Learn, Don’t Burn: A Christian Response to the International Quran Day Burning

Quickly, many Americans nationwide are buying makeshift copies of the Quran. Sadly, they are stoking their firepits, stocking up on steaks and getting ready to have some ‘good, ol’ fashioned’ book burnings.

I find the act sickening. Why on Earth would any American, who is granted the luxory of freedom of expression and religion, waste it on burning books on September 11.

Yes, there is pain from that day. Yes, Muslim extremists were involved.

In the midst of all this, we see one thing: hatred. It takes a good amount of hate to train yourself for one purpose, and that purpose being to fly a plane into a building and kill unsuspecting, innocent people.

But how much blind hatred does it take to put all of our troops, defending our freedom, at risk? How much hate does it take to disrespect the faith of all Muslims, just due to the acts of a few?

Does every American have the right to burn any book. In the right context and situation, yes. Does that make it the right thing to do? I think not.

After 9/11, we were all angry. President Bush did deliver a speech, in which he vowed to ‘smoke terrorists out of their holes’, implying people in these regions life in sandy hovels. This fed into a stereotype that helped foster a strong anti-American sentiment in our nation, further pushing us away from learning about people who for the most part, want the same things any person does: quite, peace and safety. Respect.

How can we heal and respect if we keep doing things like this. We’re going to burn Qurans every year now, annually? We’re supposed to be a melting pot nation. If every year, all African-Americans continually held “Harper’s Rebellions” and relived the antics of people like John Brown, running through towns and looting, shooting innocent people, because they ‘once were slaves and needed revent, it would not bode so well. Why?

We would never heal. If native Americans chose a random day, every year, to paint upon their face stereotypical warpain and kill the ‘white man for invading our lands’, we would never heal. Get the point?

We cannot keep bringing up the past, but we must progress. If we are to live in peace, we must be all inclusive and treat everyone who is not guilty of terror, which is the stark majority of people, as such: we must respect them and learn more about their culture.

I have taken time to contact the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR). They are going to host symposiums and provide literature for any groups who need to be educated on Islam and the plight facing Muslim Americans after 9/11. We do not have to agree on religion, but we can be brothers and sister in humanity. That’s a beautiful thing.

To get information and resources, please contact CAIR at the following:
WHAT: CAIR to Announce Response to Quran Burnings
WHEN: Thursday, September 9, 2010, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: CAIR`s Capitol Hill Headquarters, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

A few more direct lines for ongoing education that were given to me:
WHAT: CAIR to Announce Response to Quran Burnings
WHEN: Thursday, September 9, 2010, 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: CAIR`s Capitol Hill Headquarters, 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C.
CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com

Yes, we will hurt and be angry on September 11. Yes, Islam is not the foundation of America. But let us, on September 11, not resort to the violence and blind hatred of terrorists.

We have our troops in Persian and Arab lands to think about. We have the values that we will pass on to oru children to think about. We have our national identity to think about. We must keep our since of pride and what makes us true Americans.

Respect for all.