The world is full of self-centred insignificant little people with stupid (read: extremist) ideas. It seems every street has at least one. They are the frogs that fart in the long grass, and unless you are unfortunate enough to dwell in their particular area, you rarely smell them. They are pathetic creatures, a joke you might vaguely know about in the back of your mind, and usually quite harmless.
So it should be with the Reverend Terry Jones, and his plans to burn copies of the Koran. And so it would be, were it not for the news media. This unheard of little man, his unheard of little church building, and his unheard of flock that couldn't even fill a bus, have been escalated into becoming worldwide news, until now world leaders are directly involved in all the stupidity. The news media responsible for running with this story have a lot to answer for! Take a step backwards, appreciate all the troubles there are in the world, and put this miserable little man of questionable authority (some believe he is self-ordained) into context. He could not even be seen. So why do we need to know about him at all?
What fuels the media's thirst for this idiot? I reckon the answer is in the question: fuel. Already this story has Islamic people demonstrating around the world, the 'Death to America' banners are out there, the threats are being made, and all the horror of terrorism is brought to the forefront again. It is sensational (or rather: the media has turned it sensational!) - and what more could anybody want who makes their living out of the news?
The news media could have sat on this story, and done everyone a favour, but no. Have you ever known the media to pour oil on trouble waters - unless it could set fire to it? This man is a nothing, being blown out of all proportion. Earlier this year he campaigned against a mayoral candidate, simply because the man was gay. His church erected a large sign saying: 'No homo mayor', but few were persuaded. I'm pleased to say, the guy was elected as the city