September 9, 2010 - Kooks with Books

I'm not planning to burn any books, religious or otherwise, although I must admit thinking a few harlequin romances might make some good kindling. But if I wanted to burn a book, religious or otherwise, whether making a point or a cosy fire, I'm pretty sure I should be allowed to, even if you don't want me to. I shouldn't have to worry about whether you're going to kill me for it, or if you're going to kill my family or friends.

All that said, just because I want to do something and have the right to do it, should I? Well, yes and no. If these people in Florida who are planning a 'burn your Koran day' are doing it to make a point about freedom of expression, that's one thing. If they're stoking up the fires to see what kind of reaction they might get, that's another.

If the people who are upset about the book burning plan condemn it because it's disrespectful, I can get behind that. But, if we're worried about the burning of the books because we're scared of the violence that might come from it, I can't. (The possibility of violence is real: at least 19 people were killed in the furor that surrounded those commissioned cartoons of Mohammad in Denmark. (Most of the cartoons weren't funny, by the way.))

One good thing has come from this controversy, though, which is the reminder that it's not just Islam that loonies can hide in. It turns out there are crazy Christians just like there are crazy Muslims. And before you exclaim, 'It wasn't crazed Christians flying planes into buildings!,' take a moment to think about these: abortion clinic bombings, residential schools, the Troubles, the Inquisition and The Crusades.