I did not wake up with any bizarreness in the middle of the night last night. I also had rice with terriyaki sauce for dinner, which Patty had to make because I have not yet mastered rice, because anything else seemed too challenging. On the other hand, now I am cured.
Yay, thing that was fucked up with new lease is now unfucked up. Although management company person on speaker phone, with music playing, filing your nails (yes, I could hear the emery board), you completely suck.
There was also an incident this morning involving city inspectors and a caulking gun.
Everything I hear about Torchwood S4 is making me so excited. Yesterday's big news, at least in my book, is that it will be taking place 2 years after the events of CoE. We're not sure if that means Ianto and Steven's deaths, or when Jack takes off from earth six months later. But it's a really compelling amount of time to me either way, in terms of where Jack's head is going to be, and is really a random piece of info I've felt those of us who want to be writing speculative S4 fic really, really need. I am all over this detail. ALL OVER IT.
Last night on Buffy: It's the apocalypse sex episode! Hey, own your tropes. Also, jeez, how is Spike the only grownup around? And really, King ARthur? The sword in the stone, really? What's most ridiculous is the degree to which it works, at least in the moment of watching.
So it goes like: "We want to protect your city. We want to protect your city from the eeeeevil Muslims. Let us protect your city by putting up ads that induce PTSD flashbacks and exploit a massive tragedy in your recent history, because that is the best way to protect your city. USA! USA!" ?
Exactly. Those ads are in frighteningly poor taste. I'm not sure, but isn't Geller not from here? As far as I can tell, most New Yorkers are either for it (yay jobs!) or just don't care one way or another.
I don't know how it's polling, but the loudest opponents are definitely not from here. It's the same old thing-- New York is not part of Real America (and is in fact often shorthand for Not Real America) until it's politically expedient to claim it.
My thoughts exactly. As bethynyc points out, very few New Yorkers are totally opposed to Park51, and a good many more are in favor. The MTA risks outraging the many to avoid offending the few. Or possibly the one (with money).
I agree that the ad is triggery , but as a person who has PTSD I'm not entirely sure that a building displaying the symbol that the attackers gathered themselves behind is any less triggery.
Note that I'm being careful to say 'the symbol that the attackers gathered themselves behind', and not condemning the entire religion, etc.
I used to live next door to one on 97th St. The crescent moon is exactly what I was talking about. It's also featured in the ad. As I understand it the crescent moon / star is symbolic of the religion.
As I said in a later comment :
Personally, I'm far more afraid of the crucifix than I am of the crescent moon. That has more to do with my personal experience with the associated religion, and I understand how some people can stare at a crucifix and find faith , support and hope - but it just inspires fear in me.
I'm sure that some people have a similar reaction to the crescent moon / star.
Okay. Granted that, I absolutely guarantee you that *more* people in this city are triggered by the images of what happened that day. So it does not make sense to put ads all over the subway (as you know, a stressful place full of angry, fearful people at the best of times) that feature both the crescent/star symbol and an image of the attack. It makes things worse for all of us, who are just going about our business. It perpetuates fear and hate, whatever the personal feelings and motivations of the people leading the movement. And unlike a community center and place of worship, the ad campaign also provides no benefits to balance out its potential to ruin someone's day-- except the benefits it provides to politicians, of course.
Knowing the number of people that I do who still flinch from crosses, I recognize that when one's entire experience with a religion/symbol thereof is a bad one, that exposure to it after that can be triggery. But it is possible, and even likely, that people would have other exposure to a religion/its symbols in a context that's at least neutral, and not everyone who has PTSD associated with that incident will have religious symbols as a trigger.
Whereas the image of the planes flying into the WTC is inherently triggery.
That's tricky territory, because what is a trigger to a person is as unique as the person in question. It's not so easy to dismiss what is a trigger to a person based on an external point of view. What may be a trigger to one person could be a common neutral object/symbol to another. There are people I know of who are triggered to 9/11 flashbacks by the smell of burning buildings, who can not even think of flying anymore. Just last month in a hotel room in Las Vegas with a wide panoramic view of the city, including the airport , a friend of mine commented that he felt a little scared watching the planes turning and banking thinking that one might head towards the hotel.
Personally, I'm far more afraid of the crucifix than I am of the crescent moon. That has more to do with my personal experience with the associated religion, and I understand how some people can stare at a crucifix and find faith , support and hope - but it just inspires fear in me.
So triggers are personal and unique, and therefore it makes sense to oppose the building of something that would provide a net benefit to the city and communities within it based on the potential for triggering because ..?
My point on triggers was specific to the ad , in that within the ad both symbols have the potential to be triggery - the airplane flying into the building and the building with the crescent moon and star. I have to say that in my opinion the ad is in poor taste , and potentially triggery for both reasons - not just for the plane flying into the building.
This is completely separate from the argument as to if the building should be built or not.
Stepping out a bit, in my opinion I agree that the building does offer a net benefit to the city and communities, however I think the location is questionable. This should not be used to paint me ( incorrectly ) as a Islamiphobe , I just feel that it's not an appropriate location based on the incident that happened there. I accept that people will disagree with me, but I will strongly object to being painted as an Islamiphobe / racist because of that opinion. My opinion is based on the incident, and not the reasoning behind the people who took the action.
