mutual destruction

Like a lot of people, I disagree with that right-wing, supposedly Christian bigot in Florida who plans to burn the Quran on 9/11. He disgusts me. But what disgusts me even more is the government's attempt to intimidate him by sending FBI agents to harass him.

On the other hand, if you were an establishment-minded, right-wing bureaucrat who agreed with the idea of burning the Quran but, public sentiment being what it is, were too afraid to speak out, sending in the FBI just might turn out to be the tipping point:

People disgusted with the would-be Quran burner, using the logic that, if the government is out to silence him, then he must be doing something right, might turn around and defend him (like I almost did) when they see him being harassed by federal agents.

Meanwhile:

In Pakistan, about 200 lawyers and civil society members marched and burned a U.S. flag in the central Pakistani city of Multan, demanding that Washington halt the burning of the Muslim holy book.


Ah, isn't that, like, calling the kettle black? If burning their holy book is offensive to them, then refusing to burn the U.S. flag would be the appropriate response, because the message sent would be, "Look at us. We're not like you. We're not the offensive assholes you are."

As it is, they are.

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