September 6, 2010 Afghans wave banners saying “Quran is our law, Islam is our religion” during a demonstration against the U.S. in Kabul. Hundreds railed against the U.S. and called for President Barack Obama’s death at the rally denouncing an American church’s plans to burn the Islamic holy book on Sept. 11.Musadeq Sadeq-AP
As I’m sure everyone is made aware of already, General Petraeus has publicly spoken out against the wisdom (or lack thereof) of the planned burning of Korans on September 11th:
“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,” Gen. Petraeus said in an interview. “It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.”
Hundreds of Afghans attended a demonstration in Kabul on Monday to protest the plans of Florida pastor Terry Jones, who has said he will burn copies of Islam’s holy book to mark the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Afghan protesters chanted “death to America,” and speakers called on the U.S. to withdraw its troops. Some protesters threw rocks at a passing military convoy.
Military officials fear the protests will likely spread to other Afghan cities, especially if the event is broadcast or ends up on Internet video.
Gen. Caldwell said many Afghans do not understand either the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment or the fact that President Barack Obama can’t simply issue a decree to stop Mr. Jones from his demonstration. Military officials said they were not trying to deny Mr. Jones his right to free speech, but feared he was not thinking about the consequences of his actions.
“There is no question about First Amendment rights; that is not the issue,” Gen. Caldwell said. “The question is: What is the implication over here? It is going to jeopardize the men and women serving in Afghanistan.”
As opponents of the “Ground Zero Mosque” like to say, “This isn’t about what’s legal. We know it’s legal. This is about what’s right.”
What good will be accomplished by the burning of the Koran? In its original Arabic, it is regarded with deep reverence by those who practice the faith seriously (both by jihadis and by peaceful Muslims), as the very Word of God. By trying to hurt “radicals” who else are they hurting in the process? Of course, Terry Jones, who authored a book titled “Islam is of The Devil,” is one of those who regards Islam itself as the enemy. This plays right into the hands of bin Laden and Zawahiri who desperately want the entire Muslim world to buy into their propaganda that the West, and the U.S. in particular, are persecuting Muslims and are at war with their faith. Truth is not on their side…unless al Qaeda has willing dupes like Terry Jones pawning for them.
There is no question that a good percentage of the Islamic world has a tolerance and anger management problem:
Allegations of mishandling the Quran have interrupted Afghan security training at least twice this year, Gen. Caldwell said.
In one instance, a Quran fell to the ground when an American officer opened a locker during an inspection of Afghan trainees’ barracks. The rumor quickly spread that the officer had thrown it to the ground, angering the trainees at the camp. “He quickly apologized, but rumors took off like wildfire,” Gen. Caldwell said. “It was so hard to get the misperception turned around we stopped all training for the rest of the day.”
Reports about the Quran have set off violent protests before. A report in Newsweek, later retracted, that a U.S. interrogator at the Guantanamo Bay prison had flushed a Quran down a toilet set off riots in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
And certainly there is a fair amount of double standard at work, where artists, comedians, writers, and anti-Christian bigots feel free to insult and defile Christianity while Islam appears to be “off limits”. At least not without “Islamic rage boy” terrorizing the offenders with fatwas and rioting.
There is no fear of Christian militant Crusadists walking up to Andres Serrano and stabbing him to death over Piss Christ.
However, a few points:
1) We are not in the middle of a war with Christian religious radical extremist militants where winning hearts and minds of the Christian majority is a major part of waging a global counterinsurgency effort.
2) Just because one can ridicule Christians and Jews and get away with it does not make it right to do so. One should, in general, be respectful of others. Be the example. The line of reasoning that argues “We’ll let a mosque be built here as soon as they allow churches and synagogues to be built at Mecca and Medina” are just juvenile and self-serving tit for tats. Why would we choose to be “more like them”? So arguing that we should burn Korans because others are able to desecrate things held sacred by Jews and Christians and get away with it is just a weak, childish, vindictive, gratuitous form of being what you profess to hate. Who are we really hurting here?
