Fahrenheit 451

So I read about the Reverend Terry Jones of Gainsville, FL. He’s organizing a “National Burn-a-Quran Day”. Their plan is to burn copies of the Quran on September 11th.

There is so much to say on both sides of this equation that I don’t know where to start. But here it goes.

The Muslim extremists in the world are trying to spread the word all over the world that all Americans are Muslim haters. This yahoo in Florida is trying to help them convince all the anti-Americans in the world that they are right.

Without a doubt, Jones will find a following because of the severe lack of common sense running rampant in our society. By encouraging the idiot throng to burn copies of the Quran, he will undoubtedly alienate thousands of moderate Muslims and fuel the rhetoric of the extremists.

And to what end? Do he and his followers really think this is in some way productive? What possible impact can he make by burning a book when the people he’s trying to hurt are out killing thousands of innocents with car bombs and IEDs?

These extremists are people who believe that a reward awaits them in heaven for killing innocent people in suicide attacks. These are people who hold absolutely no value for human life, be it their own or others. What purpose does it serve to burn a book, when they don’t value human life?

Of course, many intelligent people are voicing their concern and are attempting to discourage this display of obviously misguided hatred in an effort to calm the masses. These include people from Obama (no surprise here) to political and religious leaders all over the world. However, while these people are mentioned in passing in our media, the larger part of most articles focuses on the idiot and his followers. Not that anyone would notice articles advocating peace, understanding, and tolerance, because those things don’t really sell papers or air time.

So what is there to gain? Well, Jones received more news coverage in a couple of months because of this stunt than he would have received in several lifetimes. I wouldn’t be surprised if he called it off at the last minute, now that he’s had his 15 minutes of fame.

In fact, Jones said in an interview with USA Today that he had not been contacted by the White House, State Department, or Pentagon. If such a call comes, he said, "That would cause us to definitely think it over. That's what we're doing now. I don't think a call from them is something we would ignore." It sounds to me that what he wants is a direct line to the White House.

So now let’s look at the other side of the equation. The side that will be offended because these idiots plan to burn copies of the Quran “which Muslims consider the word of God and should be treated with the utmost respect.” Well, Christians consider the Bible to be the word of God and as such should be treated with the utmost respect too, but I’m sure most Christians, including me, would not be going off half cocked if someone was threatening to burn Bibles.

People! While the words in it are sacred, the Quran (and the Bible) is a book. A book with millions of copies in print and which can be reproduced on a whim. If it was the only copy on stone tablets, I would be right up front with you trying to prevent this sacrilege. However, it is a book and we can go out and buy another copy.

To me this is no different than flag burners (see my note originally published on Facebook on August 17, 2010 and published here on August 28, 2010, entitled “Certain Inalienable Rights”). While I find the burning of the flag distasteful, and I believe that my flag represents my country and the lives of those that gave theirs for it, it is a piece of cloth.

The words, meaning, and symbolism of the Quran, the Bible, the flag, the US Constitution, and a number of other items live in our hearts. They have no significance whatsoever without us. It is our belief, our faith, and the inspiration we draw from these items that have value. Without us, these things are nothing more than paper, ink, and cloth.

So let these misguided zealots burn the flag (like so many America haters do overseas all the time) or burn copies of the Bible or the Quran. They will never burn our soul. As long as we draw breath, those symbols will live and no amount of fire or stupidity can change that.