Counting the costs of self-righteous, self-glorifying tantrums

I hope and trust that no friend or reader of this blog is cheering the Floridian Minister of God's love, grace, and mercy as he stages his Qu'ran burning. Not only is his offensive and self-indulgent outburst a threat and painful blow to all people of all faiths, but it will cost lives and millions of dollars. Does he have a right to express himself in this manner? Perhaps so. Some may persuasively argue otherwise. Regardless, let none of us cheer him. Let none of us fail to count (and grieve) the unnecessary costs.

Although this has been my thinking since this intended Qu'ran burning became news, this actual blog post was prompted by the following e-mail which I just received from the US State Department:

Worldwide Caution  For travel information, call 888-407-4747.  Internet Address: http://travel.state.gov  United States Department of State  Bureau of Consular Affairs  Washington, DC 20520  Travel Alert - Qu'ran Burning  September 9, 2010  The Department of State is issuing this Travel Alert to caution U.S. citizens of the potential for anti-U.S. demonstrations in many countries in response to stated plans by a church in Florida to burn Qur'ans on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Demonstrations, some violent, have already taken place in several countries, including Afghanistan and Indonesia, in response to media reports of the church's plans. The potential for further protests and demonstrations, some of which may turn violent, remains high. We urge you to pay attention to local reaction to the situation, and to avoid areas where demonstrations may take place. This Travel Alert expires on September 30, 2010.  U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration website at in order that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. U.S. citizens without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.  U.S. government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.  As the Department of State continues to develop information on potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, such as the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as Country Information, which are available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov/. ******************** It is no surprise that a hateful demonstration accomplishes nothing more than to provoke other hateful demonstrations....  and that as stated by Mahatma Gandhi, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". Rwanda is a country of extremely devout people, devout Catholics, devout Seventh-day Adventists, devout Anglicans, devout Pentecostals, devout Muslims, and they all live together, side by side, in peace and harmony,  peacefully working and worshiping with full respect for others. There is no trace of any religious tension in Rwanda. How is that possible?