We shouldn’t have to tip-toe on eggshells around a particular religion and give special preferential treatment to it, not extended to the other faiths. However, the reality also remains that one of the three major faiths does have an anger management problem amongst a sizable minority of its practitioners and we are in the middle of a war. A war that requires the winning of hearts and minds and the marginalization of the more radical elements of Islam from the more moderate elements of Islam.
We have Muslim allies in our war. They and our enemy share the same Holy Book. But their reading of it differs. How does burning their Holy Book hurt our enemy and not our allies?
Interestingly enough, one of my friends who is French Muslim-American, posted a CNN video interview of Terry Jones a couple of weeks ago on her FB wall. Every single one of her Muslim friends merely laughed or was dismissive, expressing a “turn the other cheek” sentiment in their comments. No stereotypical Islamic rage here. One might call their reaction a very typical “Christian” response. They’d probably disagree and say they are being “Islamic” in their tolerance (Believe it or not, cynicism and derision aside, Sumbul Ali-Karamali talks about tolerance in Islam in her book, “The Muslim Next Door”).
I do not believe that desecration of the Koran hurts bin Laden and Zawahiri in the slightest. I do believe that they welcome- they beg for “International Burn a Koran Day” to occur….because it plays right into their propaganda playbook.
Just because we can…..should we?
A handwritten Koran is displayed during an exhibition in Malacca, Malaysia January 12, 2008. You Witness News/Aizuddin Saad
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
I have a better idea…
Lets burn 1000 Korans a day, for the next few years… eventually they will get tired of getting angry over it.
I’m tired of us limiting our own freedoms… because Third World Barbarians getting angry…
We are a F’n super power… and we need to act like one…
I notice that NO Government spokesmen came out speaking about how the Mosque at Ground Zero will make us angry… and yet we do have a General worried about the anger of a few Tards in Afganistan????
There were 500 hundred protesting in Afgtanistan over this…. and our Government trembles…. when 1000 Americans protested the Mosque on the 22nd… and crickets…
Well….the President did “speak out”…. 😉
I’ve heard plenty of chirping.
But maybe that’s because I hang out in the right-wing blogosphere.
And yup,
a drop in the bucket on Islamic rage protests (including the protests and rioting over the Danish cartoons) when one measures the few thousand protesters against the number of millions of Muslims who stayed home and carried on about their businesses.
But more than 500 outside of Afghanistan…and will probably be growing.
I think this planned action is ill-advised, but it is one’s Constitutional right.
In principle this is not different from the Mosque situation.
The mere rumor of a Quran desecration at Gitmo led to the deaths of over 50 people worldwide.
Dave Petraeus has it right. Although I am in very strong disagreement with Sharia Law,
burning books is a page out of Hitler’s book or some Mullah in denial over the Holocaust.
It is just a very stupid thing to do. Period. It about common sense and the moral high
ground, not some jive about hearts and minds. It is akin to throwing gasoline on a fire.
Just flat out dumb!
Not saying we need to drop into the gutter but i would have no problem seeing it brodcast to the world
A. did we see three building attacked?
B. did we not see the people jumping to their deaths
C. did we not see the towers collapse?
D. did we not see them dancing in the streets
Let them see me dancing, let them see me not hiding behind a pizza table cloth over my head and face.
One other thing let our troops fight and stop being sitting targets, let the air strikes commence again. Let them take down a mosque or two. If 600,000 died figting for what many belive was right, (no matter what side) Then this is right…
Wait…….“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,”….??
You mean to tell me that our troops aren’t in danger and the overall effect is intact under the ROE of the present administration?
“Scuse me while I kiss the sky……….”
@Old Trooper 2
If they dislike the US, they will just find some other excuse to hate us. If burning a book 12,000 miles away can cause you to go to war, then I’d tend to say you are not really civilized in the Western sense of the word.
