NYT:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The pastor planning a burning of the Koran on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks said Thursday he would not go forward with the event, adding he plans to meet with the imam planning to build an Islamic center near ground zero.
Terry Jones, the pastor from Gainesville, Fla., said at a press conference, "We have agreed to cancel the event."
The pastor's announcement came after a growing chorus of demands, from President Obama to religious leaders, American generals and others, that he cancel the event planned for Saturday because of the potential imact on Christian-Muslim relations and the effect a Koran burning would have on American troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But details of the pastor's planned meeting with the Imam, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, remained elusive. Mr. Jones did say he got a promise to move the New York mosque, although such an agreement could not be independently confirmed.
"I have agreed to meet with him," Mr. Jones said in reference to the Imam.
"We have at this time no regrets," he said. "We feel we have accomplished our goal. We are very very happy with the outcome."
It's not surprising that Jones is trying to link his crusade to burn the Koran with the planned Park51 Islamic community center in lower Manhattan, but it's important to point out that there's no evidence to support Jones' claim that Park51 agreed to move in exchange for his decision to stand down. Indeed, Park51 is saying that it has not changed its plans at all. That's a good thing, becase these are two completely unrelated and non-equivalent issues. As Gail Collins wrote:
The Koran-burning has been equated, in some circles, with the fabled ground zero mosque. This is under the theory that both are constitutionally protected bad ideas. In fact, they’re very different. Muslims building a community center in their neighborhood on one hand. Deliberate attempt to insult a religion that is dear to about 1.5 billion souls around the globe on the other.
That being said, if Pastor Jones and Imam Rauf decide that a joint meeting can enhance mutual understanding, they should definitely meet. That's totally cool. But at the same time, it's important to be clear about this fact: there's no link at all between Park51 and burning Korans. None at all.
Join the discussion in marabout40's recommended diary, BREAKING: Hatemonger Pastor Terry Jones Cancels "Int'l Qu'ran Burning Day".
Update: This has to burn -- Whacko Pastor Jones' web hosting provider kicked Jones off its servers, citing violations of its hate speech policies. Good news for Jones: it's a free country. Find a company willing to peddle hate and he'll be back in business.