My friend Jim Guirard called me today with an interesting idea. The pastor planning to burn the Koran may not want to look emasculated by backing down. But rather than all or nothing, why not propose a more constructive alternative than an act of hatred? (Which, by the way, burning a Koran indisputably is: a senseless act of hatred.) Rather than burning something that a quarter of the world’s population considers to be a sacred and holy book, why not make effigies of all 19 of the 9/11 hijackers and burn those instead? What reasonable Muslim could possibly object to that? It is no insult to Muslims in general, but only an insult to murderous thugs (and maybe to their families; but that’s just tough luck). Rather than giving an excuse (not a reason, but an excuse) for other crazed and hateful terrorists to strike Americans , burning these effigies AND INVITING MODERATE MUSLIMS TO ENDORSE THE EFFORT would instead serve to drive a wedge between Muslim haters and those Muslims who are humane and decent people.
Frankly, I’m not for burning anything. I think it’s silly. But if you’re determined to burn something, why not pick a more carefully targeted “victim” of the burning so that it sends the message wthout unnecessary and counterproductive offense?