Personally I think we should embrace our own Ugly American persona… and PISS THEM OFF every chance we get… because bowing to their sensibilities and better nature sure does not seem to be working.
Look at the Israel/Hamas situation. Israel could have wiped them out easily many many times… and have held off by taking the moral high ground… and now due to international pressure may very well loose large parts of their own country.
Sometimes it just time to call a Spade a Spade (ewww am I RAAAAACIST?), and deal with their anger… with a gun… because they are just going to get angry over somthing else anyway.
DHIMMI–One who will accept a mosque at ground zero, while railing against the burning of the Quran as a dangerous affront to the religion of peace. Of course, dhimmi has a number of English synonyms. For example, democrat, RINO, coward and puss.
I too am in agreement with the author of this article. There is no good in burning books. It makes us look like zealots. This is never the answer.
I am a Catholic and abhor seeing desecration of objects that are holy to my faith. And, believe me, I see it in the media and in my everyday life constantly.
So, while I don’t believe in Islam, I respect the objects of their faith.
Not burning the Koran has nothing to do with strength. Just ‘cuz you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should.
I think that the planned burning of the Ku’ran or any other book in public is a nasty affront to law abiding people. However, it is LEGAL to burn any book in the U.S.A. period. This is going to be used as an excuse by Islamo-Fascists world-wide to rally the ignorant and intolerant to arms to commit more heinous crimes against non-Muslims everywhere. I remember that recently 10 Health aid workers were murdered in Afghanistan several whom were women. WHY WERE THEY MURDERED? simply because they had Christian Bibles in their possession. Where is the outrage regarding this horrible crime? Can you imagine the terror and fear in these selfless health workers hearts as their guide was reciting verses from the Ku’ran in order to save himself, as they were being beaten and shot one by one for being Christian? The Taliban said proudly that they murdered them for proselytizing. (they were not) Is there any moral equivalency to these murders and the impending burning of the Ku’ran? Not even close.
Perhaps the individual is burning them in response to the murders of these innocent martyrs.
BTW, how many Muslims protested these murders and expressed their outrage that this crime of mass murder had been committed in the name of Islam?
Does this proove that one MUST be violent to get our OWN Governments attention?
Tea Party protest in DC last year…. 100’s of thoussands… crickets…
300K PLUS at Beck’s rally… chirp… chirp…
500 Afgans… Head General and Whitehouse spokeman speak out, about somthing that has not even happened YET.
Murders of American Citizens because they are Christian… crickets…
Some drunk Pissed in a Mosque… media goes nuts… condemnation everywhere.
But then again…. King George did not take the people seriously either, right up until Bunker Hill…
Blogforce One nails it…
Time to welcome these scum-bags to their world.
Fire with fire…don’t like it…quit fucking around and live in peace.
“Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday.”
“The unsolicited Bibles sent by a church in the United States were confiscated about a year ago at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan because military rules forbid troops of any religion from proselytizing while deployed there, Lt. Col. Mark Wright said.”
“Such religious outreach can endanger American troops and civilians in the devoutly Muslim nation, Wright said.”
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-20/world/us.military.bibles.burned_1_bibles-al-jazeera-english-military-personnel?_s=PM:WORLD
What can one say when our own military deliberately burns Bibles. David Petraeus felt no need to speak out at that time. Where was our State Department? Where was the mayor of New York? What kind of freedom are our sons and daughters dying for?
Our bibles should not have been burned either. And there should have been an outrage about it as well.
Question, for the “Higher moral ground” crowd.
Do you really beleive, with what you know of Islam, and the Koran, that the West will EVER NOT offend Muslims?
You do know that you Female posters, should not be posting? Without your Man’s permission? That the very freedom of Speech you use here, is against the Koran? That you should be wearing Burkhas?
Men? Freedom of Speech or religion??? Muslim? uh… no… and of course, if you are wearing a Mullet, and not a Beard???? Lashes buddy….
They rioted over a F’n CARTOON! BeJesus folks… oh wait… I’d better not use that term or my Mom the Methodist might hold a bake sale or somthing….
