The Limits of Tolerance
Newsweek is scrambling to explain its story on the alleged desecration of the Qu'ran by U.S. soldiers. The magazine is, understandably, freaked out that Afghan Muslims responded to the story by rioting, burning buildings, and killing 15 people.
As long as the magazine is right, Newsweek shouldn't apologize. It's a legitimate story. And as readers, our reaction should not be, "How could we have done anything to offend Muslims?"
Certainly as a practical matter, flushing the Qu'ran down the toilet is a very bad idea; the consequences are proof of that. It's not so good from a moral point of view either. We should be respectful of all faiths.
But does that act of disrespect really justify riots and murder? There's a difference between being respectful and sympathetic to the Muslim world, and being apologetic for some of the harder-to-justify behavior that goes on within it. Our cultural sensitivity shouldn't excuse inexcusable behavior. You burn a Bible and I'll be plenty upset, but I'm not going to go out and kill someone.
Defacing the Qu'ran is Americans' shame; the subsequent violence is not.
