I 'm asking. Is this a crazy idea?
The president, the military, and other US intelligence agencies say that the Quran burning could lead to the murder of Americans.
On that basis, can't the President legitimately order the FBI to arrest the crazed pastor before he acts?
I don't know what legal basis there would be for an arrest but, as often happens, the feds can act and come up with a legal justification later.
Let the pastor go to court. Let him win. What difference does it make? Doesn't the U.S. government have a compelling interest to save American lives? Is there really no law that provides the President with the authority to protect US troops? .
Why not throw the thug in jail and send that statement to the world? We are not who Hezbollah and Al Qaeda say we are. We are not at war with the Muslim world. And it, in turn, has no cause to be at war with us.
Not proposing, just asking.
Follow MJ Rosenberg on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mjmediamatters
Rob Asghar: Mission Nearly Accomplished: 5 Steps to Re-Launching the Crusades
To say that Terry Jones can not be arrested or detained for threatening to burn the Quran is to shown unfamiliarity with certain aspects of the law. Virtually every state including Florida ( Baker Act) has some variation on a law that allows a person to be held for 72 hours for psychiatric examination if it is determined by legal authority that they present a danger to themselves and others. Clearly, this could apply to Terry Jones - especially considering his history in Germany (see the Der Spiegel arcticle), some members of his former congregation are still being treated for psychological abuse.
From a Florida website (http://www.clerk.co.okeechobee.fl.us/Baker_act.htm):
About the Baker Act - (http://www.cchrflorida.org/abuse-florida-involuntary-commitment.html)
"a law enforcement officer may transport an individual to a facility for evaluation if there is reason to believe that the individual's behavior meets statutory guidelines for involuntary examination."
Clearly, he presents a danger to himself, death threats have been issued against him and he could possibly ignite his clothes in the process of the burning the Qurans. And, a danger to others - US citizens traveling abroad, US service personnel and domestic attacks against persons and property. All it takes is one policeman to make this judgement call. Get him off the street for 72 hours, 911 passes, no burning and we can all breathe a bit easier.
Beyond that, the purpose of burning the paper is to exercise the first amendment right of freedom of speech. This preacher wants to communicate that he hates Islam, and thinks all Muslims are out to destroy the world. He's fully entitled as an American to make that statement, in public. Nobody should interfere with him. Let him scream it to the world. That's what freedom of speech and expression means. Freedom from government censorship. If the government doesn't like what the preacher's going to say, tough luck.
People are being ridiculous about this whole thing. After all, the preacherman isn't the one that's been murdering Muslims all over the world. He's just going to burn some paper. Some Muslims will be angry about that? Tough luck to them too, because they don't get to stop an American from saying what he wants.
People are so quick to buy into the idea that we citizens should be expected to give up our freedoms because some general or politician says so. What is wrong with people? Don't you recognize the hallmarks of a military dictatorship when you see one? Stand on the rooftops, shout for the world to hear. It's your right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdtFk_V6A4M
On the other hand, fighting fire with fire might have a certain poetic justice.