Where a cartoon of Moh gets me DEATH F’n THREATS!
I say… its time to be AMERICAN! Porno and BEER for ALL… and if you don’t like it? Piss on ya… we’ll send the Bombers.;
I believe Wordsmith and Old Trooper 2 have the right spirit about this. Might does not make right. Burning the books is the dumbest thing I have heard in a long time.
It is incorrect to say that burning the Koran will put U.S. military personnel in Iraq or Afghanistan in “harms way” because they are already in harms way. Americans can defend themselves by killing terrorists, militants and insurgents.
Besides, it is an American right to burn any book. It is a form of freedom of expression. And, why not? When you consider the HATE that exudes from the Koran, it makes sense to protest the idea that this Koran garbage is what entices and incites young Muslim activists to become radicalized terrorists at many levels. Even “moderates” who read and believe in the Koran are radicalized by reading it.
I’m sure those wanting to burn the Koran in protest sense the origin of the hatred toward America … and that’s the Koran itself and the radicalized followers and believers of it.
Just a note also, the photos and videos that I saw of protesters protesting against the burning of the Koran in Afghanistan showed VERY FEW protesters. The media seems to be dolling this one up also. And, it is NOT a violation of political correctness to want books of HATE, like the Koran, out of the hands of impressionable young minds.
Burning the Koran is far and away an act of violence. So if you wish; burn baby burn the Koran.
As my nephew said lat week in a email from Afghanistan who happens to be a medic stated we cannot shoot back if civilans are in harms way, Do nothing but be in harms way so you cant return fire? F that Ok dont burn thee comic book but giver our men and women back both arms to fight with and the tools. Deaths under bush 600 since Skippu took over 637..what the “intercourse” dont you people understand about DEATH TO AMERICA AND DEATH TO AMERICANS.
Why stop at buring the Koran?
Perhaps we can send in Special Forces and cover the Dome of the Rock in pigskin?
That’ll show ’em, huh?
@newguy40
You must be very weak in your faith. Whenever some Americans, or foreigners, burn American flags, I keep in mind that the ideals that the flag represents are not burned with the flags but rather live on in my mind and in my heart. It doesn’t affect me to see Americans exercise the very rights that the flag symbolizes. And, to object to the burning of a flag, an inanimate object, is to be weak in the faith that the ideals it represents invokes.
This differs from burning what I believe to be symbols of HATRED, such as the Koran. The HATRED of Jews and Infidels embodied in the Koran is morally WRONG. And in a civilized world with varying ideas in politics and religion; one must keep in mind that the only way to achieve peace is to have respect, not HATRED, toward others.
One of Mexico’s presidents said it well when he said: “El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz.” Translated: The respect of others rights is peace.
Contrary to achieving peace, the Koran would have believers kill Jews and Infidels — removing the opposition; certainly a gargantuan impossibility. And the HATE engendered from within the Koran spoils young minds and encourages terrorism, violence, and militants.
If we have to fight and defend against this Koran and the HATRED embodied in it; so be it.
“Contrary to achieving peace, the Koran would have believers kill Jews and Infidels — removing the opposition; certainly a gargantuan impossibility. And the HATE engendered from within the Koran spoils young minds and encourages terrorism, violence, and militants.”
And the Bible encourages slavery, prostitution and rape. Most texts written thousands of years ago don’t reflect current mores. Millions of Christians and Muslims have managed to interpret their holy texts in a peaceful manner. So, you know, your point is invalid or possibly just dumb.
We aren’t hurting anyone, except those who want to be hurt.
Islam isn’t a religion, it’s a cult at best and a violent socio-political movement at worst.
Islam has invaded the West to conquer it, by having dropped on us the demographic bomb – far worse than a nuclear bomb.
Islam, whatever it is, must be confronted – and by us chickening out will send them the wrong message. One thing you never do with muslims is appease them, compromise with them or accept them: they will kill you eventually. History has many lessons for us on this, it’s our choice to ignore these lessons.
