Dove Wacko Outreach Center's Stunt

There are so many different angles I could write about concerning this planned Qur'an burning by Dove World Outreach Center that I had been holding off doing anything on this blog about it. Well, here are a few, just to scratch the surface.

Yes, Dove pastor Terry Jones is a manipulative, controlling publicity seeker. After inflicting this charade on the world, he will no doubt concoct other obnoxious stunts that reflect his personal notions about who are the "good guys" and who are the "bad guys". There is already a line of media trucks parked at the church on NW 37th Street in anticipation of the Saturday night "event". Oh, don't they love a freak show!

Northwest 37th Street is, with the exception of Dove Wacko Outreach Center, a residential road, a side street off the heavily travelled NW 53rd Avenue. I personally use both as part of my running course. I keep hearing how this planned Lower Manhattan mosque, which seems to offend so many, is only a stone's throw from "sacred" Ground Zero. Well, as the DWOC is actually about the same distance from my home, as the crow flies. Fortunately, there is no street directly connecting my own personal "sacred" ground to this abomination of a church. But the poor folks residing on the same street as Dove will have to submit to identity checks in order to simply get to their homes Saturday night. I'm half tempted to try jogging through there Saturday morning just to see how far I get. And to watch the freaks assembling for the big show.

The scenario around here reminds me of that old South Park episode where the community, so afraid that Muslims around the world would blame them for a Family Guy episode showing Muhammad, collectively buried their heads in sand piles while that show was airing. Instead, in the "real" world, there will be a "A Gathering for Faith, Understanding, and Hope" rally Friday evening (the 10th) at the nearby Trinity United Methodist Church to show the world that we're not really like those losers down the road. Don't expect media trucks to line up for this rally, though: it's won't be sensationalist or negative enough to whip up television ratings!

Terry Jones has already expressed a lack of concern over possible fatalities resulting from his publicity stunt. He refused to respect General Petraeus by continuing with his plan after the general pointed out how American soldiers, serving and defending their country (and supposed Jones' country) and already risking their lives on its behalf, will be further endangered. And that their difficult mission will be hampered as this highly visible act will only play into the hands of their enemies the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

On the other hand, the fact that a church as small and insignificant as this can manipulate events worldwide says a lot about not only how hypersensitive people are to merely symbolic acts, but also how much more interested the media and population at-large are about the negative instead of the positive.

In the end, I suppose that with both this Qur'an-burning stunt and the Lower Manhattan mosque, we are confronted with the issue of our Constitution's First Amendment and whether public opinion can overturn it. It looks as if the First Amendment will prevail in both cases, with the State not buckling under to popular outcries. I suppose that's at least something. After all, the outcries can generate spirited, productive debate as long as they just remain outcries.