I’m using this post to follow up on some issues.
First, pastor Terry Jones, who caused a firestorm when he threatened a Quran burning at his church, recently made the news again, but I’ll call it good news.
Seems that back when Jones announced his plan to set ablaze the good book of Islam, a car dealer in Florida used the threat for a radio ad. In the ad, auto dealer Brad Benson — known for his offbeat promotions — offered a free car to Jones if he didn't follow through on the burning.
The Associated Press reported that an acquaintance of Jones told the pastor about the ad, and Jones called in the marker. Benson required Jones to send a photocopy of his driver’s license, which he did, and made good on his promise. The only stipulation: The pastor must pick up the $14,000 Hyundai at the dealership. He did.
The good news: Jones said he planned to donate the car to a nonprofit that assists abused Islamic women.
On the Supreme Court front, the court refused to hear a case involving a woman who got the heave-ho from a “public” speaking event of former President George W. Bush. Leslie Weise of Denver obtained a ticket for the speech in 2005, and no one contended that she planned to protest or that she threatened Bush.
But she did have a “No more blood for oil” bumper sticker on her car. That merited her getting the boot. The lower court panel said, “President Bush had the right at his own speech to ensure that only his message was conveyed.”
Two justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Sonya Sotomayor dissented. They said the Constitution does not give officials the right to exclude people who might have “discordant views.”
My view? What they said.
Finally, the city of Mayfield, Ky., got national media attention during the “Ground Zero Mosque” travails when it denied a permit to a group of Somali Muslims who wanted to open a mosque in the fair city.
Well, after much rumination — and a visit from lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union — the city fathers and mothers reconsidered. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported in its Nov. 1O edition that the city council approved the permit.
It seems the “parking problems” — cited for the denial on the first go-around — resolved themselves.
What do you think?
Resources:
- http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/florida-pastor/...
- http://icitizenforum.com/discussion-topics/koran/quran-islam/...
- http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2010/10/...
- http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/...
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