Update

[poliphilo]

Events have moved on. Pastor Jones has suspended his book burning. In a statement to the media he said he'd done a deal; in return for his backing down the controversial New York mosque (only it's not a mosque) will be moved away from Ground Zero. A spokesperson for the Ground Zero mosque said it was the first he'd heard of it.

What I'd like to believe is that Jones' meeting with real-life Muslims- who seem to have treated him with respect and courtesy-  has knocked him off balance. Of course there's been pressure from all over. It must be disconcerting (even as it feeds your vanity) to turn on the TV to hear the President of the USA denouncing you.

In a country that cares less about liberty and free speech Pastor Jones would have been arrested or firebombed or mysteriously made to disappear by now. Last night I called this story "a carwreck of the human spirit". I spoke too soon. What we've seen over the past twelve hours is the application to a festering psychic wound of reason, courtesy, kindness- and they seem to have made a difference.

Comments

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

According to one BBC report, Jones has based his entire stance on Islam on his viewing of Fox News and similarly right-leaning newspapers. He has little or no grasp of The Qu'ran, and seems convinced only Muslim extremists would take serious offence at him burning a copy. No wonder you could fit his entire congregation into a single-decker bus.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

This conflict- war of civilisations or whatever it is- has been fuelled on both sides by the wifully ignorant (in which category I include several world leaders).

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Really? So, how big do you think Fox News's viewership is? Two buses, perhaps?

There are millions upon millions of Americans that believe Fox News is the only network that dares to speak truth to power. My parents and most all of their friends are among them. My neighbors and their friends and relatives are among them. Most all of my so-called friends on Facebook are among them, including most of the folks with whom I graduated from high school.

There may not be a majority of US citizens that share Pastor Jones's beliefs about Islam, but there is certainly a vast plurality that do. Collectively, they are the Republican party's core constituency. It is not possible to understand US actions, at home or abroad, without grasping this simple fact.

[stevegreen.livejournal.com]

I am simply stating the fact that Jones has not bothered to research the reasoning behind this event (and I use the term 'reasoning' lightly) beyond watching a channel which, from my experience of it, comprises more opinion than news, and often presents an extremely skewed view of global politics. Of course, I'm used to the BBC, which has balance written into its constitution and is publically vilified on the odd occasion it slips up.

I'm well aware that Fox News has a vast audience, many of whom accept its conclusions and share its views, but my disquiet with that situation is irrelevant here. What's specifically worrying in this case is that Jones' reckless ignorance of another religon and the ramifications upon international relations of burning that faith's holy book may well have put at risk innocent lives throughout the world.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Well, the BBC isn't necessarily balanced at all, except by definition. Among other things their coverage of US politics is consistently skewed to the right. Their eagerness to carry water for the Republicans during the last national election was nothing short of shameful, to my mind calling all their reportage into question.

That said, I honestly fail to see your point. You claim to be aware of the situation here in the US and yet seem somewhow surprised to learn that a vast swath of our population is willfully and woefully ignorant and largely indifferent to the loss of life outside the US. All I can say is, welcome to the real America, the one the BBC is at such pains to conceal from your tender sensibilities.