We didn't start the fire

I'm sure most people have heard about the Florida pastor who announced plans for "International Burn a Koran Day" on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks last September.  Well for some crazy reason, England didn't much like it when said pastor, Terry Jones, was invited to speak at a political function in their fair country.  So they banned him.  From the UK. 

Cited in this recent BBC article, which is worth a read, the reason for this exclusion was due to the government's position on extremism.  Meanwhile, Jones claims:

"I'm not against Muslims, we are not against their religion.  We have, here in the West, freedom of religion and limited freedom of speech which we don't have in other countries."

Let the record stand that Terry Jones is not against Muslims, in the same way people who burn American flags out of malice are not against Americans, or people who burn Bibles are not against Christians.  It's actually how they show their love, silly misguided simpletons.  Even better was his additional comment:

 "What I am against is the radical element.  If I came to England we would expect Muslims to rally with us."

I'm sure England's Muslim population is just devastated that that doesn't look to be a possibility anytime in the near future.  Sarcasm aside, Jones went on to complain that it wasn't fair for him to be kicked out of England permanently because his daughter and grandchildren live there.  He said the ban was unfair on a human basis.

The irony here is palpable.  It wasn't exactly "fair" on a "human basis" for the millions of Muslims who were (rightly) offended by Jones's actions.  I guess there's some poetic justice in Jones's current predicament.  The bottom line here is, hate has consequences.  When you spread enmity and discord, it's only just if you experience even a slight discomfort as a result.

So I'm not sorry, Terry Jones, that England has chucked you out.  The people you insulted with your little holiday idea lost far more than you have, their dignity.

We might not have started the fire, but it's actions like Terry Jones's that sure dumps a whole lot of oil on those proverbial flames.