As the Afghanistan protests over the Florida Quran burning enters its third day, I ran into the following comment exchange in Huffingtonpost:
Commenter 1:
As a Muslim, I find the actions of all sides of the conflict deplorable.
Terry Jones burned a Quran despite people warning him and despite knowing fully well that it would result in violent reactions and possible deaths. However, I fully acknowledge his right to do so, and I would never support restrictions of freedom of speech or expression in this country.
As for the reaction of the Afghanis, I feel outraged and disgusted. The killings of the UN workers especially still makes me feel sick. I just can’t for the life of me understand their mindset… American Muslims rolled our eyes and went on with our daily lives while half-way around the world, people broke out into violent hysteria. I suspect it has a lot to do with poverty, uneducation, desperation, and living for decades in an unstable society, as well as a mob-mentality that directed pent-up rage towards a scapegoat.
Commenter 2:
I appreciate hearing a Muslim’s point of view and thoughts on these horrific acts.
Commneter 3:
It is my hope that a pluralistic American Islam will become a beacon for Islam elsewhere. Persons like you are the ones which will make it happen.
Commenter 4:
It takes both people like Arsalannn [commenter 1] who can make it happen, but equally it is up to others to give him/her the chance.
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Perhaps I disappoint that this was not an action packed comment sequence. Call it a poetic interlude.
