I suppose I have always had a soft place in my heart for the ACLU stemming, undoubtedly, from the days when the phase “card carrying member of the ACLU” was a negative political epithet. Then I understood that burning the American flag was a tasteless act yet a right we enjoy in a democracy, that and that Michael Dukakis looked plain silly in a military helmet. But burning books? Well, let’s just say I’m conflicted on the topic. While I know it is a right which I have been tempted to employ more than once on an abandoned copy of Beck drivel I can proudly report that I have never burned a book. Nazi’s burn books. Truly free people choose to read them (or not). They do not issue a fatwa on an author because they do not like what the book has to say. Civilized people, in short, also do not make a public display of barbecuing the Bible. Or the Koran.
Which is why the Washington Post report: At least seven foreigners killed in attack on U.N. compound in northern Afghanistan”was so disturbing. There was that crazy Gainesville preacher again, burning the Koran and behaving stupidly, directly leading to an uprising that led to the deaths of U.N. workers. The media, rightly so in my opinion, provided little coverage of the desecration – which is the proper way to treat an egomaniac. Yet this is where things begin to get murky. As a friend of mine pointed out: “This one is a dangerous idiot. If we had a king or a dictator, he would already be in a dungeon and never again see the light of day.”
Indeed, he would. In another society, that crazy Gainesville preacher would be held responsible for his actions – possibly even put to death for what is elsewhere considered a capital crime. In our society though, we know that there is no way to corral the crazies. The “fringes” of our society are protected by the same laws that make freedom accessible for all of us. Even if their actions directly result in the deaths of the innocent. But that doesn’t stop me from pointing out the obvious response to that crazy Gainesville preacher with the help from a Race to the Middle contributor:
Countries don’t spread hate, people do, governments do, mostly religious zealots do so in the name of the one true GOD of their choosing. And by the way Christians are just as bad as Muslims, if not worse – every damn religion has to prove they’re right once in a while!
and,
So which specific Muslim dominated country is spreading this hate? Would that be al Qaeda? Can you show it to me on a map? This is what we get for declaring war on terrorism. How and when do we declare victory? Who will sign the peace treaty for terrorism? Does Terrorism also require senate ratification of all their treaties?
Where, indeed, crazy Gainesville preacher? Can you show me al Qaeda or the Taliban on a map?
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