up to my face. My dad, mom and brother are standing around me. Still can't see me? Look at the bottom of the big blond girl's yellow camera, then go straight left. Can you see me yet? This is basically the only worthwhile picture of NYC there is to share. The D3000 isn't good on low light, even with flash. I must admit, Chicago has NOTHING on NYC at night. New York never sleeps. Chicago does.

Anyway, we came home on the 11pm trolley, though it left 15 minutes later because *someone* (no clue who, s/he didn't show up) didn't come to the trolley. Yeah, the driver had a list. The trolley was packed on the way back the the hotel. On the way to NYC, we were the only ones (plus the driver).

When we got back to the hotel, I went to get something from the car. Then I saw these cats to the end of the parking lot. I went closer.... and there was a kitten! I have been having a recent obsession with cats, and this kitten was adorable. Gray and white. The adult cats ran off real quick to hide from me, but the curious kitten stayed, watching the oddball carrying a pillow (in other words- me). My dad made me go inside, though. Sigh. However, I had a perfect view of the area where the kitten had been, from the window. Too bad it was too far away to see much. I did see what must have been a cat moving down there- maybe it was the kitten. That was the last I saw of the kitten.

The next morning, we went to Liberty State Park. Ever since I wrote an article about the Black Tom Explosion of 1916, I have been dying to go see the site, which is in Liberty State Park. Grrs, but I didn't get to go. I did, however, see Ellis Island and Lady Liberty. Here's a tip: if you ever go to Ellis Island, don't buy their vanilla ice cream- it has no flavor at all. Too watery. Bleah.

I rode on this ferry to get to/from Ellis Island, to and from the Statue and to and from the mainland. Not this one specifically- there were at least 3 ships like this, named things like Miss New Jersey, I think- at least it was something like that.

This amazing flag of faces was in the Ellis Island museum. When you looked at it from one way- you saw the American flag. Another- hundreds of faces.

A tree of words listing American words and the country or people they originated from.

A view of the building on Ellis Island as we departed on the ferry.

I called this picture Enlightening Lady Liberty.

 

This one... Under Liberty. (I took the picture from on her pedestal :)

This last picture is far from my favorite. But I love the title I bestowed upon it- In Liberty's Shadow. So simple, yet can be taken two ways. The literal one- being in the space upon which the shadow of Lady Liberty- Liberty Enlightening the World- is falling. The more meaningful one, of being behind liberty. Without liberty. In the shadow of those with liberty, yet unable to reach it- the fate of too many people, both in America and out of it.

Return from Niagara Falls

My trip was very amazing! I absolutely fell in love with New York State, especially the rural areas we drove through. Just gorgeous there.

 After the car broke down Monday morning, we got it fixed and left at around 4pm. We stayed the night in Maumee, Ohio (a very charming town) in a Super 8 Motel. Seriously, if it's not a Super 8 with a free breakfast, I'm not satisfied. The waffles ALWAYS turn out not cooked enough, though. Anyways, we got to Niagara Falls Tuesday afternoon and also slept in a Super 8. We were planning on going to the American side that day and to Canada the next. Well, we got a tad mixed up and ended up in Canada that evening, paying 20 bucks for parking. I took over 700 pictures throughout the whole trip (including the marriage of my stuffed monkey and my brother's- hey, I was bored on the car ride home!). Here are a few (a lot):

We went through this ^^ place, on a bridge, to the Falls center.

I took this picture through a window on the top floor of the Falls center. Pay attention to the writing, it'll show where I took the next two pictures.

On the left is the original. On the right is showing where the edge of the Horse shoe waterfall is. By the way, that boat is the Maid of the Mist, which I rode on the next day, on the American side.

This is the second picture I was talking about- the Horseshoe Falls.

This is boat- Maid of the Mist- again, taken from the Canadian side last Tuesday. The next day was overcast with no rainbows.

This seagull was posing beautifully for my camera (and another guy's) for a few good minutes before flying off.

The rusted balustrade (or railing) caught my eye.

This is my absolute favorite picture, probably from the whole trip. I subscribe to the DPS (Digital Photography School) e-newsletter, and the week before I left, there was an article on travel photography. Naturally I clicked on it. One of the tips was to find a different perspective- not just the same old same old postcard skyline. The photo there was a camera set up on a tripod pointed towards a skyline. So I found these binoculars to give me 'a different view' on the Niagara Falls.

Now, on to the American side...

The next morning we went to the American side. With beautiful nature trails and more access to the rivers, the American side was decidedly nicer than the Canadian. We parked the car for only 10 dollars (when in Canada it was 20- yes, 20 American dollars). Then we walked to this huge "Falls Center,' complete with Indian and Chinese food (plus American food- it seriously had a sign that said American food), souveniers and shirts, and (quite horrible) restrooms.

There was a stand on the sidewalk right by that big center, selling the shirts sold in the center for a lot less- 2 dollars, 5 dollars. I bought a white one , like the one in the middle, and a more fitted blue one too. Plus one for someone else (but I want to surprise this person so I won't say the name).

A view of both of the falls.

This is the area I went to after we got off the Maid of the Mist boat. I almost didn't ride- I got on, but I got scared and got off. Right before it left, I got back on. I was SO glad that I mustered up the courage to ride. It was awesome getting soaked with spray from the waterfalls and getting up close. You could also see lots of birds, both on the shore and in the water. There was also this huge white triangle rock with probably at least 30 birds on it.

We also went to Cave of the Winds- right down by/under/behind the American waterfall! This is a picture from above of where I went- sorry about the flowers in the way. We each got a yellow poncho and this pair of awesome sandals. My dad's poncho had a huge hole in it and he ended up looking like he'd peed in his pants for a good couple hours. For the Cave of the Winds, we descended down a couple hundred feet through solid rock in an elevator (yikes! I hate elevators!). The actual waterfall was falling onto the wooden stairs at the very top. The view was amazing.

 These pictures (taken with my old point and shoot- I didn't want to risk ruining my new D3000) show where the waterfall hits the wooden walkway. In the first picture, that's far in the background to the right side. I find the "No Smoking" sign in the second picture a bit humorous- not sure why, exactly, or how to explain.

 These pictures, also taken with my trusty old Coolpix, are from the Cave of the Winds. It's not really a cave- just a catchy name. It is windy, though.

This was a very tall observation tower. I managed to be there the day someone (poor someone!) had to clean it...

And last but not least... I dipped my finger into Niagara Falls! Well, not exactly- it was in the river that flows off the falls. This picture shows where I dipped my finger.

I took over 700 photos- obviously I won't post them all- but even the ones I cherry-picked are too much for one post. So tomorrow I will post the remaining pictures- these will be from the NYC area, Liberty State Park and Jersey City. Thanks for reading!