As for the risks involved, remember “freedom doesn’t come free.” And Petreous has just proved to me that he doesn’t belong where he is.
The fact that they will protest anything does not change the fact that we have a responsibility to take the higher moral ground. We may win a battle by taking the lower moral ground but we will lose the war. Wrong is wrong. Burning symbols of a persons religion is tantamount to declaring war. It is like the tribal clans that you see on discovery channel who desecrate their enemies symbols to strike fear in them. It may be effective but it is wrong. It is not the way to win this war. And you know what, those Muslims who were filmed cheering and chanting when 911 happened should be ashamed of themselves for that is tantamount to war. I
Let me ask you something? What would have our reaction to 911 have been if we had seen crowds of Muslims “weeping” for us and with us when their kinsman had committed Mass Murder? I have a feeling it would have been a lot different. I don’t approve of the Muslim religion, nor do I believe in it. And I have to admit that part of me wanted revenge for 911. But as the Bible says, Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. It is not mine to take. And in order to prevail in the long run, we have to take the higher ground.
I have another sadness in this. That so many Christians do not take their faith seriously enough to fight for their rights, to fight for the respect that they deserve. And I am not talking about taking to arms. I am talking about taking a stand and saying this is wrong. Boycotting those that desecrate our symbols.
Burning these books, no matter how we personally feel about the horrible message they deliver is never a good solution. I personally feel that we should all be reading them to better understand the actual intentions of the Islamic community. Thomas Jefferson once read a Q’Ran on a return voyage from England. The result was the creation of the United States Marines and a flexing of American Military Power which occured on the shores of Tripoli. That very same Q’Ran was used to swear in Keith Ellison as if it were proof of Jefferson’s respect for the Islamic Faith. Rather than destroying the words of people we disagree with, their words should be immortalized forever, so that they will not be able to escape them. Besides that, book burning just plainly puts us in the same company of a whole lot of tyrants from all over history. The ramblings of the maniacle pedophile should be read by every American Citizen, and I can guarantee that Jefferson’s reaction will be duplicated by a large majority of those who read it.
The Bible “encourages slavery, prostitution and rape”? Admitting that something exists is not the same as encouraging it. Perhaps it isn’t his point that is “just dumb”.
Adrian — You must be very ill informed. Allow me to correct your misunderstanding.
For a Catholic, Jesus is present body, spirit and divinity in the Eucharist. This also applies to the Gospel. So, desecration of those are desecration of Christ.
You see, flags are just bit of cloth.
@AdrianS:
This differs from burning what I believe to be symbols of HATRED, such as the Koran. The HATRED of Jews and Infidels embodied in the Koran is morally WRONG. And in a civilized world with varying ideas in politics and religion; one must keep in mind that the only way to achieve peace is to have respect, not HATRED, toward others.
Many see the Bible and the Flag as symbols of hatred.
Try Deuteronomy.
@ Flyovercountry
People already have read, and are knowledgeable about the koran – and burning a few is a symbolic act of confronting them. “Burning the koran” doesn’t mean “eliminating all copies” (although I wouldn’t object to that, after all I don’t see what are people going to lose by eliminating all copies of “Mein Kampf” or any other trash such as these two books.)
@Tammy:
Wow! This statement shows a complete lack of historical perspective. Free trade between nations has historically been the only thing which has produced a lasting peace. When both societies have had as much to lose by goods and services not moving across borders. There has never been, in the history of the world, a lasting peace produced by diplomatic means. I agree that the Q’Ran should not be burned, but for an entirely different reason. You should also seek a refund from your secondary school system or possibly your istitution of higher learning, as they have fed you a load of fertilizer.
By the way, the Brittish and French pretty much hate each other still, but are currently at peace. This is due to the fact that they have been trading partners since the late 1800’s. Prior to that partnership beginning, at least 500 years of warfare.
