International Burn the Koran Day

The ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks is upon us.  I’ve been reflecting a lot in the last few days.  I’ve listened to some tributes and find myself fighting back tears.  I still can’t listen to that Alan Jackson song that asks “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turnin’”.  I was one of those people you heard about that went home from work the morning of 9/11, turned on the news channel and sat mesmerized for three days straight.  I was traumatized.  I can think of a lot of things that would be good to do to commemorate this macabre anniversary, but now I’m hearing about Pastor Terry Jones from Gainesville Florida, the Pastor at Dove World Outreach Church.  On the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I guess he’s planning on having an “International Burn the Koran Day”.

We’ve come a long way since that awful day, but apparently we’re still going in a number of different directions.  At the very least, this is “controversial”.  Pastor Jones has been under a tremendous amount of pressure to “re-think” his plans.  Burning the Koran would upset many Muslims throughout the globe.  In fact, a few folks in Afghanistan found out about the plan and commensurately organized a protest.  Whaddya suppose they did?  They burned the American flag while chanting “Death to America!”  How about that?  They heard that someone in America was planning to burn the Koran and their immediate reaction was to burn our flag and condemn our entire nation.  So, for clarification:

A select few radical Muslims are terrorists that kill based on religion: we are tolerant.

A select few Christian Americans plan on burning the Koran: there are protests calling for the destruction of America.

I hate to sound elitist, but I’m starting to wonder if some people are simply beyond help.

These people won’t condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization.  They won’t even condemn Al Qaida!  We tiptoe all over the place because we need to demonstrate our tolerance to a group, many of whom believe it is their mission to kill anyone not willing to convert to Islam, and then we take their side against a guy in Florida that plans to exercise his 1^st amendment right?  Some think that we have to compromise.  That sounds like the type of compromise I had when I was married.  My wife would want A, I would want Z and we would compromise somewhere around B. 

Look, I only know one Muslim on a personal level.  He’s a great guy.  I think of him as a thoughtful, considerate, peaceful man.  I consider him a friend, but he's more of a “friend of a friend” but whenever the three of us get together, it's always a good time.  He and I have not discussed much politically, but I did notice he’s a member of a Facebook group called “Hamas is not a Terrorist Organization”.

As Christians, many of us express our disdain for radical Christians.  I don’t know anyone who has anything positive to say about Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church from Kansas.  You know, the people that go to military funerals and hold up signs stating “God Hates Fags”.  I deplore those jerks.  I denounce them.  Most of us think this guy in Florida is a schmuck too, and we’re not afraid to say it.  But where are the moderate Muslims expounding about Radical Muslims?  Hamas claimed responsibility for the killing of four Israelis this week, one of them a pregnant woman.  Until I hear Muslims coming out en masse to denounce that type of behavior, I will see blatant hypocrisy.  I want a huge group of Muslims shouting their condemnation of Hamas.  I want to hear it about Al Qaida and The Taliban too!

Rosie O’Donnell thinks radical Christianity is as dangerous as radical Islam.  Sure thing, Rosie, when was the last time in our lifetime that Christians killed 3,000 people in a day in the name of Christ?  Are there atrocities in our history attributable to Christianity?  Of course, but that was a very long time ago, and we see clearly that those actions were terrible.  We, as Christians, denounce those actions, and we do it unequivocally.  

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of protests, Foreign, National and Local; Political & Religious (I’ve personally attended a few Tea Party rallies.  Keep that under your hat, I don’t want folks to know about my radical racist homophobia).   It seems that many of the foreign and liberal protests tend to get violent, and fire comes into play regularly.  What do they burn?  Among other things: The American Flag, The Israeli Flag, and Effigies of our Leaders.  *They’ve even done effigies of President Obama.  I thought he was going to restore our relations with everyone?  Keep in mind, we’re the ones deserving of death for having a small group in our country planning to burn Korans.  They haven’t done it yet, but we all deserve death because they intend to do it.  I wonder if any Muslims have ever burned bibles?

