It's constitutional to be an idiot.

Recently, Pastor Terry Jones of a small Florida church and his congregation had planned to have a bonfire of burning Korans to commemorate the September 11 attacks. The planning has garnered international interest and worldwide anti-American protests. The White House feared that the bonfire would lead to violence against U.S. embassies and an increase in general anti-American feelings. However, on September 9, Pastor Jones announced that his "Burn a Koran Day" was "on hold" following a disclosure of possible negotiations between the pastor and a New York based Muslim Imam linked with the mosque plans at Ground Zero. The negotiations supposedly included a deal to move the mosque, which the Imam said was an incorrect announcement. According to Jones, their final decision about whether or not to hold the burning will come after a 24-hour period during which they will be confirming a meeting between Jones and the New York Imam.

The cancellation of the Koran burning was settled as part of a supposed agreement, although neither side seems to be in much agreement at this point, and Jones has gone so far as to refer to the Imam as a liar. The really troubling part is that the federal government had absolutely no ability to stop the burning, because, as it would have been no private grounds, the pastor and his congregation would have been perfectly within their constitutional right to freedom of speech. As put by David Hudson, a scholar at the First Amendment Center in Washington DC, "Generally, the first amendment protects offensive, repugnant, and even hateful speech." The root of the issue is that fact that America prides iself on holding true to this freedom, along with other freedoms given by the Constitution, and it has become almost a national identity, as a "free country." As much as I'm for a little freedom, such as voicing ones political opinions or even smack talking the opponents a little, I believe that at some point the line needs to be drawn. As voiced by American military officials, the Koran burning will only intensify the will of insurgents, and will lead to increased violence against American soldiers. And to knowlingly put soldiers at unnecssary risk is completely absurd.

However, fair's fair. The amendment also protects the burning of the American flag and symbols of other religions. In order for the demonstrator to be arrested, there must be an immediacy of harm, such as having the bonfire on the dorrstep of a mosque. Much good comes from our freedoms, but all it gives people like the congregation in Florida the ability to do is be idiots.