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Koran-burning pastor says murders of UN staff aren’t his fault
Hotair ^ | 04/02/2011 | Ed Morrisey

Posted on 04/03/2011 9:02:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Terry Jones burned a Koran, and an Afghan mob killed at least seven UN personnel. Connected? Surely, but that hardly makes Jones responsible for murder, he told ABC News in a Nightline interview last night:

CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF TERRY JONES' STATEMENT

Terry Jones, the Florida pastor who oversaw the burning of a Koran last month, said he did not feel responsible for the violent protest at a United Nations compound in Afghanistan today that left at least 11 dead. Instead, he said the violence proved his point.

“We wanted to raise awareness of this dangerous religion and dangerous element,” Jones said. “I think [today's attack] proves that there is a radical element of Islam.”

As for the 11 dead, which included seven U.N. staffers and guards, Jones told “Nightline” anchor Bill Weir, “We do not feel responsible, no.”

Interestingly, I had a conversation about this with a family member yesterday. While I agreed that Jones was a publicity hound looking for attention, that doesn’t make him responsible for murder. The only people responsible for murders are those who commit them, and those who specifically incite them to kill. Any other position eventually wipes out free speech, free religious practice, and freedom altogether. If we held others responsible for the acts of every nutcase whose violent reactions may or may not have connections to something they did or said, we would have no speech at all — a point we made repeatedly during the Left’s Loughner frenzy, which they conveniently forgot during the Madison protests.

James Joyner warns today about acknowledging the “murderer’s veto”:

Should Jones have burned the Koran? No. But not because doing so might incite some evil people halfway around the world to commit atrocities against innocents. Rather, he shouldn’t have done it was needlessly hurtful without adding any value to the debate. Indeed, aside from generating publicity for himself, he’s likely generated sympathy for Islam and disdain for churches of his ilk.

But Jones is not the slightest bit culpable for the actions of others. Yes, he was warned that violence might ensue. But we’re not responsible for the evil, illegal actions others might take in response to our freely expressing our thoughts. Even if they’re ill-informed, half baked, bigoted thoughts. If we allow the possible reaction of the most dogmatic, evil people who might hear the message to govern our expression, we don’t have freedom at all. It’s worse than a heckler’s veto; it’s a murderer’s veto.

The responsibility for these murders lie with the people who committed them, just as with the murders and violence following the publication of the editorial cartoons in Denmark a few years ago.


CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO OF TERRY JONES' STATEMENT


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; koranburning; pastor; radicalislam; terryjones; un
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To: theDentist; All

I think this “Pastor” is friend of Phelps.


121 posted on 04/03/2011 11:17:53 AM PDT by KevinDavis
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To: RaceBannon
You're kinda makin’ my point.

Islam is nuts, and not rational. A terror attack on the Royal Wedding? It is completely unprovoked. That is what Islam will do.

They clearly don't need provocation, so why waste a meaningless symbolic gesture creating one? How does this help the fight against Islam. In my opinion, it doesn't.

I seriously believe Mosques should be assumed to be terrorist training camps, and treated accordingly. I love Oklahoma's attempt to preempt Sharia.

I'm not a big fan of self aggrandizing “symbolic gestures.” I am a fan of dead Taliban. There's a big difference.

122 posted on 04/03/2011 11:22:01 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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To: CodeToad
“I am a proud supporter of the Nuke Mecca wing of the Republican Party.”

I think you’re a liberal using such a phrase because you think that what the Republican Party is all about, which is a common misconception liberals ahave about Republicans.

I remind you that your boy Obama just attacked Libya.

Even your screen name seems to be calling Bush a “Texas Con Man.” If anyone is a con it’s your boy Obama, the mooselimb little big eared kid from Kenya.

Sorry...can't respond seriously to nonsensical ramblings...

123 posted on 04/03/2011 11:26:49 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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To: Tex-Con-Man
They clearly don't need provocation, so why waste a meaningless symbolic gesture creating one

You and I know it's meaningless, it's numbnuts like Petraeus that are making a mountain out of a molehill.