I also understand that true Islamiphobes and racists would object to the building being built anywhere in the city - but that is not my point of view nor do I endorse it. As I pointed out, I used to live next to a Mosque and educational center. I interfaced with the people walking past my door to the Mosque , and even sampled some of the baked goods that they sold on the sidewalk on certain days. Never had a problem.
I have no fear of your point of view of me. We have managed to agree to disagree on many topics over the years, and still have room for each other in our lives - and I am thankful for that daily.
I was clarifying more for readers who do not know me as well. As RM has pointed out before, there are people here who do not know me well, and are not mind readers.
Many people have unusual/uncommon triggers which are hard to avoid because they are things that are neutral or even positive to most people and are therefore found all over the place, such as crosses and popular songs and smells. I am deeply, personally aware of this, although I decline to name my personal triggers in a public post.
However, an image such as that of planes flying into the WTC is neither an unusual nor an uncommon trigger. We know there are large numbers of people who do find it triggery. Unlike a cross or a crescent moon (which are symbols that have other meanings--the crescent moon is found on Eastern Star medallions, Wiccan jewellery, Procter and Gamble products and outhouses), it is also a very specific triggery image that can easily be avoided. People who are triggered by crosses and crescents have bigger problems than where the mosque lives. People who are triggered by the image of planes flying into the WTC can usually avoid it...unless, you know, some asshole puts it up in the bus.
Entirely with you on this. My thought was that the crescent moon / star was a less common trigger, but for those it effects just as bad as the plane for them.
Asshole putting it on a bus is dead on. There are worse things out there, but few that will get such publicity / public showing.
I've Googled the architects renderings of Cordoba House/Park51, and nowhere in any of the pictures of the building plans have I been able to find a crescent symbol on the exterior. Unsurprisingly, the art direction on the ad is misleading in the extreme.
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rm
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no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:15 pm (UTC)"We want to protect your city. We want to protect your city from the eeeeevil Muslims. Let us protect your city by putting up ads that induce PTSD flashbacks and exploit a massive tragedy in your recent history, because that is the best way to protect your city. USA! USA!"
?
Just checking.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:36 pm (UTC)Note that I'm being careful to say 'the symbol that the attackers gathered themselves behind', and not condemning the entire religion, etc.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:49 pm (UTC)As I said in a later comment :
Personally, I'm far more afraid of the crucifix than I am of the crescent moon. That has more to do with my personal experience with the associated religion, and I understand how some people can stare at a crucifix and find faith , support and hope - but it just inspires fear in me.
I'm sure that some people have a similar reaction to the crescent moon / star.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:10 pm (UTC)So it does not make sense to put ads all over the subway (as you know, a stressful place full of angry, fearful people at the best of times) that feature both the crescent/star symbol and an image of the attack. It makes things worse for all of us, who are just going about our business. It perpetuates fear and hate, whatever the personal feelings and motivations of the people leading the movement.
And unlike a community center and place of worship, the ad campaign also provides no benefits to balance out its potential to ruin someone's day-- except the benefits it provides to politicians, of course.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:46 pm (UTC)Whereas the image of the planes flying into the WTC is inherently triggery.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 02:58 pm (UTC)Personally, I'm far more afraid of the crucifix than I am of the crescent moon. That has more to do with my personal experience with the associated religion, and I understand how some people can stare at a crucifix and find faith , support and hope - but it just inspires fear in me.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:26 pm (UTC)This is completely separate from the argument as to if the building should be built or not.
Stepping out a bit, in my opinion I agree that the building does offer a net benefit to the city and communities, however I think the location is questionable. This should not be used to paint me ( incorrectly ) as a Islamiphobe , I just feel that it's not an appropriate location based on the incident that happened there. I accept that people will disagree with me, but I will strongly object to being painted as an Islamiphobe / racist because of that opinion. My opinion is based on the incident, and not the reasoning behind the people who took the action.
I also understand that true Islamiphobes and racists would object to the building being built anywhere in the city - but that is not my point of view nor do I endorse it. As I pointed out, I used to live next to a Mosque and educational center. I interfaced with the people walking past my door to the Mosque , and even sampled some of the baked goods that they sold on the sidewalk on certain days. Never had a problem.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:33 pm (UTC)I was clarifying more for readers who do not know me as well. As RM has pointed out before, there are people here who do not know me well, and are not mind readers.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-11 12:56 am (UTC)However, an image such as that of planes flying into the WTC is neither an unusual nor an uncommon trigger. We know there are large numbers of people who do find it triggery. Unlike a cross or a crescent moon (which are symbols that have other meanings--the crescent moon is found on Eastern Star medallions, Wiccan jewellery, Procter and Gamble products and outhouses), it is also a very specific triggery image that can easily be avoided. People who are triggered by crosses and crescents have bigger problems than where the mosque lives. People who are triggered by the image of planes flying into the WTC can usually avoid it...unless, you know, some asshole puts it up in the bus.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-11 01:18 am (UTC)Asshole putting it on a bus is dead on. There are worse things out there, but few that will get such publicity / public showing.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 03:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 06:11 pm (UTC)Misleading indeed!