@Flyovercountry
Uh… before insulting people, you may want to go look at the Pre WWII trading patterns…. like between Germany and France in 1937? Or Poland and Germany? or heck, even Russia and Gemany pre invasion of Russia?
Trade can build bridges, but Political systems (and I place Islam in this category) can quickly destroy the bridges trade can build.
@ newguy40, I am Former SF and I deployed to Iraq and the Stans so put a plug in it.
Now for the rest of You Cyber Patriots, Hard guys and safe at the house “Heroes”…
Did it ever occur to any of you that burning one Quran or a pile of them is a Recruitment
Tool for the Radicals that I personally exchanged not harsh words but real bullets with?
Gen. Petraeus is no coward, fool or sympathizer with the Enemy. He has the responsibility for the Safety of American Warfighters in a place more dangerous than your living room. I know Dave personally and was one of his huge fans and still am. My 5th SF Group teams went with the 101st to cross the berm at the onset of OIF. I went 4 hours ahead of the longest Air Assualt in the History of the Planet with my merry band of Troopers to whack the hell out of some Republican Guard folks that were “in the way”.
If some Yokel Preacher burns one Quran and it hits You Tube, a shit storm will bloom where Your Troops are Deployed that only adds to the Jihadi Mystique and the risk to those Troops. If You have never personally been Deployed to the ME you don’t understand the trouble that absolutely will come from a book burning of this nature.
Come on FA Folks, pull your heads out of Your Six, put your emotions aside and ponder the consequences. I can’t believe the silly crap that I am reading here. I was a Shooter, Warfighter and a Commander of America’s Second Generation Patriots in places that you won’t go on Holiday. They have a tough enough job working with the Locals. Why add to the ranks of those that are collecting $1,000.00 a head to kill Americans?
Regarding Missionaries in the Stans, all I can ask myself is WTF were they thinking?
An American Passport does not make You bullet, machete or bomb proof. Period.
You FA Folks were always Folks that could add 2 + 2 and arrive at 4 for an answer.
The Quran Burning is really an idiotic act.
I thought that the majority of you all were smart enough to see that.
@Romeo13
I have to ask you and others that agree with you Do you profess to be Christians? If you do may I ask if being a Christian aren’t you suppose to spread that gospel and teach people about the love of Jesus Christ? What part of burning the Koran shows the love of Christ to others? I will have you know that I have friends and loved ones that are missionaries in the middle east. I will not share what country they are working in, (because it’s not legal to spread christianity there) but I will tell you that burning the Koran does nothing to show the love of Christ to any Muslim.
Am I a perfect Christian?? NO way!!! But this burning the Koran is actually putting the lives of more than just our soldiers at further risk. It puts the lives of every American that is currently in a Muslim country at further and UNNECESSARY RISK! I question the motives of Terry Jones.
@Old Trooper 2: I totally agree with you. There is more at stake here.
@Flyovercountry: And what part of my statement do you find so flabbergasting. Countries have been for the last several decades instituting boycotts on countries that they are disagreeing with, as well as travel restrictions. Does Cuba ring a bell? We may not have gotten rid of Castro, but those trade restrictions certainly limited his cash flow and kept him from being a big pain in the butt instead of a little pain in a butt.
Now you haven’t answered my question? What would your reaction have been if you had seen Muslims weeping for our loss instead of cheering for our loss?
And yes, we are now past the tribal stage and we should start acting like it. Please spare me the insults here. I am on your side. Just don’t agree that vengeance should be the answer here. Q’Ran burning doesn’t solve anything. Instead have faith and let the war play out among the average folk who have a vested interest in peace.
@old trooper 2
Ah… the Armchair commando Chicken Hawk card…
I guess I should not go to the next MARG 2-83 Reunion… or wear my Desert Storm ship’s hats anymore… and maybe I should send back my retirment check? Of course, I did never put in for my ColdWar medal… kinda missing from the shadow box now that I think on it…
@Real American Patriot
Sorry… I am not a Christian, so cannot answer for them… I’m a Deist… at best…
Old Trooper-Clearly your service did not iclude a sense of irony. Nor, evidently, a sense of freedom of speech. So, you are free to put that “plug” in a place of your own choosing, friend.