124 posted on 04/03/2011 11:27:31 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: rodguy911

Genetics has nothing to do with it....


125 posted on 04/03/2011 11:28:46 AM PDT by Shamrock-DW
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To: Tex-Con-Man

then you missed the point exactly!

What does Terry jones have to do with the Royal Wedding??

NOTHING!

THEY WANT TO KILL US!

They dont NEED an excuse or reason, they just do!

What did Terry jones have to do with the most recent bombing in Pakistan?? NOTHING!!

Yet, MUSLIMS KILL PEOPLE FOR ISLAM!

STOP SUBMITTING TO THEIR DEMANDS FOR COMPASSION AND CALLS FOR THEIR SENSITIVITIES!

They sure dont give us any!


126 posted on 04/03/2011 11:29:44 AM PDT by RaceBannon (RON PAUL: THE PARTY OF TRUTHERS, TRAITORS AND UFO CHASERS!!!)
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To: Tex-Con-Man
How you managed to extrapolate my condemnation of one renegade pastor into defending Islam is

Words have meaning. Condemnation of this pastor *is* defending islam. Live with it.

127 posted on 04/03/2011 11:29:51 AM PDT by Hardraade (I want gigaton warheads now!!)
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To: KevinDavis

Oh...just as anyone who stands their ground on their beliefs is an “attention whore”?


128 posted on 04/03/2011 11:29:51 AM PDT by Shamrock-DW
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To: MizSterious

bttt


129 posted on 04/03/2011 11:31:36 AM PDT by Guenevere (....)
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To: SeekAndFind

Will they take the new car back since he burned the Koran after all?

THAT is the question.


130 posted on 04/03/2011 11:31:41 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: Tex-Con-Man

Yep...you just sit in your cozy corner and bleat....Nazism kill 6 million (+/-), Communism killed 150 million (+/-)...you just have to wait until the numbers are to your liking and you can complain about Islam....


131 posted on 04/03/2011 11:35:25 AM PDT by Shamrock-DW
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To: hapnHal

Hey...but it ends up with a “target rich” environment!


132 posted on 04/03/2011 11:37:20 AM PDT by Shamrock-DW
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To: MestaMachine

CNN and MSNBC didn’t cover this burning, never mentioned it. They would never pass up the chance to slather this lunatic all over television for burning the Koran.

There has to be a whole lot more to this such as a cover for the soldiers accused of killing civilians.


133 posted on 04/03/2011 11:39:43 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: KevinDavis

I have heard this before, though I have nothing to confirm they ever met, spoke by telephone, or corresponded. And I wouldn’t be surprised if so.


134 posted on 04/03/2011 11:42:52 AM PDT by theDentist (fybo; qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
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To: Shamrock-DW
Yep...you just sit in your cozy corner and bleat....Nazism kill 6 million (+/-), Communism killed 150 million (+/-)...you just have to wait until the numbers are to your liking and you can complain about Islam....

Please explain to me how a pastor in Florida performing a symbolic gesture would have saved Jews from ovens? My Lord...what a ridiculous analogy.

Predator drones targeting Taliban leaders is eliminating the Islamic threat...not Koran burning attention seekers.

135 posted on 04/03/2011 11:46:26 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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To: SeekAndFind

There was a bonfire BBQ party about 4 or 5 years ago I happened to stop by at and someone was using copies of the Quran to light the wood. I don’t recall anyone getting killed over it...just removing potential hate from eyes was the reason given.

Freedom of expression and all you see...what if everyone burned copies like this and posted them to YouTube? Would that mean we would be seeing thousands of bombings over books that worship a violent pedophile taking place all over the globe because of it?

LOL

Such a ridiculous stupid cult Islam is...the Jehova’s aren’t too far behind.


136 posted on 04/03/2011 11:49:37 AM PDT by My Favorite Headache (In a world where I feel so small, I can't stop thinking big.)
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To: RaceBannon

I don’t think Jones’ actions further the fight against Islam. Other than that, I agree with everything you said.


