Friday, September 10, 2010

When Freedom of Speech Comes With A Camera Crew


The fact that I am even talking about this is proof that something has gone wrong. I shouldn’t even know who this guy is. So, Reverend Jones says he is not going to burn a Quran tomorrow. The situation was so critical earlier this week that even General Petraeus and The White House got involved. According to what the pastor is saying now, all he wanted was the planned mosque near Ground Zero moved and he is meeting with the imam who’s in charge of the project. That’s some nice.

Honestly, I don’t think he was ever going to do it in the first place. He got just what he wanted out of the situation. He got some attention for his cause by acting crazy and the media paying attention to it. That’s the real hidden issue in this whole story. Nowadays anyone can get mainstream media attention no matter how obscure they are. I had never heard of this guy before he wanted to burn a Quran. What if he had went ahead and did it but the only people there were a few people from his congregation? He would have still been the same amount of crazy but no one outside of his immediate circle would have known. We wouldn’t have had to get the whole national security team involved in making sure he didn’t do it so it couldn't be broadcasted all over the world and put the troops and American citizens around the world in danger. At the worst it ends up on a viral video site but that’s not the same as having it shown on CNN.

The tragedy on 9/11 was nine years ago. Reverend Jones is not the first person to think about doing this and I am sure there might be someone out there that actually did it. You would have thought that back when it was a more recent event people like Jones would have been popping up all over the place. Maybe they were but I don’t remember it and I don’t hear anyone referencing a past attempt when talking about the reverend. I think the mainstream media needs to be more careful about who they give validity to.

Say what you want about all the blogs and video sites, the big news channels still hold more weight. You could log into YouTube or a site of its kind right now and see people from all walks of life saying the most outlandish things and doing some of the most head shaking acts possible. It’s out there for the world to see and a few thousand people may stumble across it if they get lucky or are looking specifically for that kind of thing. However, a major news station could take that same video; multiply it’s viewers by millions and turn the actions of one fool goofing around in his bedroom into a national discussion we will hear about for a month. I’ve heard people debating whether or not burning a Quran is covered under freedom of speech. If it is then so be it. I just feel like when Americans choose to exercise their freedom to say and do crazy things it doesn’t have to come with a camera crew and a satellite feed.

6 comments:

Anita said...

I agree with you that he doesn't deserve the publicity he obviously was seeking. Perhaps he is now a bit more famous than he bargained for.

He is selling at a loss a house in Slidell which he bought in 2007 in order to be near the 9th ward where he had formed a new church and established a thrift store. I wonder if it still exists. He operated his enterprises in Florida while he also built a new church in Cologne, Germany from which he was ousted because of questions of fiscal irregularity and distaste for his increasing hate mongering and he subsequently returned to the States.

He convinces people that working for his church at no pay is the way to heaven. "Church" includes the side businesses that he also establishes to be run by the free labor of his congregations. He pockets the profits. I hope this fraudulent preacher is not operating in the 9th ward. Nobody deserves his brand of church.

I'm sorry you had to give this man any room in your head today. He is unworthy.

Editilla~New Orleans Ladder said...

I have to agree with Anita, but would add...
This is Blogging where'yat!
You'da Soul Finger!
I've been drinking seriously Premium Rum btw.
Thanks Cliff.

judyb said...

Thanks for the background, Anita. As someone living in Slidell, I find that intriguing.

This "minister" and others like him should be ignored by the MSM, but they (the MSM) are always looking for something to boost their ratings. It is sickening.

K. said...

You nailed this one this one as tight as a Drew Brees spiral.

The only thing I'd add is that the media wouldn't publicize junk like this if people didn't respond to it.

Editilla~New Orleans Ladder said...

Cliff, K. I'm looking for books that burn pastors.
1st one I thought of was Cosmic Trigger, next one was Book of Esther (ahem).
Feel free to add.

Anonymous said...

What K said. I'll be away for a few days, working on my flying saucer. Promise to hold up a "HI, CLIFF" sign when I float across Colorado. I'm sure CNN will find my flight more interesting than a Presidential speech in New Orleans. Ah, FAME!