Tammy and NotLikely, et. al.:
What people see or feel in symbols is not the point; that is individual subjectivity. The point is that neither the flag nor the Bible expressly directs its followers to KILL Jews or Infidels nor feed them HATRED; as does the Koran.
Get it right or fail forever.
@ RAP… Quite frankly this is the first posting of yours that made a lick of sense.
Good on Ya Bud!
@ Tammy, telling it as it is results in a lot of rock throwing here at FA. You come here for the opportunity to vent, agree, disagree and get a little fun in the process. Good on You Gal!
My teams raided a Mosque in Sadr’s backyard, pulled the “bad things” out into the street and detonated them. Laughing at that now but burning the Quran is foolish.
Tribal is primitive political and rock solid amongst those that are potential allies. Dave Petraeus learned that.
I am currently involved in running a Montana Cattle Ranch that I own and writing up a “Lessons Learned” paper for DOD. Retired Colonels get asked for that. Even ones like me.
In the privacy of your own home, wipe your backsides with pages from the Quaran. I prefer
made in the USA paper but not the US Constitution as does the Pretender in Chief and his treasonous Staffers.
*Skookum…a heads up email is headed your way on Mikey, the obstinate gelding Morgan that has become useful as a pack hoss…
Consider the concept of “Reverse Profiling” . . . everyday we read, hear and see what is happening in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan . . . yet we continuously hear about the moral and racial aspects of “profiling”. We now even have some bloggers and columnist that want to seperate the radical Islamic factions from the Moderate Islamic faith . . . so who are we to “profile” . . . are we not human beings who are easily frightened? Is not our principal method of protection “flight or fight”? . . . the very nature of the human is based on self perservation and yet we are to accept the concept of “Moderation” . . . WTF . . . who are those idiots that think for one second that I will not look at a person dressed in such fashion as to obscure his/her identity and not be worried, scared or just run. These days and times I am scared to death that by being “kind and considerate” that I will invite the “crazies” into the country. You damned right I will fight, but there is an instinct to protect and that my friends tells me to “profile in the name of safety”. Want to guess what “safety today is?”
So we are told daily . . . we must reverse our thinking of what the Islamic Faith . . . I say NO WAY . . . I will NOT put my country into HARMS WAY!!!
After all is said and done, Americans have the right to burn books and flags if they wish. If they choose to burn the Koran in America, it is their right. And, inasmuch as one feels the way one does; some Americans feel the way they do. Peace is the respect of the ideas of others, not the stubborn attempt at imposition of ideas on others.
Google Benito Juarez, Mexican president.
This very forum at FloppingAces is an example of peaceful expression of diverse ideas. Let those who feel DISGUST and REPULSION over the Koran express their DISAPPROVAL of the HATRED contain therein by peacefully burning the Koran. American’s are fed up with stealth subversion of our Constitution, as Muslim Obama would have; and Americans are in their majority expressing a will and desire to have NO Sharia anything and call a spade a spade; the Koran is expressed HATRED for the consumption of the gullible.
@ Romeo13..No offense intended but You need to know that stupid shit has consequences and
We do not want that.
My “Band of Brothers 2.0 ” is fighting that War. The GWOT. I have a Medal in my sock drawer for that as I recall.
War is Global Politics, no shit for real and the Current Pretender in Chief skipped that subject.
He is clueless but I thought that you could trust Dave Petraeus and not get emotions in the way.
Have a moment ant trust Professionals, Professional Soldiers and not Amateur Politicians like the Kenyan Elitist Punk in the White House. Temporary Resident by Law.
OK?
Perhaps burning the the Koran, after pissing on it, would enrage the cowardly bastards enough to make them conduct a full frontal charge and allow our superior firepower to drop them like the vermin they are. We made the mistake of kissing the enemies asses in Vietnam and what did we get for it: 58,000 dead and a disgraceful retreat!
