In our world there are many different religions: Christianity, Buddhism, Islamic, and Judaism; just to name a few. In America, our first Amendment states the right that one can practice any religion. The First Amendment also says that one has the right to freedom of speech and freedom of press. Isn’t it contradicting that one can practice a religion, then in the next room, another can criticize and threat those of said religion? Well, one Floridian pastor tried to test this theory.
Virtually, everyone in America has at least a vague knowledge of the horrible historical event, 911. On September 11, 2001, many middle eastern terrorists hijacked several planes and crashed them in several places in the US, including the World Trade Center. Of the terrorists it just happened that the leader of this attack, Osama bin Laden, was a Muslim. This was the start of a false idea that all Muslims are terrorists.
Obviously this fake idea has gotten inside the head of Terry Jones, a pastor in Gainesville, Florida of the Dove World Outreach Center. Jones had threatened to host an event to burn the Qu’ran, the Muslim’s bible on the 9th anniversary to 911. At the thought, fear broke out all over the world. For Muslims, their precious bible, their word, would be burned to ashes. And for Americans, this man was a threat to our country.
If Jones would carry out this racist act then it would be more likely that terrorists would attack our precious United States. Imagine someone was saying they were going to burn your bible of whatever religion you practice. Yes, you would be angry. Bombings and war would break out because of this silly little man’s idea of justice. Justice, the act of being just or right. Is it really justice to mock a religion for an event or just because you think that they are wrong?
Eventually, the US government was able to make a “deal” with Jones for him not to burn the Qu’ran. For a while this placated us, and on September 11, 2010, at the Dove World Outreach Center, no Islamic Bibles were roasted. Americans were at peace with the idea that this silly pastor was no longer a threat to our country. Terry Jones wasn’t even in the small of our minds anymore. Even I didn’t remember the man until early next year I saw the news.
The pastor Terry Jones had carried out the event of Qu’ran burning on March 20, 2011. Even after he had made a promise not to do it he did. He lies, “I never said I wouldn’t do it, I said I’d postpone it.” Is this a feeble man in look for power and attention? Or is this his idea of religious justice? All that is known is that Jones has put America in a sort of danger.
Terry Jones, There are many things you should be asking yourself right now. Is this really an act of god through me? Is what I’m doing really Christianity? Because isn’t burning a bible, Christan or not, a little bit too much of a sin. Because when you really think about it, all religion comes down to is if you believe in your god, or not. Isn’t this as if you are burning the word of god, if any person’s god? Arn’t you harming people? Look at the facts.
Because of Terry Jones, riots are breaking out all across the world. People are in outrage because he burned the Qu’ran, and he thinks that “Islam is of the Devil.” In these violent protests and riots more than 20 people have died so far, including two US soldiers. Jones has received over 300 death threats to his life. Doesn’t that put me, as a Floridian, at a risk also? These are basically threats to America.
What Pastor Terry Jones has done is unlawful, and he should be punished for it. But the question is, can he be punished for it? Would Jones be able to go to jail for this? It seems like a chain. That his threats to burn the bible turned into burning he bible that turned into riots that turned into death. But to a jury, would they even see this? Would all they see is a pastor burning a book that he thought was bad? If this would ever be a trial, Jone’s main plea would be of the first amendment. That all Jones was doing was expressing his freedom of speech, of expression, and he had done nothing wrong. This case would be unfair in a court of law, for the evidence would only look upon the man himself.
So is it right to do this such a thing? To burn any bible. Surely Jones knew the possible effects of his act. The worst part is that man will most likely not pay for his sins from a court of law. To some he may have just been expressing his freedom. But to others, the effect is disastrous. To those Muslims who’s ways of lives have virtually been burned at the hand of a “Christan man.” To the president, who may have to be the one who deals with this, with countries it offended. To me, a Christan, who never really thought about what cruelty my people were capable of. It’s scary how a single person can cause such havoc and controversy just because of their twisted beliefs.