Should/can Congresss condemn Jones' Koran burning?

[Bragi]

I note that Karzai is apparently no longer demanding that Jones "be brought to justice", what with that being impossible due to the fact he committed no crime in the U.S.

So he has apparently shifted from this position, and now wants Congress to condemn him for burning a Koran.

(Jones) defiance has led Afghan President Hamid Karzai to call on the U.S. Congress to condemn the burning of a Koran by the radical fundamentalist U.S. pastor.

Karzai made the request at a meeting with U.S. ambassador Karl Eikenberry and General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, the statement said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1372827/Terry-Jones-Mohammed-trial-Koran-burning-sparks-2nd-day-violence.html#ixzz1ITt7Dzrd

I note this only to observe that, from what I can tell, the likelihood of Congress doing so is pretty close to zero.

Or might that happen?

(Also, for those interested in the role of the always reliable Karzai's in inciting the murderous mobs in his country, CNN's Fareed Zakaria has posted a very good blog item on this.

See http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/03/fareeds-take-quran-firestorm/)

[Countdown_3_2_1]

1. The best condemnations is a complete media blackout..NO publicity for this guy!

If congress passed such a condemnation there would be copy cat burnings everywhere.

[Bragi]

3. Actually, that has been the situation mostly

The only big upsplash in US media coverage Jones got was around his threatened Koran burning stunt last September. This stunt ended with the Pastor Dufus Jones wandering pointlessly around Manhattan for a day or so, and then evaporating off to obscurity.

Until Friday. On Friday, American media had no chocie but to report that in an obscure but strategically important Afghan town, murderous mobs had appeared, and proceeded to riot, killing 11 UN workers, injuring others, to avenge Jones' blasphemy against Islam.

It appears that there is reason to think right now that many Americans are somewhat confused about what actually triggered Friday's murders, since as far as they recall, the Pastor had called off his Koran burning. I've even noted a few people here on DU, for example, being surprised to learn that the story had moved on since last September.

Only now are many Americans learning that, a few weeks back, Jones conducted a second well-announced and visible anti-Islam stunt, which ended with the burning of a Koran, the requisite video of which was then posted on YouTube.

I think we should acknowledge that American media did not hype anything about Jones, in fact, they mostly chose not to cover him.

Personally, I'm not sure the notions of a well informed citizenry and democracy are well served by this kind of media self-censorship. They should offer the public at least an explanation of what they hoped to achieve by self-censorship of what Jones was up to.

The fact that word apparently spread to Afghanistan without much push from American media (shout out to President Karzai!) makes an explanation, and more complete coverage, even more urgent.

[Bragi]

5. Problem: This can't actually be done

Word of Jones' Koran-burning stunt did not reach the land of Friday's murderous mobs via American media coverage. In fact, word of Jones insult to Islam came through a totally different channel -- through a statement by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

[Lisa D]

2. Don't give him the publicity.

Pretend he doesn't exist--that would be the greatest punishment for him.

[Bragi]

4. Can't be done

It wasn't American media coverage that fueled Friday's atrocities. Word got there via other channels (a big shout out to President Karzai! Thanks!)

[Zax2me]

6. I would not mind if something were said on the floor

It's not like a staement against him is making a law or banning anything.

[Bragi]

11. Seems reasonable

So what would your statement say?

[tritsofme]

7. If anything, Congress should pass a resolution affirming our commitment to the free expression of

ideas.

Why should the US Congress in any way give support to the actions of these barbarians?

[Le Taz Hot]

9. +1

[Joe the Revelator]

12. +2

[Bragi]

10. Interesting direction...

What if there was a resolution that both affirmed a) the rights of Americans to free speech, and b) the odiousness of insulting any religion that presents no offense to others? Should/would Congress consider such an option?

It's worth thinking about because it could perhaps address what might be coming down.

[Unvanguard]

14. Congress should condemn anti-Muslim hate rhetoric for its own sake. n/t

[Joe the Revelator]

8. I would be outraged if they did....

[Unvanguard]

13. It can and it should.

And it might well.

[davidthegnome]

15. Depends on what is meant by condemn

I think any rational person would say Jones is an asshole and that his act was ignorant, stupid - and not at all well intentioned. I wouldn't expect our congress to do so - a lot of them probably think Jones is a great guy. Should they? I wish they would. Can they? Sure, but they won't.

Condemning the actions of a lunatic asshole like Jones isn't asking too much - unless you're dealing with lunatics gone wild (like our current congress).