Burning....

I can't help but notice the irreverent hoopla surrounding the recent activity by the Reverend Terry Jones of the 50 member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, FL who plan to burn the Quran this coming Saturday. Talk about media attention! Phew! I haven't heard a newscast yet that isn't regurgitating it about every five seconds. All the while, General Petraeus is warning that proceeding with the plan could instigate violence against our troops and citizens still overseas. Like we haven't already provoked them just by invading their country? Give me a break. We went to a country where we weren't wanted for a nonexistent reason and way overstayed any minimal welcome we might have initially had. Oh, did I mention we were there for a nonexistent reason? Well, I just can't say that enough. We still haven't caught Bin Laden who appears to be still around spreading hate and discontent to anyone who'll listen.

Here is the link to this story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-koran-burning-20100908,0,7795425.story

So does burning the Quran seem like such a bad thing in light of all of the bad things that have already been done to our troops and citizens overseas? I didn't see us over here killing Muslims the last time the Muslims celebrated overseas in the town square by burning our flags and effigies of our political figures. I mean enough already.

Is a show of burning the Quran as a freedom of speech display to support a religious organization's belief against the very real atrocities of the radical Muslims such an outrage in light of the number of our military troops (among others) who have lost their lives? Those men & women are fighting for our right to be able to have this type of protest. I don't think anything should happen to the troops or citizens that may be there but if the radical Muslims have their way they would be decapitated and for a reason far less than burning the Quran.

I could understand the Muslim outrage at our actions if we're going to take 50 Muslims (because we don't know which ones may be radical) and burn them in the street. In my opinion, it wouldn't even begin to be close to equal to the number of Americans that have already lost their lives due to the radical Muslims. For doing nothing more than just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I am a bit radical by nature and I tend to think to the extreme. So while I'll probably not light a Quran on fire, not out of respect or due to my religious beliefs but because I believe in the "people's" right to live their lives the way they see fit. I believe in the rights we adopted under the Constitution and not the continually evolving interpretations used to create more control. The Constitution is about rights, not control. We need to start being more sensitive to people's rights and not so hung up on control. Most of the fight about issues in our country are about control and not rights. Under my first amendment right, it is my right to say, if you're a Muslim in America, I am open to accepting you in my country and my life, however, if you're a radical Muslim who has a plan to hurt even one American then you need to leave this country. Do not pass go and do not collect $200.

Now that we're on the subject, this has a direct tie to the rights that the people in New York are talking about when it comes to the Mosque building. Yes. You have the right to build a Mosque under our Constitution and Reverend Terry Jones and his followers have the right to destroy a copy of the Quran if they choose, after all the Constitution provides us the right to practice all religions. Reverend Terry Jones (and parishioners) believe that in the freedom allowed to practice their religion and under their first amendment rights they are able to burn a book (the Quran) that isn't part of their religion. Religious freedom and freedom of speech. Two of our most basic Constitutional rights have turned both the Mosque issue and the Quran burning threat into an exercise in control rather than a battle of rights.

Just like Greg Gutfield has the right to build a gay bar on the corner by the Mosque and just like someone else has the right to build a Texas authentic Barbecue on the other side of the Mosque. (See my earlier post on this issue.) This is a free country for the most part (however, I add here for emphasis little by little we are losing our freedom).

So in ending tonight my point is this and I've been saying it all week: Just because you have a right to do something, that in and of itself doesn't make it right no matter how much justification you can provide.

Think about it.

Until the next time ~D