Pablo Fanque and Mona Goldwater cancel the "2,000 Bible bonfire on a bed of American flag kindling" counterdemonstration after Dr. Terry Jones/Dove suspend their Quran burning party

They appear to be out of cell phone range at the moment, but Pablo and Mona left me a lengthy voice mail yesterday afternoon from "somewhere near Memphis," where they had just learned that the Quran burning in Gainesville, FLA had been cancelled. They had clearly been "celebrating" their apparent triumph.

You may remember that early in the week, Pablo loaded up a pickup with 2,000 Bibles, and fifty American flags ("for kindling") and began barreling toward Florida to mount a serious, and quite possibly, dangerous confrontation.

"a counteroffensive against the crackers, ass-clowns, and pinheads who are about to torch a stack of Qurans." - Pablo Fanque (All This Is That National Affairs Editor)

Pablo and Mona

Midway through the voicemail, Mona Goldwater took the phone and told me, slurring even more than Fanque, that they were drinking at a rest stop just outside of Memphis, and giving away their large stock of Bibles and American Flags to surprised fellow travellers.  "We'll sleep here overnight and get back on the road to Seattle at first light.  We did it! I mean, I get that it wasn't us alone, but I don't think even that publicity-whore Terry Jones wanted to see our Quran and American flag bonfire."

Two articles from earlier in the week on the Fanque/Goldwater road trip and demonstration:

Pablo Fanque, Mona Goldwater, and company on the road to "Burn a Koran Day" at Dove World Outreach Center in FLA


I plan to light up 2,000 Bibles on a bed of 50 American Flags in Florida on September 11th

"Dr." Terry Jones.  Bookburner

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The bookburner "Reverend" Terry Jones' war on Islam

By Dr. Jack Brummet (PhD, Theology, Universal Life Church)
Ethics and Social Mores Editor

Research and fact checking by Pablo Fanque
National Affairs Editor

Until last week, really, Pastor Terry Jones ministered in much-deserved obscurity. A week later, he is talked about by General Petraeus and President Obama, and implored to abandon this senseless act.  Dove World Outreach Center, and the dingbat behind Burn A Quran Day have become front page in the old media, and fodder for thousands of blogs and websites.  Jones'  Dove World church numbers about 50 people.   If you want to read about the "reasoning" behind all of this, read the Doctor's own diatribe, Ten Reasons To Burn a Koran."

Jones calls himself "Doctor," which may or may not be true.  Jones says in a deposition that he received an honorary doctorate of theology degree from the California Graduate School of Theology  in 1983 (not unlike the degree I received in the mid 90's). The school is not unaccredited, and, so far, no one has confirmed whether or not Jones was actually awarded an honorary degree.

CBS News procured a transcript from a recent court case that shows Jones actually knows close to nothing about his incendiary cause. In a deposition, Jones described how he and his wife learned what they know about Sharia Law (the sacred laws of the Muslim religion)  by--get this!--watching YouTube videos.

Jones was asked "Do you know where Sharia law came from?"

"Not really, no," he said, "I think there's experts that say it came from the old Mosaic law. But no."


The lawyers asked Jones how many Muslims he knows. 


"I don't think I know any personally," he said, "I haven't interviewed any." 

Jones also said that he has not attended any interfaith discussions.  In fact, he said that he believes that such discussions are part of "our problem."

When asked why his church has shrunk dramatically in size, Dr. Jones hit it right on the head:

"I think mainly just because the things we're involved in are just really way too hot for your normal Christian and your normal person."

A normal person would steer clear of the Quran burnings.  We agree on that.

In a statement last week, General David Petraeus--US commander of the Afghan war--expressed concern that the planned burning of the Koran would be a propaganda coup for Islamic extremists and would ineluctably lead to further violence against Americans overseas.

Dr. Jones said he had given "serious" consideration to the concerns expressed by US commander General Petraeus over his plans to burn the Koran, but he remained adamant the event would proceed anyway. 

I've always been proud of being a Jones (I'm 50%).  And now this ass-clown has besmirched that great name.  Can he really believe his own drivel?  Is he trying to pump up his church's membership. . .or is he, perhaps, angling for a shot at Dancing With The Stars?

Burning books?  Burning Bibles and sacred scriptures?  Terry Jones seems more bent on emulating Adolph Hitler than on sending a message to the Muslim world.  It's popular among evangelicals to ask "What Would Jesus Do?"  One thing I think we all know is-- Jesus. Would. Not. Do. This.

Pablo Fanque, our national affairs editor has another take on this, which I believe he will be posting shortly...
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