Terry Jones, a preacher in a small Florida church, is making a name for himself as he plans to burn the Koran on September 11th. General David Petraeus warned, in an e-mail to the Associated Press, last week that "Burning copies of the Muslim holy book could endanger U.S. troops and Americans worldwide." Americans already, especially our troops in the Middle East, have targets on their backs. Terry Jones is simply exercising his American born right to freedom of speech to send a message to the Muslims that America will not cower to Islam. I do not see why people are raising a fuss over this. If the media had not given this event the coverage it has then only the people in the 50 member congregation would have known about it. Instead the media blows this up and demonizes an American by using the military as its foil; how ironic is that?
When the dust up erupted over the Mosque being built so close to Ground Zero the same media zealots and White House stated emphatically that it was the Imam's Constitutional right to build. Why then are the same people going after Terry Jones for exercising his Constitutional right? Are Constitutional rights's only applicable to non-white, non-christen, non-male members of society? General Petraeus and President Obama, are you serious when you feel that after the book burning that our troops will have bigger targets on their backs? Really? Will the burning of the Koran enrage the radical elements of Islam? Of course it will but not any more or less than the existence of the Imperial West does already. Will other Muslims be irked by the burning? Probably but they too should understand the context of the burning as well. Just as many that I speak of are looking for the Tea Party to call out the fringe elements of the movement so should non-radical Muslims denounce the radical elements within their midst.
Much like the Mosque fiasco, no one can argue that Constitutionality of the event planned by Terry Jones instead the focus is on whether it is right or wrong. And if we don't want to send the wrong message to the world then either doesn't report it at all or report the event as one American exercising a freedom granted every citizen of the United States.
". . . no one can argue that Constitutionality of the event . . ." No, they can't, nor have I seen anyone. Neither the President nor Petraeus has told him he can't nor tried to have him stopped. Rather they said he shouldn't, along with most people, including Palin. Something Obama and her actually agree on. Since I haven't seen anyone, outside individuals who actually can't violate a freedom of speech, try to make him not do it, where does this rant come from ?
ReplyDelete"Are Constitutional rights's only applicable to non-white, non-christen, non-male members of society?" People who actually know what the right entails aren't trying to stop him.
The irony is that Muslims who say we shouldn't judge them based on the actions of extremist terrorists seem to be willing to judge Americans based on this guy. Now, as far as the impact this could have, I'll leave that up to the discretion of the career military General over the opinion of someone with no military experience and understanding or knowledge of what the chatter is out there right now. Maybe most Muslims won't use it as an excuse, but those willing to blow us up will.
Oh, and Anderson Cooper ripped the guy a new one the other night, so the media is trying to send the right message. At least part of it.
Bottom line, the guy can burn what he wants, but he shouldn't. And having as many people show outrage as possible sends the right message to the world that we don't agree with the whack job.
Rumor has it that the Preacher backed off in a deal struck by the White House that would also move the Mosque too.
ReplyDeletePerhaps but a church in Kansas will do it if the Preacher doesn't.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ocala.com/article/20100909/ARTICLES/100909743/1412?Title=Westboro-Baptish-Church-to-burn-Qurans-if-Dove-doesn-t
I had heard the rumor to that the White House worked out a deal that if Terry Jones does not burn the Koran the Imam will move the Mosque. Then within the hour of ready about that agreement the Imam came out saying he agreed to nothing of the sort. The pundits on Morning Joe, especially Donny Deutsch, is pushing for President Obama to stop Terry Jones. Why?
ReplyDeleteThe Preacher is exercising this right as an America. I understand that I don't have a military background but, really, if this Preacher burns the Koran it will motivate radical Islam to attack American troops? Are we not fighting a war already?
I did not see what Anderson Cooper said please enlighten.
/begin rant
ReplyDeleteI find the Koran burning as disturbing as I would the burning of a Bible or Torah. And as to the muslims rioting, remember that they don't have television, newspapers or even radio in many cases. They are illiterate, and only know what they know through their mosques. So if the Imam preaches against this act, that's all they'll know.
They don't understand the nuances because they aren't exposed to them. But more importantly, we shouldn't worry what that part of the world is going to say about what we do here - regarding the NYC mosque or the book burnings. No matter what we do, the radicals will use it against us. So if that's the case, why do we care. We need to be americans and stand up for american principles, regardless of what the world thinks.
As to whether or not he can burn the books, the constitution is clear - he can burn Koran's until the end of time. Florida may have something to say regarding that though, since Florida has a law against burning books due to the toxic chemicals in the ink. That aside, his rights are just as clear as those of the Imam in NYC.
Build the mosque, burn the books, it's their right. If you disagree it's also your right to speak out fervently against them.
Some on the right side of the aisle have concerned me recently with their inability to interpret what that right exactly means. Dr Laura said she was quitting her radio show to "regain her 1st amendment rights", because she felt it was unfair that people judged her for her use of the "N" word.
What she and people like Palin (who supported her) don't understand is that you have the right to speak, and I have the right to shout you down if I can. Your rights to freedom of speech does not exempt you from criticism and in some cases that criticism may be withering.
Personally, I think that the average americans understanding of the constitution is painfully poor. Even those who claim to know it haven't really read it, or read what scholars have written about it's interpretation. And that is kind of sad since it's the most important document in history IMO, because it created the only nation on earth not based upon ethnicity but based upon a shared desire for freedom.
And that's what makes us great and what scares the hell out of the radicals - freedom. So let him burn the books. I'll speak out against him and I hope you all do too.
/end rant
Viper, who is or was arguing that Terry Jones' planned actions were unconstitutional?
ReplyDeletePeople are or were going after Terry Jones for the same reasons that people were going after the Imam behind the planned Muslim community center in lower manhattan: they thought it was a bad idea.
Who ever said that Constitutional rights are only applicable to non-white, non-Christian, non-male members of society? Sounds to me like you're trying to play the ever persecuted, ever downtrodden white male card again.