In order to counter the forces of ignorance and intolerance, we need to work extra hard to demonstrate what true tolerance and open-mindedness can be. Yesterday I posted a brief diary which linked to this page:
http://www.readaquranday.com/
Someone else created that page, but I thought it was a very positive idea so I figured it would be good to post here to spread the word about it. Since then, though, I realised that a bunch of individuals pledging to read the Qur'an in the privacy of their homes was not going to register to the media as any kind of a counter to the book burning, so I am organizing a group read on the grounds of the Capitol in DC this Saturday afternoon.
http://www.facebook.com/...
This is a non-religious gathering to sit and quietly read the Qur'an for a few hours, overlapping the time when the idiocy in FL is taking place. I have managed to secure a small number of extra copies of the Qur'an from a local Islamic center here in NoVA, but anyone who can bring their own copy (or extras) is encouraged to do so.
Since it is very last minute, I am not sure if there will be time for the permitting to go through or not. If we get approval to actually gather on the West Lawn that would be excellent, but if not there are several alternatives a short distance away, depending on how large the group is that actually shows up. I'll know for sure by tomorrow afternoon if the permit comes through.