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May 16, 2005

By the Book

Yes, we should be mad about this:

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A day after Newsweek magazine backed away from a story that U.S. interrogators had desecrated copies of the Quran, the U.S. military said it must reach out to angry Afghans to ease tensions.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured last week when thousands of demonstrators marched in Afghanistan and other parts of the Muslim world in reaction to Newsweek's May 9 issue, officials and eyewitnesses said.

Newsweek blew it, and blew it big. Tensions flared and people died.

But, really now, let's be frank: these idiots got upset over someone possibly trashing a book.

Mass-produced pressed pulp with some ink blots on it has more importance to them than human life. I'm sorry, that's just all kinds of messed up.

Despite the fact that many religious righters like to say that evolution and atheism are religions, I promise that if you come to my house and poop on my copy of "On The Origin of Species," I won't go into a murderous rampage or protest in the streets. I might, however, ask you to buy me a new copy and please don't come over again until your bowels are under control.

Even American Christians, while they're never quite sure what to do with all those little, colorful "Good News for Modern Man" New Testaments they've received over the years, probably wouldn't kill anyone for scribbling in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

So, yes, we should point a finger at Newsweek and scorn them. We should also point a finger at Islamic Fundamentalists and laugh.