We live in confusing times as witnessed by recent events locally with the virulent opposition to building of a new Muslim mosque on Veal Road and the United States’ declaration of the end of an active combat role in Iraq.

As we hopefully begin the final stage of seven years of war to bring freedom to Iraq, a country of Muslims, across our country, and certainly in our county, a groundswell has arisen in opposition to new Muslim mosques, accompanied by extreme and harsh criticism of the Islamic faith.

Where did all this hatred of Muslims come from all of a sudden?

Blabbering, nonsensical Glen Beck and his ilk?

The Tea Party which seems angry about everything (and I can kinda understand that)?

Just folks?

Why all this anger and ill will toward Muslims now?

Now if this was the time right after 9/11, the belligerent outcry would at least be understandable as the perpetrators were inspired to some degree by misguided religious beliefs, albeit also with big doses of nationalism, cultural inferiority complex and history.

Nine years have passed since that horrific event but the sudden uprising against Muslims developed in the last six months or so.

And what is all this talk about Sharia Law? I guarantee you most people who banter the term about couldn’t write three factual paragraphs about Islam.

More importantly, do these people not know our Constitution, our system of law?

Geez, the County Commission can’t post the 10 Commandments in the Courthouse, the Gideon’s can’t hand out Bibles in schools.

They can’t do those things because our Constitution separates religion from government, largely keeps religious beliefs from being reflected in our laws.

So, how in the world would Sharia Law become the law of the land?

Was the Constitution repealed and no one told me?

Come on. Has common sense, the ability to recognize foolishness on its face disappeared?

Yeah, Islam seeks to grow, just like Christianity.

No way you can convince me it will take over America. Not in our lifetimes, our children’s, our grandchildren’s. Not likely after that but no one can predict what happens then, but an Islamic majority would be an incredibly low possibility.

What really perplexes?

We just sacrificed some 4,000 American lives, ten of thousands seriously wounded, killed maybe hundreds of thousands of civilians and spend three-quarters of a trillion dollars to bring freedom to Iraq.

Iraq is Muslim. Upwards of 90 percent.

So if Islam is so scary we shouldn’t let them build mosques, like the one planned here with a swimming pool and playground, why did we send all those young men and women to die, to bleed, to suffer life-changing wounds, to endure the horrors that war represents, to sacrifice huge chunks of their lives, most time and time again?

Why did we put out armed services, and more importantly the people who actually make them up, under such unbearable stress for nine years, wearing them down to the point that in the past year suicide among those in uniform was frightening?

Why did we spend all that money, $750,000,000,000, every single penny of which was deficit spending and just another copper added to the national debt? And, that’s just the part we know about; not counting no-bid contracts to Halliburton and unknown other private players. Lord only knows the true cost.

And, it doesn’t include the costs of providing, as we absolutely must, for the treatment and care of the legions of our warriors whose injuries will cause them to suffer or be diminished in some fashion for the rest of their lives.

If Muslims were such a dire threat, why would we not leave them under a totally controlling, totally self-centered dictator, like Saddam Hussein, who would only follow his own interests and use religion only when it suited him?

Why would we unleash some 90 million Muslims to follow their own paths, their own interests and their own religions beliefs?

To be clear, I am not a fan of Islam. I don’t care for the way it treats women. It has way too many fundamentalists, in no small part due to a large number of uneducated in many of its areas of religious dominance.

But, I also don’t care for the way the Catholic Church regards women. Nor Southern Baptists.

And, none of them care what I think, nor should they.

Each of us follows our own path on faith. We don’t have to agree with each other.

The wonderful thing about America is that we allow that and protect it by law.

I really don’t care what other countries do. If you really believe America is special, and I do, then religious freedom is one of the elements that make us special.

And, while I certainly do not share their beliefs, I will stand with Muslims for their rights to worship and conduct themselves lawfully in our society equally with everyone else.

I believe in America, what she stands for in freedom for all and that she is strong enough to endure on the Constitution, those basic principles it encompasses and as the home of the free.