137 posted on 04/03/2011 11:51:05 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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To: Hardraade
Words have meaning. Condemnation of this pastor *is* defending islam. Live with it.

I am anti-Islam and anti-Pastor Jones ...Live with it.

138 posted on 04/03/2011 11:56:06 AM PDT by Tex-Con-Man
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Freedom Radio tonight, 8pm eastern:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/profile.aspx?userurl=freedom

So our female Warriors should be made to bow down to the Taliban, if they don’t wear the hajib, they will offend these brutes! I give a sh-t! Terry Jones burns the Koran and they cut off heads!!!!!!!! Well you know what, they burn our beloved flag all the time and cut off heads and we suck it up!! We don’t want to offend them, these peace loving Muslims. I’m sick of it all, how about you??!! Gee, I guess we should start beating the hell out of the Muslims in America because their twisted brothers are burning our beloved flag and cutting off heads!!! All this appeasing of the Muslims
just makes them meaner and crazier. Frankly, I don’’t think they have hearts or minds so what the hell are we worrying about?! They are making a joke out of our military. They want to storm a house where they believe terrorists are, they have to call first!!!!!!!!!!

Please, if you will take a minute for a female Warrior, leave a comment on Pat’s blog and express your outrage over the military now making our Daughters, Mothers, Sisters, wear a hajib!!!! How much more of this crap are we going to ask our warriors to put up with! Are you okay with our female fighters bowing down to the Taliban???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to Rick and Debbie for taking a minute for our troops. Their comments are below and here is the link to Pat’s article. C’mon, help these Warriors out!

http://freedomradiorocks.com/2011/04/02/726/

1. Rick Biesada on April 2, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Witlessness, and political correctness, spell suicide for the United States troops whom our feckless leaders use as pawns to perpetuate their appetite for greed.
It’s time to face reality and start supporting our American troops rather than appease our enemies who are laughing in our face and strangling us with our own insidious laws or rules of engagement.
Get real, the word “uniform”, means that each and every military member will look the same. One standard for each member seeking freedom and liberty for all … not the whims of idiots.
Reply
2. beverly Perlson on April 2, 2011 at 6:21 pm
I am humbled to be included in a category of women who are known as fighters, such as Sarah Palin and Vicki Behenna. You can bet right now, after reading your article here, my fighting spirit is accelerated to full throttle! As if the reckless and dangerous catch and release policies and the rules of engagement that our Soldiers are trying to fight and win this war under are not ENOUGH, now this! Now we are instructing our BRAVE female fighters to wear a hijab while also wearing the proud uniform of the United States Military. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t our military fighting against the evilness of this enemy who beat and stone their women and who veil their women as a symbol of inferiority!! Now we are instructing our female fighters to wear the enemy’s symbol of inferiority as they attempt to fight and conquer this same enemy???!!!!!!!!
We had better start concerning ourseleves with the hearts and minds of our Brave Warriors as this chiseling away of their might and right does NOTHING except appease these butchers and empower them all the more. For the sake of our Brave and Noble Sons and Daughets, please pick up your phone on Monday, call Buck Mckeon’s office, who heads up the Armed Servces Committee, and tell him this is ENOUGH!!!! Please tell him to fight for the hearts and minds of these brave young women who have now been instructed to bow down to the cruel and sick ways of the very enemy they are told to fight!!! Remind him that the noble uniform worn by the mightiest military in the world deserves respect and it appears those running this war need to be reminded of that.
Buck Mckeon….. (202) 225-1956…Monday morning, please make this call, for these brave beautiful Daughters, Wives, Sisters, Mothers, who fight for all of us!
God Please Help and Watch Over These Brave Warriors!
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
Reply


139 posted on 04/03/2011 12:07:08 PM PDT by RaceBannon (RON PAUL: THE PARTY OF TRUTHERS, TRAITORS AND UFO CHASERS!!!)
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To: hapnHal

“Muslims do not seek nor want peace.”

So correct. That is all anyone needs to know about the Muslim religion.


140 posted on 04/03/2011 12:12:44 PM PDT by Graneros ("The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits." — Albert Einstein)
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