I frequently hear that Islam is a religion of peace.  Keep in mind that the Koran refers to Jews as Apes and Pigs.  Mohammed took a nine year old girl as his wife.  Islamic papers often depict Jews with horns.  Islamists don’t denounce people who participate in reprehensible things like CUTTING PEOPLE’S HEADS OFF!  There is fatwa on a Danish cartoonist for drawing Mohammed.  Comedy Central often shows material that mocks Christianity, but when there was a planned showing of something slightly mocking Islam, it was quickly pulled, following repeated death threats.  Muslims force their wives to cover their faces in shame.  In fact, in Iran, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was sentenced to “Death by Stoning” for being so gallivant as to allow herself to be photographed without her head covered.  Death?  By Stoning?  Really?  I seem to remember that America is frequently chastised for being so uncivilized because we still employ the death penalty.  It’s done after a conviction and years of appeals.  Then, when it is actually carried out, is done as humanely as possible; a humane punishment for those that have committed barbaric, inhumane, acts.  In the Muslim world a woman can be sentenced to death by stoning for being photographed without her face covered?  Death comes to adulteresses too.  I didn’t realize how broad the definition of adultery can be.  The act of a woman speaking to a man who is not her husband, or a member of her family, can be construed as adultery; this applies to widows as well.  Conversion to Christianity is punishable by death in many regions of the Middle East.  Where’s Mike Farrell for this?  Oh yeah, he’s advocating for the release of Mumia.  *Sorry, that’s an entirely different can of worms that I’m not prepared to open right now.

We are tolerant of the least tolerant of religions.  There are no Synagogues or Christian Churches, outside of Israel, in the Middle East.  Even possessing a bible is a crime.  If you’re not Muslim, you’re not even allowed to visit Mecca!  We’re not talking radical here, this is just the way it is in the Middle East.  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is quoted as wanting to wipe Israel off the map!  I’m still waiting for Muslims to go on the record condemning that kind of talk.  Something tells me that I’ll be waiting a very long time.

General Patraeus decided to get involved.  That really bothers me.  As a member of the United States Armed Forces, you’re not to take a position on political matters.  He's the top dog of the military and breaks that rule so blatantly?  If it’s that important, Obama should be on it.  Oh, that’s right, he doesn’t like to comment on local issues….pause for scoffing/laughter.

Toleration of the intolerant is only leading to more problems.  The United States has consistently held itself to a higher standard, and its thanks is perpetual condemnation.

At this point Pastor Jones plans on moving forward.  I am trying to figure out just what it is that he believes he will accomplish.  Does he think he’s going to change someone’s opinion?  My guess is that it will only harden the opinions of people on both sides of the argument; those that won't be be swayed regardless.  And much like the situation with the “Ground Zero Mosque”.  Just because you have the right to do it, doesn’t make it the right thing to do. 

So, Pastor Terry Jones, if you were to ask me what I thought you should do, with regards to your plan for an “International Burn the Koran Day”, I would say, “knock it off you flippant moron!  You’re acting as stupidly as they are”.

Nolan D. Winans

Just a copy of an email I sent to a columnist

Ms. Thompson,

Your column was forwarded to me.  I read through it and had some comments.  None of this is meant to be a personal attack, but I just don't agree with you on a lot of your statements.  If you have the time and are interested in an opposing viewpoint, please peruse at your leisure.  If not, I hope you had a nice day, and that tomorrow is even better.

Nolan D. Winans

Jean Thompson column: Anger, not analysis, leading people's actions

August 24, 2010

I'm undergoing a crisis of faith but not of a religious nature. I've lived the good life in the United States for well over 50 years and expect to end my days here. That said, I find my core values are increasingly in conflict with the society I live in now. I feel that a paradigm shift has taken place ethically, politically and socially, making me feel alien.

The country and society we moved into was overly different from the current one that sometimes I think wistfully about leaving, moving back to a friendlier, less angry country. But I'm too old to undertake such a move so I'll have to live with my mental unease concerning the path we're on.

It's hard to know where to start but here goes: There's a lack of logic and critical analysis of issues by people most affected by those issues.  

The tea party movement is a prime example of a lot of noisy slogans but little understanding of underlying causes and possible solutions.  Opinion stated as fact.  I am proud to have been to several Tea Party rallies.  I'm sure you heard the news that we're all a bunch of hateful, racist, homophobes.  By some strange coincidence, I didn't see any of that at the rallies I went to.  I did, however read that there were liberal bloggers promoting the idea of going into rallies undercover with racist rhetoric to discredit the movement.

We surely must realize that an educated and skilled populace is our insurance that the United States will prosper and continue to be among the world's leaders. At the same time, we scream for lower taxes and endorse closing schools, laying off teachers, dropping foreign language and advanced placement courses while endorsing expensive football and other athletic programs that benefit only a small percentage of students.  Outrageously over simplified, and pretty misleading.

Are the very few top athletes going to save our economy in this highly competitive world market? No, so what?

There are still people who claim that the huge tax cut for the top 1 percent of taxpayers should be maintained, using the disproved argument that this will provide an abundance of jobs. History has shown repeatedly that raising taxes on the top income earners effects the economy negatively.  I have that documentation if you would like to see it.

Sorry, most of 

for most people. A return to slightly higher taxes for the top 1 percent would not be painful to them and may allow for some tax breaks to small businesses that do create jobs. The top one percent make approximately 20% of the income and pay approximately 40% of the taxes, but that's not enough?

