ENOUGH IS TOO MUCH

I love the media! In fact, I am a self-proclaimed “media junkie”! I read whatever and as much as I can, on-line or in print. I am always tuned into news/information radio and tv. It is fun, educational and entertaining. But, enough is too much.

Take the current case of the pastor somewhere in Florida who is threatening to burn a copy of the Quran this Saturday, 9/11. There are a total of 50 members of his church. I have friends who have more people in their family. Is it even a real church? Is he even a real minister? Who really cares about him, other than for the fact that easily twice as many members of the media as members of his congregation are now gathered outside of his church waiting and watching him.

Like recent publicity hounds before him (remember Balloon Boy, Octomom, the White House Party Crashers), he was made by the media and is in it for whatever fame and notoriety he can get for himself. He is not interested in Islam and what it does or doesn’t stand for, or remembering the terrible events of September 11, 2001. He is interested in making a name for himself that he hasn’t been able to do otherwise, and the media fell right into it.

Sure, if pictures and stories of him burning the Quran are carried around the world it will cause a stir, and many people in other parts of the world will think that he is somebody, which of course, he isn’t. At this point, even if he decides not to burn the Quran, it will be broadcast, and he will have more than his 15 minutes of fame. He’ll be on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, and all of the news programs and in all newspapers.

What if, we had just ignored him or if we just ignore him now? What if all of the media just went away, and nobody, but maybe a few of his 50 parishioners, saw what he did or didn’t do?

Of course, that is way too much to hope for, and for the next few days we will be watching our latest media shooting star, as he prepares for his ultimate book tour!