So usually when I read or hear about national or world news stories my blood doesn't boil, but for this one, it does.
Finally that pastor from Florida, Terry Jones, followed through on his burning of the Quran last month. When I first heard he was going to do this (wasn't it about a year ago?), I was wholly against it. Free speech is a great right of ours, but used carelessly or ignorantly it can lead to some disastrous results. It's not surprising then to have massive backlash against the burning in Afghanistan, which has resulted in at least twenty people dead, many of whom had nothing to do with Jones' message.
That's what bothers me the most. You have UN workers- not even from the U.S.- running for their lives in a UN compound from an angry mob, only to be captured and killed. And for what? Not for something they believed in or supported, but because some church in Florida burned something that so many people consider sacred. Whatever message Jones and his followers were trying to get out was completely lost by the way they exercised their right of free speech. How do you expect people to understand your points when you've completely alienated them to the extent they are so deeply offended they are ready to kill? It's like me saying to a classroom full of kids, "Listen up you stupid pieces shit, I've got something I want to say to you". You think they're listening to me? Hell no!
Look, innocent people die all the time, and it's a travesty, but this all could have been avoided with a little sensitivity and common sense. How could Jones not foresee any backlash? Are you that ignorant? Your burning was condemned by the president for Christ's sake! And while I do think the mobs that are ruthlessly murdering people should be the ones to blame for these peoples deaths, I can't help but place a fraction of the blame on Jones. The old legal analogy can be made that the mob was the empty gun, and Jones supplied the bullets.
But back when I first heard Jones was going to burn the Quran, I was thinking big picture. Al-Qaeda and terrorist groups are very real, and they are a constant threat. Every year we hear of some attack, or of some thwarted attempt of an attack. Just a few months ago there was the attack in the Russian airport. A year or so ago it was the potential plane bomber in Detroit. And these aren't going to go away. They are going to be a part of our lives for as long as there is unrest in the world and America is viewed as the "enemy". So looking bigger picture, what does this do to terrorist groups (especially in Afghanistan)? I can only think they will view Jones' actions as America's actions, and that we are all now lumped in as Quran and Muslim haters. I can only think that we are now going to have more determined terrorist cell groups (and possibly more groups) that are willing to do what is necessary to get their message across to the United States.
I'm just getting really sick of dumb people. It's agitating. Everyone from Terry Jones down to the idiot who goes 55 mph in the left lane of a four-lane highway on my way home from work. They are affecting my life too much, and I don't appreciate it. It's pissing me the fuck off.
~Mikey D
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7 comments:
I view Terry Jones like I do the Westboro Church members who protest at soldiers funerals: dumbshits who pervert religion to spew hate and ignorance.
I have no sympathy for any Afghani who rioted in response though. Not an ounce. Violence against Terry Jones would not even be justifiable (although I admit it crossed my mind). Killing innocent UN workers is unexcuseable. There is nothing that some ignorant fucktard in America can say or do to justify that violence. Nothing.
I think if you started a class by yelling "Listen you stupid pieces of shit, I've got something to say" you would get the kids' attention. Or at least it would have gotten mine when I was in school.
Haha, yeah, maybe once or twice. If you kept demeaning them though...then they'd stop listening.
I'm with you. Like I said, I blame the Afghani that are killing people, and I also do not think it is justified. But are you surprised by the violence, justified or not? I can't say that I am, and nor should Terry Jones. Which is my main point and my main problem. He's either the stupidist person on the face of the earth not to expect this type or reaction, or he knew something like this could happen, yet chose to still go through with the Quran burning. Either way, his actions are inexcusable as well.
Yeah, you can't start every class that way, the shock value would wear off.
With people like Terry Jones, I find it hard to tell if they actually believe the nonsense they spout, or if they just enjoy the attention and the soapbox. Either way, I haven't listened too closely to what Terry Jones has said on the matter, but I'm guessing he thinks all Muslims are violent extremists. The Afghan riot is exactly what he wanted, it gives him "evidence" that Muslims are violent.
Am I surprised by the violence? Actually yeah, I am. I expected an angry demonstration condeming the Koran burning. But I didn't expect it to be violent because I didn't think they had a viable target for that violence.
Why attack the UN because of what Terry Jones did? I don't understand that.
I suppose the attack on UN workers was the closest they could get to America. That angry mob wanted to make a point to America (and it's supporters), so it did on "the next best thing". Much like any terrorist attack or spout of violence, it's the attention of the act itself that is the desired over the deaths of the individuals.
That's just a different part of the world that neither of us can understand, I think. The way they deal with problems and situations is far different than us. Throw in the fact that religion is everything to them, and I guess that's why I'm not surprised by the violence.
If Terry Jones got exactly what he wanted, as "evidence" as you say, I hate him even more, if that's possible.
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