Qur'an Burning
As you all are probably aware, a Floridian pastor is planning a Qur'an burning, which is, as far as I know, legal under US law [Is this true, A?] http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/09/201098185822713338.html
In addition to the obvious problems with this plan, he doesn't even seem concerned with the danger this will cause to American Christians worldwide.
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The world has condemned the plan but the reactions vary in style and sensibility. My personal reaction, were I local, would be to show up with an extremely large posse to physically hinder the action without using violence, Tianamen Square style. Since the event will attract media attention it would be good for the opposition to remain calm, nonviolent and dignified and to greatly outnumber the extremists. (We wouldn't kick the shit out of the pastor until after the camera crews left.)
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As for other responses, I am amused by the flag burning in the al-Jazeera clip. Much like the violence and general hooliganism Muslims unleashed around the world in reaction to Danish cartoons that showed them as, um, violent and unreasonable, this is a nice exercise in irony. Afghans are unhappy at the threatened destruction of a sacred object so they burn another sacred object to show...er...that burning sacred objects is wrong?
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Also intriguing is the way Ahmedinejad and other Iranians are dragging zionism into this. A Christian guy wants to burn a Muslim books...so clearly the Jews are at fault. ttp://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-fm-zionists-behind-u-s-church-s-plan-to-burn-koran-1.313077
and
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/ahmadinejad-koran-burning-will-bring-about-israel-s-annihilation-1.313189
This is extra-silly considering the strongly Nazi associations of book burning. Not to mention the fact (yeah, I'm going to go with 'fact') that Jews are the most book-mad people on the planet and are more likely to kiss a Qur'an if it touches the ground (because it contains the name of God) than support burning it.
.
*pets her Qur'ans protectively*
In addition to the obvious problems with this plan, he doesn't even seem concerned with the danger this will cause to American Christians worldwide.
.
The world has condemned the plan but the reactions vary in style and sensibility. My personal reaction, were I local, would be to show up with an extremely large posse to physically hinder the action without using violence, Tianamen Square style. Since the event will attract media attention it would be good for the opposition to remain calm, nonviolent and dignified and to greatly outnumber the extremists. (We wouldn't kick the shit out of the pastor until after the camera crews left.)
.
As for other responses, I am amused by the flag burning in the al-Jazeera clip. Much like the violence and general hooliganism Muslims unleashed around the world in reaction to Danish cartoons that showed them as, um, violent and unreasonable, this is a nice exercise in irony. Afghans are unhappy at the threatened destruction of a sacred object so they burn another sacred object to show...er...that burning sacred objects is wrong?
.
Also intriguing is the way Ahmedinejad and other Iranians are dragging zionism into this. A Christian guy wants to burn a Muslim books...so clearly the Jews are at fault. ttp://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-fm-zionists-behind-u-s-church-s-plan-to-burn-koran-1.313077
and
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/ahmadinejad-koran-burning-will-bring-about-israel-s-annihilation-1.313189
This is extra-silly considering the strongly Nazi associations of book burning. Not to mention the fact (yeah, I'm going to go with 'fact') that Jews are the most book-mad people on the planet and are more likely to kiss a Qur'an if it touches the ground (because it contains the name of God) than support burning it.
.
*pets her Qur'ans protectively*