The General is Shooting Blanks

When I first heard that some redneck preacher in Florida has announced his plan to burn a copy of the Quran on 9-11  as a protest against Islamic fundamentalists attack in 2001 against the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon, I thought, "What a douche-bag!"

I didn't think much of it, since we have a tradition of free speech in this country.  Everyone is permitted to make a perfect asshole out of himself.   They can ignite books, pictures, flags whatever to make a point.  Even if it pisses-off someone else. 

I do not approve of burning books and that includes religious books.  It would arouse less of an outcry from fellow citizens (and make more sense to me) if he could capture a terrorist commiting an act of terror and burn him instead of a book.

But the book is a symbol, and predictably, the reaction from Muslims in Kabul is "Death To America."
Now we even have General Petraeus calling for a cancellation of the book burning saying that it puts American military at risk.  (Like, what? they are not at risk 24X7 ?)

"I am very concerned by the potential repercussions of the possible (Quran) burning. Even the rumor that it might take place has sparked demonstrations such as the one that took place in Kabul yesterday," Petraeus said in his message. "Were the actual burning to take place, the safety of our soldiers and civilians would be put in jeopardy and accomplishment of the mission would be made more difficult

I think we should consider what is wrong with a religion when just the expectation of a dumbass act of one individual causes thousands to riot and rampage.  Islamists blow stuff up all the time, including religious symbols that they find displeasing. How is that fair or just?

We cannot stifle the right of that dumbass to engage in lawful symbolic protest.  The rights of free speech were paid for by the blood of patriots.  We cannot allow ourselves to be extorted or blackmailed because of the fear of reaction from an ignorant mob.  In fact, such reaction actually supports the contentions of those who would paint all Muslims with a single brush.

To retreat from our tradition of free speech because we fear the consequences of ignorance is to toss our traditions into the dustbin of history.  And,  we will discover the steep slope to subjugation by the ministers of fear, well-lubricated.