A Florida pastor and his congregation have announced plans to burn copies of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, on the anniversary of 9/11. Their plan has sparked outrage and fear around the world, since terrorists may view the burning as an attack on Islam and plan attacks as a result.
Other incidents such as a report of a Quran being flushed down a toilet at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center and the depiction of the Prophet Mohammed as a terrorist in a Danish cartoon sparked deadly protests and attacks in the Middle East. General David Petraeus, who commands the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, has asked Pastor Terry Jones and his congregation to reconsider their plan since going through with the Quran burning could put American troops at risk of terror attacks.
Jones says the death threats he and members of his congregation have received demonstrate the violent nature of Islam and justify his plan to burn the Quran. U.S. officials have called the pastor's plan "un-American" and religious leaders in groups like The New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good condemned the planned act, calling it "bigotry."
The first 4 minutes and 30 seconds of this video is a summary of the story and its developments; the rest is a discussion with Marc Lynch, the director of the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.
Quotes
"I think what we are doing through our action, we are revealing that, actually, Islam is much more dangerous, much more violent than people would like to believe." - Pastor Terry Jones, Dove World Outreach Center
"It puts our soldiers at jeopardy, very likely. And I think, in fact, the images from such an activity could very well be used by extremists here and around the world." - Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan
"We are a nation of 300 million people. Andthe vast majority of Americans are standing up this week and saying that, you know, these contemplated actions are inappropriate, they're abhorrent, and they should not happen." - P.J. Crowley, U.S. State Department Spokesman
Warm Up Questions
1. What is Islam?
2. What is the Quran?
3. What does burning a cherished object like a flag or a holy book represent?
Discussion Questions
1. Can the U.S. government prevent Pastor Terry Jones and his congregation from burning the Quran? Why or why not?
2. How would you feel if someone destroyed a religious symbol or text that was important to you? Why?
3. According to the video, how could burning the Quran endanger U.S. troops?
4. What are some examples of anti-Muslim actions that have sparked violence in the past?
Additional Resources
Newsweek Article Sparks Anti- American Violence
Obama's Cairo Speech Calls For 'New Beginning' With Muslim World