Why are those who will never pay this increased tax or even earn $250,000 per annum of taxable income so against it?  Because it's not fair.  By that line of thinking, I should endorse slavery since I'm white.  *For the record, I don't.

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates Sr. have supported the end of the tax breaks. Buffett, along with Bill Gates Jr. and a group of 40 billionaires, have met to discuss a plan to give at least 50 percent of their own income to help the impoverished people worldwide withhealth care, education and housing.

These billionaires support keeping the estate tax, cunningly renamed the death tax.  I would say "accurately renamed".  Why does the government deserve a chunk of someone's life's work when they choose to give it to their heirs?

Most people who noisily oppose keeping this tax will never come close to having the kind of estate subject to it.  You seem to be repeating yourself here.  Not specifically, but the idea.

Don't they realize that? I do.  

They would do better concentrating on indexing the alternative minimum tax or simplifying the tax code.  Are you suggesting we increase the number of people that pay no taxes?  *I'm with you with in regards to simplifying the tax code.

Now the other side of the coin: If we cater to the noisy demands for lower taxes or, alternatively, a flat tax, consider the outcome. Ooh, "noisy" nice little dig.  Noisy people aren't usually credible.  Were you as dismissive of the people bashing Bush, many of them advocating violence, for eight years? or were they just exercising their right to free speech?

We have already read in national newspapers that some communities are turning off all streetlights in residential areas while cutting police forces to the bone. Does this make sense? I don't think it's right to speak for others, as I've not read that.  I'd like to see documentation.  Also, again, outrageously over simplified and misleading.  It's such a knee-jerk reaction that anytime anyone suggests we lower taxes that that just means they advocate firing all the firemen and police officers.  I'm sorry, but that's silliness. 

Shorter school year — is this how we maintain our place in the world? Who has proposed that?  I'll have to look into that.

Think also of neglected infrastructure such as unsafe bridges and dams, sinkholes and potholes in highways and unsafe streets. These are the things that are financed by taxes. Scary rhetoric always works.  It doesn't matter if it's accurate.

We can eliminate waste, including "bridges to nowhere" and pork-barrel projects, but this requires bipartisan efforts and well-informed and active citizens. Finally!  Something with which I agree.  How do you feel about the Line Item Veto?  

In this angry, polarized political climate, we're descending into chaos.

The party currently in power is not being forceful enough in explaining its actions, why they're needed and how things can be improved. Not forceful enough?  Just how much more forceful would you like them to be?  The healthcare bill had over 2,000 pages in it.  Have you read it?  I made it through about a hundred pages be and my eyes glazed over.  I don't think a bill should be over 750 pages.  Yes, I just pulled that number out of the air, but it sounds good to me. 

In short, we're floundering while the Republican Party is capitalizing on the fact that it can and will frustrate all positive action.  Ah, we have named the villain!  I mean only nasty Republicans would object to "positive action", right?

The party of no has no goal higher than reclaiming power. Hey, "party of no", another nice little dig!  Again you're asserting opinion as fact.  I think that's irresponsible. 

To this end, it has openly vowed to prevent virtually any useful action proposed by the current administration. Useful, huh?  A lot of people, myself included, see much of it as something we don't need and can't afford.  Much of it seems to punish success and reward failure.  What does that do for our world standing?

The right-wing-inspired hysteria over the new health care law being "crammed down our throats" seems to have cooled somewhat but misunderstandings persist. Ah, if you object to it, you simply just don't understand?  Maybe they can put conservatives in camps to "re-educate" them.  You really seem to like labeling people.  "Republicans/right wing/noisy/party of no" etc.  At least you didn't use the pejorative "tea baggers"

This is evidenced by the USA Today article that shows that less than 50 percent of Americans correctly understand many of the new benefits and a similar low 40-plus percent incorrectly believe that Medicare payments are being cut and that "death panels" are in the bill. If you didn't read this article, do it now with an open mind and re-evaluate.I'll go hunting for it, but a link would have helped.

I urge all who plan to vote in November to put aside their anger and anxiety and read about the issues in reputable books and publications. Don't get hooked by the hysteria of Fox News and the emotional bludgeoning their commentators engage in. Got it, we should get our information from sources the left approves of.  

Keep your cool, be analytical and consider the consequences of your vote. The good of the country should take priority over individual gripes.  I assure you, I have kept my cool and I try to look at every side of every issue that I can think of, and I make, what I believe to be, "educated decisions.

If you made it here, thanks for taking the time to read it.  

Jean Thompson is a Grand Chute resident and is a Post-Crescent Community Columnist. 2 of 2