Know you enemy and kill his ass. And yes. I exchanged fire in Vietnam and would happily go to Afghanistan if we had learned anything from that fiasco
Chuck
On a side note . . . neither will I do anything that will be so inflamatory as to cause the “CRAZIES” to come to get me either. IMHO . . . It is a not so intelligent thing to do . . . similar to riding your bicyle on a very busy two lane road . . . certainly it is legal to do so . . . but when along comes the person that runs you over and kills you . . . you are just as dead as if you were wrong . . . so let us show a little common sense. I had a lot rather send our troops over yonder to kill them than have them come to my homeland and kill me . . . sad . . . but that my friends is what makes a soldier do his duty . . . I served my time in the military and I was willing to die for my country. The armed forces have my ultimate respect and it is sad that anyone has to give his life . . . but still I had rather it be on foreign soil than on the US of A.
I would like to inform any of the CRAZIES who come here . . . you have a thousand guns pointing at you . . . and in time, if you do your CRAZY thing . . . one of those guns will get you!!! Remember we have the right to keep and bear firearms in the US of A.
Wordsmith, here is my take on it; the Constitution guarantees us the right of freespeech. It does not guarantee to protect us against idiocy. The paster, and his 50 congregants, are idiots, but they still have the right to free speech and free expression. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Yes, I disagree with what they propose to do. But do they not have the right to do it? And if those Muslims who are willing to judge ALL Americans by the actions of a few, well, we really haven’t won their “hearts and minds” after all, have we?
We are told we are not to judge all of Islam by the actions of 19 (and then 20, and then 21, etc) yet Petreaus is willing to bow to Muslims who will show their outrage to a stupid action. When do we quit making excuses for those whom no excuse is sufficient? When do we quit cowtowing to Islam, walking on egg shells, fearing we will insult them? When did Muslims become the aggreived when it was America that was attacked almost 9 years ago?
And why is this even an issue. A unknown pastor of a very small church is making headlines because the lamestream media, including Fox, is making a big deal out of it and giving this healline seeking minister his 15 minutes of fame. Not all news is fit to print. This is one instance of that. Had no one reported on him, he would be a non-entity. Instead, I think the media picked this up and ran with a story that once again created victimhood for Muslims. It is what the left wing media does best; create victims.
The pastor is an idiot. His proposed plan is insensitive and shameful. But it is his First Amendment right and if we start placing restrictions on First Amendment rights on some, soon none of us will have any.
>>Have a moment and trust Professionals>>
“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs…”
Your words make me take heed.
Upon your word…I’d recommend restraint on behalf of those in the line of fire.
For that reason only.
@old trooper 2
Answer this… will we EVER not offend the Muslim religion? Whether its Hollywood, or our Politics, or Israel, or what we did in Lebanon or how we treat, or treated, Iran… or that we drink.. and have freedom of Speech and religion… we will ALWAYS do somthing, somewhere, which they will use as an excuse to get pissed off.
IMO it really does not matter if we don’t burn a Koran, or let them build the victory er Cordoba Mosque, or limit any negative voicing of opinion on Islam…. They will FIND a reason to be angry.
I mean… they made the American Cheerleaders for the International Basketball game with Iran, cover up… because someone MIGHT get offended…
Someone, somewhere, in the West will ALWAYS do somthing they can point at… because so much of what the West believes is the antithesis of what they believe.
And every time we bow to their threats… they grow stronger.
If they do NOT burn the Korans, then Jihadists spin it as a victory of their Anger over the Wests Freedom of Speech…. and from my time in the MidEast, they always bet on the “strong horse”.
If they burn the Korans, they get angry over burning the Korans…
At this point? Loose / Loose.
I would like to hereby copyright a term that just came to mind… if it has not already been used by someone else… did a quick search and did not find it…
Outrage du Jure… or Outrage of the Day….
Thats EXACTLY what this is… next week it will be somthing else…