Burning Flags, Burning Books and Burning Desire
Posted: Tuesday, September 07, 2010
by Michael Ramzy
delusionthread.com
I had a dream once where I stood in my front yard and burned an American flag. In this dream, no one stopped me and my flag burned to ashes in a remarkably short period of time. I remember waking from this dream and wondering what I could possibly have been thinking the night before that would make me have such a vivid and - for me - completely unthinkable dream.
The same goes with Bibles. I wonder why people don't just heave 'em into a pile and light them up. Maybe because for us Americans burning books is repulsive and a restriction of our intellect. Or maybe because it's something we just don't think about doing. The fact there is a very small faction who is planning to burn some Qurans is kind of strange, to be honest. We don't do that kind of thing over here, like burning flags of other countries. It not only sounds petty (it is petty), it just seems wrong.
Sure, freedom of speech and all of that, I get it - for those who say this guy in Florida has the right to burn the Quran. Of course he does. But - as with me burning a flag in my front yard - it's something that just shouldn't be done. Not because of any backlash, just because it seems strangely unnecessary
And let's face it, regardless of what anyone does, there will always be a 'violent response' from the 'radical wing' of Islam. Many Americans simply do not understand this, or refuse to believe it. Just read the daily papers or watch the daily news. It isn't as though these extremists are sitting on their hands and now they have something to get riled about.
Burning flags is legal, as is burning books. The only reason this is a story is because this guy wants his fifteen minutes and in our media-dominated culture we can't turn away. Most of us are appalled, yet most wonder if he will go through with it. Then, what will be the response? Then, what will be the response to the response? And on and on until someone else does something that grabs our attention.
Burn flags, any kind. Burn books, any kind. This is America, and you have the right.
The burning desire we seem to have for this confrontational society is what we have to stop. Not before it's too late (it is), but before we aren't satisfied with flags and books and turn on each other. I don't know about you, but I don't wish to find out how flammable I am . . .
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Very well said! There are times I wonder if the media does not hope to incite so they have a reason to exist. Would this preacher be burning the books without the media attention and the moral outrage that ensues? Probably. But burning a hand full of books isn't going to stop any type of radical from pursuing their agenda.GraceAgreed. This man probably would still burn the books, and yet I can't help but think it's all publicity. And you're right, burning books isn't going to stop anything - just as not burning them won't stop anything. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I don't have an emotional reaction to flags being burned, it just doesn't mean anything to me, but I so love what you say in your last paragraph, Michael.Thanks very much. I have a special thing for flags (or flag burning) since I saw it first hand in the Middle East when I lived there. And yes, sooner or later we will run out of (or grow tired of) books and flags. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Yeah Mike that preacher from Florida I don't believe he is doing the work of the Lord but rather the devil. good articleI don't know about that, but I do know he's getting what he asked for - the attention. I still think it's a waste of time on his part, but that's just me. Thanks as always.
In reading your article I was thinking about how our society is today, so angry and so many people just trying to survive and then I remembered the movie the Lord of the Flies. I pray that our country doesn't come to that.Our country won't come to that since there are more good people than bad. It's that simple. If we remember that, and remember to bring out the best in ourselves and not the worst, we'll be okay.Thanks for reading and commenting, as always.
Just keep your hair short Michael, you won't burn for too long, especially if an accelerant is used.I have no desire to burn anything. I'm guessing because I don't have that type of anger in me. Nor do I get all bent out of shape when somebody else burns a flag or bible or whatever they want as long as it's not a human being. I think people put too much emphasis on inanimate objects, even if it's a symbol, because it does nothing to harm or disfigure the way I feel about that particular item, or symbol to begin with. Their just trying to get an angry reaction, which I guess I don't have a lot of. If anything, I feel pity for them that they do. It's a very self destructive emotion.Very insightful, and I thank you for that. And yes, I will keep my hair short!
Good one...very nicely written...Regards, CPThanks very much.
During the mid 1930's, when Nazism was already gaining grounds in Germany, the Nazis also had this book burning. Then came the war and the next thing they were burning were people. How true, after the books, the people. I wonder where all these things will lead. Armageddon? Just speculating. I just hope that people will pray more for peace than just be reactive. Que sera sera.Thanks for the great and civilized article.And thanks for your response. I appreciate it.
Greta Mike. Thank you!Best......eThank you, sir. I appreciate it.
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