Protester Burns in Christmas Inferno

Townhall.com ^ | December 25, 2006 | Michael Medved

[beaversmom]

Americans celebrate Christmas in many different ways but in Bakersfield, California, an apparent secular fanatic observed the holiday by dousing himself with flammable liquid and setting himself ablaze.

According to press reports, he meant to show his passionate objection to Thursday night’s decision by the Kern High School Board of Trustees to change the name of the winter break to “Christmas vacation” and the spring break to “Easter Vacation.” The protester (the headline proclaimed, “Name Change Sparks Protest”) first set fire to a Christmas tree and several flags, then lit himself to express his displeasure at the Board’s decision. Fire Department spokesman Garth Milam indicated he “suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms” and received treatment in a local hospital.

Many commentators have condemned the alleged hysteria and extremism by religious conservatives who complain about the “War on Christmas,” but none of the holiday’s defenders has tried to burn himself (or herself) to death to protest less attention to the season’s religious origins. It took a militant secularist (driven to suicidal rage by the designation of a school break as “Christmas vacation”?)to give macabre new meaning to the “season of light.”

Yes, it’s a sad story and the perpetrator is probably insane but the incident still illustrates a point I’ve made repeatedly on the radio show: in today’s battle between America’s religious majority and a beleaguered (and tiny) secularist minority, there’s far more extremism, intolerance, militancy, aggressiveness and even insanity on the secular side. The “separationists” and non-believers feel threatened by religiosity, and compelled to attack it, in a way that the faith community seldom feels menaced by atheism or secularism. The reason for the greater tolerance from religious believers is simple but profound: if we’re wrong about God’s existence, the long-term consequences are insignificant, but if atheists are wrong in their non-belief the impact on them could be substantial and, in fact, eternal.

In contrast to our Muslim counterparts, Christians and Jews don’t observe our holiday seasons by attempting to secure heaven through suicide or self-mutilation, but a secular-minded lunatic just lit himself ablaze in order to protest even the slightest, most subtle reminder that he might face even more painful flames in the future.

[beaversmom]

Eveningstar; hitmanLV; grame; swake; bitt; shoot this thing; right in east lansing; itsamelman; softballmom; libertarianizethegop; conservative4life; abby4116; justiceseeker93; rushcrush; usafearsnobody; headsonpikes; tiggs; rahbert; bradyls; latina4dubya; missmarmelstein; kevindavis; sinkspur; goppachyderm; csm; Owl_Eagle; varmintxer; gopwinsin04; woofie; mnehrling; navynucmom; hattend; LibertyLee; 76834; jeremiah; pollyannaish; nuclady; Unrepentant VN Vet; La Enchiladita; Sensei Ern; Jo Nuvark; sofaman; HonestConservative; LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR; RonDog

Cultural Crusader ping. Anyone want on or off the Michael Medved ping list, please send me an FR mail.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

You could say he was lit up like a Christmas tree...

[Zeroisanumber]

Obvious nutjob.

[Beckwith]

Buh-Bye

[DB]

Sounds like the same mentality that burns down their own neighborhood to protest some perceived injustice or another.

Not too bright really...

[bad company]

They say stupid hurts. I'd imagine this one stung a bit.

[Lockbar]

[backtothestreets]

This sort of thing never occurred before the US Supreme Court took from the states and citizens the right to pass laws on religion, speech, press and assembly. The majority is tolerant and should have never been denied the right to make laws affecting decency, respect, and sensibility. Now there exists a vacuum with constant conflict caused by a very small minority.

[Dallas59]

“suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms”

Obviously he didn't use enough...



Really annoying when moonbat screwballs don't do the job right the first time.

[Diva]

The reason for the greater tolerance from religious believers is simple but profound: if we’re wrong about God’s existence, the long-term consequences are insignificant, but if atheists are wrong in their non-belief the impact on them could be substantial and, in fact, eternal.

Worth repeating.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I am just sorry that these types of idiots get any air time.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

He no doubt failed to use a catalytic convertor thereby contributing to pollution, greenhouse gasses and global warming. How irresponsible. He deserves a stiff fine at the very least. (/sarcasm)

[BigCinBigD]

Chestnuts roasting by an open fire.........

[tcrlaf]

Was he screaming:

"Oh GOD!! Jesus Christ, It BURNS!!!"?????

[Bean Counter]

Depressed Nuts roasting on an open fire...

[Ole Okie]

He deserves a stiff fine at the very least. (/sarcasm)

Yeah. Bad boy! Not carbon neutral.

[bmwcyle]

Another case of demon possession.

[ko_kyi]

Great, now I will have Disco Inferno in my head all day.

[Bon mots]

"Pest nuts roasting in an open fire..."