Burning Books Is Reprehensible, Even If You Think The Books Are Reprehensible

General Petraeus is a sober soul. He makes decisions every day that may determine the life expectancy of many people in his care.

He thinks that the proposed public burning of the Koran by the Rev. Mr. Jones, head of the 50-member Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., is not an act of a sober person.

He's right. His public statement is mild and measured, but unmistakable. And deserves to be republished over and over again in the next few days.

Again, OS is a devoted conservative Christian, and no fan of Islam. But, whatever Mr. Jones may be doing at his 50-member Dove World Outreach Center, he is not, repeat is not, practicing any recognizable form of Christianity. This sort of whack-job nonsense treads all over the Fourth Commandment--the one about not taking the name of the Lord in vain, or as one more modern translation puts it, not misusing the name of the Lord.

Then there is response of our Lord when queried about the Greatest Commandment. His response: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength. And then he said, 'The second is like unto it--love your neighbor as yourself.'

Not a hint anywhere about burning anybody's books, not even remotely about it.

OS could go on and on. Ya'll get the picture, he hopes.

In the meantime, this whack-job hits a bit close to home this week. OS has an unavoidable business trip that involves flying into Yew Nork City on Saturday, September 11. He's never enthusiastic about flying to that place, especially on that date. Now, this nutter decides to tell the world he's decided to burn a Koran on September 11.

Great. Just great. Thanks, Reverend. OS will be thinking of you as he takes his shoes off after waiting in the security line for an hour each direction. And attempting to explain this mess to his business associates from overseas. Thanks for nothing, you utter inexcusable idiot.

If ya'll are reading from overseas, and OldSouth hopes you do, please forward this screed to your friends in places like Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi, the Emirates, and the Moslem neighborhoods of the UK and Europe.

This nutter does not, repeat does not, speak for 99.99 percent of the citizens of the US. He is at the least mentally ill, probably sane and evil. He is no Christian, and burning a Koran for the cameras is one of the most un-Christian acts of the year.

This is not Christianity.

This is not America.