Apology to all regular readers for this unusual rant.  I promise to return you to your regularly scheduled blog posts, but I had to get this off my chest.

Why are people putting up with this guy in Florida?  It seems to me that if rational people cannot convince this wacky pastor to give up his Koran roast, there are a host of legal options available under Florida State Law to make sure this thing doesn’t happen.

Just a few:

Florida Statutes

Chapter 823- Public Nuisance

Chapter 836.05 – Defamation, Libel, Threatening Letters and other offenses- it would seem to me that his threats and the subsequent publication of those threats through the media constitutes a threat to the public peace.

Chapter 775.30 and 775.085- Terrorism, and evidence of prejudice while committing a crime can lead to enhancement of any sentence

Chapter 876.17 prohibits placing a flaming cross in anyone’s yard.  This is clearly leftover from the days of the Clan, but is not burning the Koran or the Bible for that matter, a similar act of bigotry and prejudice akin to the burning cross?

Chapter 877.03  Breach of Peace

Chapter 806.13 Criminal Mischief

I consider myself pretty close to a First Amendment absolutist, but even the Supreme Court has ruled that there are limits on free speech, especially when it constitutes “fighting words”.  There is already more uproar over this threat than this man deserves, and I do not understand why the President or the Governor of Florida have not called the Supreme Court Justices both in Florida and in DC and asked them for their opinion on this matter, and whether or not they can legally detain him to stop this silliness.  When something like this seems to threaten to breach the peace both at home and abroad, the folks in charge look particularly silly and powerless if they do not take this bozo in hand.

Sorry for the rant.  I promise you this is an anomaly.

Thanks for listening anyway.