Reflections of a Rational Republican

All this outrage in America over a Florida pastor’s burning of the Koran is starting to get a bit ridiculous.

I understand that it is not in the United States’ interests to inflame the Afghan people. This fact explains why General Petraeus had to apologize to them (see video below).

What really angers me, however, is that the reaction to a legitimate (though offensive) act of free speech in America was an indiscrimate attack on United Nations staff. The attack, which was preceded by the burning of an American flag, killed seven innocent people who were helping the very savages that attacked them.

That’s right. I called them savages, because attacking innocent people out of religious zealotry in response to a criticism of their faith is outright barbarism.

Now, instead of vigorously defending the American values of free speech and expression, our government is apologizing to a bunch of terrorists, who ruthlessly and needlessly murdered seven people who were helping them rebuild their country.

These savages should be apologizing to the international community for this act of terrorism, not the other way around.

When someone burns an American flag in this country, it is highly offensive to me. Yet I would willingly die to protect that right. Burning the Koran is equally offensive to many, but the Constitution protects the right of Americans to express themselves by burning it.

The bottom line is that these extremist savages are just looking for an excuse to incite violence. Blaming the admittedly insensitive, but constitutional and non-violent actions of an American pastor for inciting the senseless murder of seven people is outrageous.

America needs to stop apologizing for the actions of these barbarians and start defending its own values.

The United States has a history of swinging from one extreme to another. I think America has reached a point where it has become too apologetic for its values in the same way that it may have been unapologetic seventy years ago. With that, I will leave with two quotes, one from 2009 and the other from 1941:

“Our diversity, not only in our Army, but in our country, is a strength. And as horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse.”

— General George Casey following Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s murder of 13 people at Fort Hood

“Before we’re through with them, the Japanese language will be spoken only in hell.”

— Admiral William Halsey, Jr. following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

 I am hopeful that America can find a middle ground between these two extremes.