I agree with epic stache on this issue.
If we want to preserve our rights for now and future generations, we need to draw teach the muslims that their ideas of how we should live are irrelevant. Although it seems silly, We need to burn the Korans, just to make a point.
You wrote: “Although I would never burn a book of any religious significance, I will say that the pastor in this case should not have backed down from burning the korans once he felt political pressure. No one will take him seriously again.”
Basically, we as a society have to burn the Korans now, due to the phenomenon that you mentioned. The issue transcends Terry Jones. If we don’t the jihadis figure we are weak and can be pushed around. The fact that so many of our own attacked Terry tells the jihadis that they’ve practically won, so they just need to keep up the pressure a little longer.
My understanding: we’d be better off if every year, a bunch of people burned Korans - on “Worldwide Burn a Koran Day”. And if every year, our government reaffirmed that because of the First Amendment, it can’t do anything. At least then, it would be on record that we’ve still got our rights.
What we don’t want is to wind up with the liberals convining people that unpopular things are illegal to do, and that the constitution is somehow not operative when things are unpopular enough. If that comes to pass, we’ve lost our rights for good - because the liberals determine what’s unpopular via the media.
That’s fine, like you said it’s your right to burn korans if you want to. I just don’t think it accomplishes anything. I think draw mohammed day was a funnier take on this whole issue.