PASTOR TERRY JONES

WHERE DOES YOUR RIGHT END?
By Laura Mirabal

We have been hearing much about Pastor Terry Jones, from Florida who wanted to burn the Quran on September 11th in to mark the day that extremist Muslims committed terrorist acts on that day in 2001. There are many of us who do not condone what he wants to do. This pastor has received death threats and the media has turned this event into a worldwide feeding frenzy sparking a lot of unnecessary publicity and inciting hatred from many, but we must step back and look at the complete picture.

We enjoy the freedom to voice our opinions, to assemble in peaceful protest. Sometimes we are stupid, as this pastor in our zeal to exercise our First Amendment Right. Just as we demand that we are allowed to exercise our First Amendment Right, we must also allow others that same courtesy. This pastor wanted to exercise his right granted to all in our Constitution, just because he is performing a stupid act which offends many, should we deprive him and take away his right to do it?

If we only allow people to exercise their rights of free speech for causes that we agree with and not those we don’t agree with, then this is not a free society. Pastor Jones wanted to burn the Quran on private property, and unless he violated a city ordinance in his district, he had the right to do it. He was not infringing on anyone’s rights.

We are cognizant of the repercussions that may stem from this, if he decides to go forward with this offensive act, but he is still entitled to do it. We cannot live in fear of what others may think when we decide to exercise our right to free speech and expression, even if it offends others.
 
If we look back, there have been many examples of offensive acts, of people who were allowed to express themselves with despicable art work which was offensive to Christians and especially to Catholics. A few examples are: at the Brooklyn Museum of Art they exhibited a painting of the Virgin Mary splattered with elephant dung, Jesus Christ was depicted as homosexual in a movie, and there are other examples of this offensive freedom of expression. There was no violent outrage by any religious groups because of this, and many paid for the chance to see these displays and to watch the movie.

We experienced how those who opposed Obama’s universal healthcare bill, and those who are members of the Tea Party, and those who opposed the building of the mosque at Ground Zero were censured. There are a great majority of people who do not want to listen to or permit others whose ideology differs from theirs; including Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and President Obama and their entire ilk in Congress express opposing viewpoints. This is not the American Way.

We should feel very afraid of the course chartered for us by this administration under Obama. It is dangerous and unconstitutional. If it weren’t so appalling, it would be funny, that our president insists that the actions of this pastor would incite violence from the Muslims around the world, yet when he, Congress and the media insisted in showing Abu Ghraib photos that was ok.

It all comes down to the matter at hand: exercising our rights under the First Amendment.

It might not be wise of Pastor Jones to do this, I am glad that he changed his mind, but he still had the right to go ahead with it without fear.

Let us not confuse censure with infringement.

Miami, FL., USA
09/15/2010